My group of annoying buddies

Author: (Korean) Kim Jihwan / (Korean) Won Yumemi Illustration / Li Yinghua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Even though I love them so much, why do I feel so annoyed? In fact, everyone's heart hides a seed of love. But some people forget to water it, preventing it from sprouting; while others take care of it every day, allowing it to bloom into beautiful and fragrant flowers.
I'm so tired of Baoxian pretending to be perfect just to get the teacher's favor.
I'm annoyed by Minyu who does everything for me just to please me.
I hate Zhenxu who acts close to me but betrays me behind my back.
I hate myself for hating others so much.
In the eyes of many adults, children aged 11 or 12 should be innocent and transparent, as if their lives are always filled with happiness and joy, without any worries. Think about it: someone pays for their education, takes care of their meals, their clothes, and all their daily expenses. What more could they possibly worry about? In reality, however, children who are about to enter their adolescence are also beginning their socialization process, and interpersonal relationships become a significant part of their lives. As they become more sensitive to relationships, their worries also increase: Why is the teacher biased? Does the friend's behavior today mean betrayal? How can I move away from my current friends when my parents find a new job and have to relocate? What is true loyalty worth cherishing?
In My Group of Annoying Best Friends, we see the real life of an 11- or 12-year-old child. The protagonist, Xiong Xiaoliang, becomes jealous, suspicious, resentful, and dissatisfied with everything due to her envy. Yet, she expresses her love, hatred, envy, jealousy, suspicion, and understanding in her unique way—emotions that perhaps everyone has experienced or will experience. Therefore, how Xiaoliang overcomes her struggles also holds great significance for us. The teachers and parents, who are briefly mentioned in the book, are actually the key to helping Xiaoliang regain her cheerfulness. How did they do it? Why could the teacher sense deep resentment in her playing? Why could the parents accept their daughter's interactions with boys?
After reading this book, what truly strikes us is how the author subtly integrates a crucial educational philosophy into the story: Acceptance is the key to communication and guidance.
With parents accepting their children's thoughts and emotions, children can see their parents as friends and confide in them. With children accepting and understanding their parents' love, parents' guidance can effectively help them grow healthily. Through Xiaoliang's story, the author hopes to inspire us all to be more calm and wise in our future lives, filling them with love and tolerance.