The Turtle Ship - Hardcover

Helena Ku Rhee

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1885008902 ISBN 13: 9781885008909

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 2018

Synopsis

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.

About this title

About the Author

Helena Ku Rhee is a children's book writer by night and works full-time at a movie studio by day. Born in South Korea, she grew up listening to mighty tales of the Turtle Ship and Admiral Yi Sun-sin from her parents and grandparents. This is her picture book debut. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. You can find her online at helenakrhee.com.

Colleen Kong-Savage is a full-time illustrator and graphic artist. 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.

Review

From School Library Journal, *Starred 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. 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 illustrations 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. -- School Library Journal, Starred Review

"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." -- Publisher's Weekly

"The splendor of Kong-Savage's paper collages adds to the storytelling with rich overlapping compositions and patterns. The subsequent successes of Admiral Yi Sun-Sin and his Turtle Ships are rendered beautifully in thoughtfully composed land- and seascapes...[T]his debut packs a double punch modeling the experimental process while spotlighting an intriguing historical figure and his warcraft." --Kirkus Reviews

About this edition

• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1885008902
• ISBN 13: 9781885008909
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Colleen Kong-Savage