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Summary
Summary
A young Korean boy named Sun-sin designs one of the greatest battleships in history and fulfills his dream of sailing the world.
Long ago in Korea, a young boy named Sun-sin spent his days playing with his pet turtle Gobugi and dreaming of sailing around the world. As a poor villager, though, his dream to travel seemed impossible. Then one day, the king's court announced a contest to find the best design for a new battleship to defend the land from invaders. The winner would sail the ocean with the royal navy.
Determined to win, Sun-sin attempts to build an indestructible battleship with a few found items. Each attempt fails miserably against the powerful sea, and with it Sun-sin's dream also sinks to the bottom. Turning to Gobugi for comfort, Sun-sin notices how his pet turtle is small but mighty, slow but steady, and impossible to sink. Suddenly, Sun-sin has a great idea.
Loosely based on the true story of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and his Turtle Ship, this delightful tale by debut author Helena Ku Rhee and debut illustrator Colleen Kong-Savage introduce young readers to a fascinating episode in Korean history and naval engineering.
Author Notes
Helena Ku Rhee works at a movie studio by day and is a children's book writer by night. Born in South Korea, she grew up listening to mighty tales of the Turtle Ship and Admiral Yi Sunsin from her parents and grandparents. Helena loves the idea that since nobody is 100% certain about the origins of the Turtle Ship design, it could very well have been a small, quiet turtle who inspired the creation of one of the greatest battleships of all time. This is her picture book debut. She lives in Los Angeles, California, and you can find her online at helenakrhee.com.
Colleen Kong-Savage is a full-time illustrator and graphic designer. When she first moved to New York City, Kong-Savage worked at an art supply store, where she spent half her paycheck on decorative papers. For this debut picture book, she spent countless hours researching the clothes, living conditions, and landscape of the Joseon Dynasty, and then finding the right paper for each item. The papers used in this book come from around the world, including Korea where traditional paper is handmade from mulberry bark. Kong-Savage lives in New York City. You can visit her online at kongsavage.com.
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Rhee tells the legend of Sun-sin and his best friend, a turtle named Gobugi, and how they came to invent the Turtle Ship. After hearing that the Emperor is holding a contest for the best battleship design, Sun-sin presents Gobugi as inspiration for a great vessel, having witnessed the turtle's smart physical design. At first the Emperor rejects the idea, but after seeing Gobugi survive an encounter with a cat, he declares Sun-sin the winner, making history. The plot is loosely based on a true story, but reads like a delightful folktale that skillfully incorporates moral lessons about strength and appearances. The vocabulary is simple enough for the audience, and the text is well formatted on the page. There is one battle scene, though nothing too heavy or graphic is depicted. Kong-Savage's collage illustrations bring the story to life through almost 3-D imagery and are beautiful to look at. The use of muted colors to depict the home of Sun-sin contrasts nicely with the brighter colors of the Emperor's palace, creating an excellent source of tension. The illustrators and the narrative work together wonderfully to tell this fascinating episode in Korean naval history. VERDICT A great mix of myth and history for most picture book collections.-Margaret Kennelly, iSchool at -Urbana-Champaign, IL © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this original tale loosely based on Korean history, a boy wins a national engineering challenge with inspiration from his pet. Sun-sin dreams of seeing the world beyond his seaside village, so he's thrilled when the king issues a new battleship design competition: the winner will receive riches and, best of all, a role with the royal navy. After several failed attempts, Sun-sin hits on the perfect prototype: his turtle, Gobugi, who "is strong and steady and never sinks." He's mocked at court when he presents the idea, but a sudden attack from a royal cat gives Gobugi a chance to demonstrate his superior defensive skills, and the king is convinced that a turtle ship is the winning plan. Rhee's smoothly paced story arc will read aloud well, while Kong-Savage's striking, precise paper-collage scenes are equally effective in conveying the sweeping drama of ocean views and the personality and warmth in close-ups of Gobugi's small, green face. An afterword about the story's historical roots closes this engaging tale with a strong STEM focus from two debut creators. Ages 5-7. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
An invented story posits the origin of a sixteenth-century Korean warship. Yi Sun-sin (a real person, who later became an admiral) notices his turtle's resiliency and enters his pet in the king's contest for a new battleship design. He wins, and a ship is built with a protective covering reminiscent of a turtle's shell. Textured collages capture emotion and evoke setting; an afterword provides more information. Bib. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Loosely based on the life of Yi Sun-Sin, a Korean admiral in the 1500s, the story of an inquisitive boy who takes inspiration from his pet turtle to design an iconic battle ship.Sun-Sin and his pet turtle, Gobugi, are introduced with somewhat copious use of their names: "Sun-sin and Gobugi relaxed in the garden. Gobugi snacked on lettuce while Sun-sin watched ships sail across the sea. Sun-sin would tell Gobugi how he wished to explore the world and visit different lands." Thankfully both the plot and choice of pronouns quickly diversify when the king announces an open contest to design a new battleship, with a rich prize and a naval commission for the winner. Rhee economically narrates Sun-sin's many trials and errors until the boy finally realizes the advantages of Gobugi's natural adaptations and presents his ideas to court. Despite initial resistance and mockery, the royal court witness Gobugi's natural defenses in action against a cat and commissions the titular Turtle Ship. The splendor of Kong-Savage's paper collages adds to the storytelling with rich overlapping compositions and patterns. The subsequent successes of Adm. Yi Sun-Sin and his Turtle Ships are rendered beautifully in thoughtfully composed land- and seascapes.Despite a repetitive start, this debut packs a double punch modeling the experimental process while spotlighting an intriguing historical figure and his warcraft. (afterword, author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 6-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Part history, part folktale, this fictional retelling offers the origins of the sixteenth-century Korean battleship Gobukson and its creator, Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Young Sun-sin was a lonely little boy who spent all his time with his best friend, a green sea turtle named Gobugi, on whom the restless boy often relied for patience, wisdom, and steadiness. One day the palace announces a competition to design a new battleship, which inspires Sun-sin with its reward of money and travel. After a few failed design attempts, Sun-sin realizes that Gobugi, with his shape, shell, and defensive turtle mechanics is the perfect design for a battleship. He heads to the royal court, where he is predictably met with scorn until serendipity intervenes and the king sees Sun-sin's point. A cheerful narrative speeds the plot along, but readers will want to linger on the gorgeous hand-cut paper-collage illustrations. Slightly text heavy, this unusual story is best suited to slightly older picture-book readers. The afterword and author's and illustrator's notes are not to be missed, as they provide depth and context.--Amina Chaudhri Copyright 2018 Booklist
