Scribner triumphs in six-way auction for Kim Keum-Hee's houseplant memoir

Scribner has triumphed in a six-way auction for a “life-affirming” houseplant memoir from Kim Keum-Hee, to be translated by Clare Richards. Joanna Lee, senior commissioning editor, bought UK and Commonwealth rights to Diary of a Korean Plant Parent: Four Seasons of Growth from Lisette Verhagen at PFD, on behalf of Munhakdongne in collaboration with Shinwon Agency. Diary of a Korean Plant Parent will be published in spring 2027. US rights were pre-empted by Laura Perciasepe at Summit Books US. Rights have also been sold to DTV (Germany), Planeta (Spain), Cargo (Netherlands) and Foksal (Poland).

The publisher described the book as a “life-affirming and personal exploration of love and loss, and how caring for plants season after season can enrich your life”. The synopsis continues: “Following the rhythms of the year, this is a charming invitation to welcome more wonder into our lives through the growth and resilience that the plants around us naturally embrace.”

The book will be translated by Richards, an award-winning literary translator with a particular interest in feminist literary fiction as well as the intersection between disability, neurodivergence and translation.

Lee said: “From the very first page, Diary of a Korean Plant Parent felt like an absolute balm: it’s a beautiful, soothing journal of plant life that invites us to slow down and consider the forms of life unfurling all around us. I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Kim Keum Hee to the Scribner list and introduce this gorgeous book to readers in the UK.”

Keum-Hee said: “I’m delighted to be able to introduce my book to fellow plant parents across the anglophone world. In 2025, we need the wisdom of each and every individual in our communities, now more than ever. During this time, I hope that the stories of plants – their concentrated wisdom unfolding according to the laws of growth – will help make readers a little more optimistic. Spring is just around the corner here in Korea. Both my plants and I, despite the cold, are feeling its gentle approach. I look forward to meeting you in this wonderful season.”