What This Book Is About
Yunjae, a teenager in Seoul, was born with an undersized amygdala (the almond-shaped structure in the brain that processes emotion), which leaves him unable to recognise or express what he feels. He can learn the names of emotions and spot them in other people, but they do not reach him. His mother and grandmother spend years teaching him which response to produce when, so that he can pass as ordinary.
Then violence takes away the people he depends on, and he is left alone. What happens next comes from two collisions: with Gon, a damaged, furious classmate who is everything Yunjae is not, and with a girl, Dora. Between them they push him toward something like feeling.
Available at Popular bookstores, Kinokuniya, and the Singapore National Library.
Why We Recommend This Book
Almond asks students to spend a whole book inside a mind that works differently from theirs, and it does it without turning Yunjae into a case study. For readers who are just starting to think about how other people feel, that is a useful and unsettling experience.
It is also translated Korean fiction, which widens a reading list that is otherwise mostly Anglophone. Sandy Joosun Lee's translation reads easily, so the book is accessible well before its themes stop being difficult.
Reading Level Guide
Challenging at A2. Build confidence with A2-B1 books first, then come back to this one.
Ideal difficulty. Right in the sweet spot for steady growth.
Easy at C1. A quick, enjoyable read—great for pleasure or genre exploration.
Other UWC Recommended Books for This Grade
Not sure if this book is right for your child? Take our free English assessment to find their CEFR level, then choose books that match.