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Table of Contents
About The Book
A talented young artist battles with the linen she’s trying to paint on in this inspiring picture book about the power of perseverance from two Hans Christian Andersen Award–winning creators.
Yulu has all the makings of a great artist, her teachers and parents agree. But can she paint a self-portrait? Yulu isn’t sure, even when she finds the perfect canvas made of special linen. She summons her courage and paints. But the next day, the paint has run and oozed and dripped—the painting is ruined!
Yulu picks her brush back up, but day after day, the linen of her canvas itself seems to be rebuffing her attempts. Yulu, undeterred, works on and on. More than a battle with the opinionated linen, this artistic battle is one Yulu wages with herself. Through determination and hard work, can she grow past her natural talent and prove herself worthy of the task before her?
Yulu has all the makings of a great artist, her teachers and parents agree. But can she paint a self-portrait? Yulu isn’t sure, even when she finds the perfect canvas made of special linen. She summons her courage and paints. But the next day, the paint has run and oozed and dripped—the painting is ruined!
Yulu picks her brush back up, but day after day, the linen of her canvas itself seems to be rebuffing her attempts. Yulu, undeterred, works on and on. More than a battle with the opinionated linen, this artistic battle is one Yulu wages with herself. Through determination and hard work, can she grow past her natural talent and prove herself worthy of the task before her?
About The Illustrator
Suzy Lee is a recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the first Korean illustrator to win the honor. She’s twice had books chosen for the New York Times Best Illustrated Award, has won a Gold Medal at the Society of Illustrators, and has won the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature. Her titles include Wave, This Beautiful Day, and Shadow. A graduate of Seoul National University, she lives and works in Seoul.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books (February 3, 2026)
- Length: 48 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665931205
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
In this finely wrought picture book portrait of the artistic process, a canvas of “yu-lu-ma—rain-dew linen” seems destined for young Yulu’s brushes, so her father, a frustrated artist who’s nurtured her talent, buys it for her first self-portrait. [...] Printed on linen-textured paper, this story of making, part folktale, part love letter to hanging in there, honors the work and wonder at the heart of creation.
– Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW, 11/3/2025
Originally published in South Korea and China, an enchanting portrait of a young artist from two Hans Christian Andersen Awardees. [...] South Korean illustrator Lee elevates Chinese author Cao’s celebration of talent and tenacity into artful delight, combining impeccable line drawings with reams of exquisite floral fabrics from Dad’s shop. She uses single-color washes—yellow, beige, blue, black—to augment her black-and-white sketches, mimicking linen-esque textures on the page. [...] Wang returns as Cao’s experienced translator. A visually moving reminder that artistic success means trying again and again.
– Kirkus , November 15, 2025 Issue
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Yulu's Linen
Fixed Layout eBook 9781665931205
