Ann Suk Wang is a graduate of UCLA and Boston University and a former journalist. Born in Korea, she lives in California with her family. Hanna Cha is the Caldecott Honor- and APALA-winning illustrator of The Truth About Dragons. She spent her childhood in both Korea and America and currently lives in Boston. In Wang’s debut picture book, The House Before Falling into the Sea, a child and her family take in refugees during the Korean War. We asked Wang and Cha about how they came to collaborate on the book, and their deeply personal connections to the story.
Ann Suk Wang: Hi, Hanna. This is so exciting.
Hanna Cha: Hello, Ann. what a delight to get this one-on-one with you! I have so many questions to ask you, I hope you are ready!
I feel like every illustrator can’t help but have this question, since it is always an honor to be considered for a text for a story. If you do not mind me asking, why or how did you choose me for your manuscript?
Wang: So the way I chose you is that our editor Rosie [Ahmed] pointed me to your website. Immediately, I loved your work! First off, I really wanted someone who could do watercolor well. The wild yet gentle nature of the medium seemed right for this story. Next, the facial expressions on your characters stood out to me. I like being pulled in this way. Finally, your epic flowing landscapes and movement throughout made me feel like my words would be elevated and amplified by your art. I just hoped and prayed you’d say yes! Thank you for saying yes!
So why did you agree to this project? Tell me about your family’s connection to this story.
Cha: Ann, your words are just so beautiful and poetic while having such strength behind them! It was easy to say yes. But also, when I read your manuscript, I loved how easy it was to imagine your story. My mind instantly drew an image of a small girl holding a Suseok [scholar stone] against the backdrop of the unforgiving waves of the beautiful sea. And with that image, everything else fell into place.
I only heard of the Korean War through my grandparents, but not having lived it I could never fully grasp that reality. But when I came across your story, I started to understand my grandparents’ history a little more. And after hearing some my grandmother’s stories, I knew I needed to see this book through! At the start of working on this book, I only vaguely knew about my grandma’s story of her being a refugee from the North. However, as I researched more about the war and took time to talk with my grandma, I was able to connect with and understand her in ways I never got to before. I know we didn’t plan this at all: you (and at that time I myself) didn’t know my history was tied to the refugee fleeing the North, but I am just grateful that this book represents our families’ intertwined history, which is two different sides of the same coin.
I was able to discover more of my history through your story, but what about you? How did the words for this book come to you—and, if you also don’t mind me asking, how long did it take you?
Wang: This story came to me in bits and pieces through the years. My mom would make little comments, like, “I played games, jumping with an elastic string with a lot of kids and sold sweet potatoes on the street with them, too, during the war....” Then maybe months later, something would remind her about the war and she’d say something like, “I was so scared when the sirens went off and we had to hide underground.” One story she mentioned that I couldn’t fit in was how American soldiers gave her candy. She loved that! These treasures were stored up in my mind, on loose napkins, and in my heart, not knowing if they would resurface, but hoping they would since they were worthwhile... but how? I finally started putting pen to paper, if you will, after my father’s funeral. A family came to pay their respects and my mom said, “They lived with me during the war...” For years, I imagined [my story] as a middle grade novel, but it felt forced. When I approached it as a picture book, it began to sing. I knew I had something!
So how long did it take me? Well, 10 years or 10 days—it depends how you look at it. Of course, there was a lot of writing, deleting, staring at the screen, thinking... What’s even more mind-blowing is how many times it was refined after it was purchased by Dial. Rosie and I worked on it for nearly six months, maybe longer. We went back and forth, analyzing every turn of phrase, word, punctuation mark, page turn... she loved it and wanted it to be glorious, maybe even more than me. There was a point where I got a bit sick of it! But I’d put it away for a couple of weeks and then look at it again with fresh eyes. I knew it was an important story to tell, so I pressed on.
How long did the illustration process take for you?
Cha: Oh boy, with the final illustrations and planning, all together, I think it took about six to seven months. When I work, I tend to take the most time in my sketches and research phase. Especially for books that are based on history and real moments, I want to make sure to reflect that period as accurately as I can. I spent a lot of time looking up videos and photos of Korea during the 1950s, but I needed to sift through a good number because most videos focused on the army or the war front. But as much as it was painful to view that aspect of the war, it also allowed me to realize how strong everyone was to find joy in such a painful reality.
Once I was satisfied with my research, (I say this but I think I was constantly referencing and double checking, haha), I was able to paint. For this book, I decided to depart from my original method of illustrating in black-and-white ink and coloring digitally. I felt this book needed to be a bit more raw and honest, so I made a leap and went full watercolor. I was just back from visiting Busan’s and Jeju’s oceans in Korea. Despite the frigid winter cold and desolated sandy plains with a sprinkle of people, the green and blue waves were churning so magnificently. I wanted to capture that feeling. Illustrating nature and the sea was the easiest part for me. It also made me think how those strong waves probably were there as a constant for my grandmother and your family. I felt some sort of comfort through that.
Wang: Wow, that’s fascinating! You certainly put your heart into this and it shows! What a gift to both our families and to the world to have a snapshot in history that’s not mentioned too much.
Any final words before we wrap up?
Cha: I feel so lucky to be able to work on a book that allowed me to learn, research, and explore my roots as much as I did. I love that I got to work on a story that allows such personal exploration and pursuit. I can’t say it enough, but it has been a great journey partnering with you on this. I hope that readers will be able to see this book as a reminder of people’s strength and a celebration of their ability to find joy in the darkest hours. What about you, Ann?
Wang: Yes, I feel so lucky to be partnering with you! And congratulations, by the way, on your recent Caldecott Honor for The Truth About Dragons. Absolutely stunning and well deserved!
I hope people from all walks of life can see themselves in the pages of The House. There are themes like learning to cope when life gets hard, relying on help outside yourself, loving your neighbors, being kind to all people, intergenerational storytelling, and so much more! It’s ultimately a story about humanity, and we can always use more reminders of the similarities we share.
Thank you for taking this time, Hanna. I so enjoy talking with you. Let’s do it again soon!
Cha: Thank you, Ann, for this delightful talk. Until next time!
The House Before Falling into the Sea by Ann Suk Wang, illus. by Hanna Cha. Dial, $18.99 Mar. 12 ISBN SBN 978-0-5935-3015-3
