Book Descriptions
for The Ocean Calls by Tina Cho and Jess X. Snow
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Dayeon is learning to be haenyeo, a sea diver, from her grandmother. It's a tradition passed down among women on their South Korean island, but even though she and Grandma practice holding their breathing regularly, Dayeon hasn't felt ready to dive deep. Instead, she explores along the shore. But on this day, when Grandma comes in from a dive and asks Dayeon if she's ready to try, Dayeon finds her courage and says yes. She's still scared, but with Grandma's guidance and support she explores the ocean world farther out from shore, beneath the water's surface, looking for "treasures." When dolphins appear, meaning sharks may follow, Grandma leads her back up, into the arms of other haenyeo waiting on a boat. To be haenyo, Dayeon understands, is to be a treasure-seeker, a mermaid, and most of all part of a community. Gorgeous illustrations with intense watery hues are a captivating backdrop for wonderfully measured, delightfully detailed storytelling grounded in Dayeon's perspective. An informative authors' note tells more about the centuries-old tradition of haenyeo, which been named by UNESCO to the list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity." (Ages 5-8)
CCBC Choices 2021. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2021. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
A breathtaking picture book featuring a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother about intergenerational bonds, finding courage in the face of fear, and connecting with our natural world.
Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast of Jeju Island to pluck treasures from the sea--generations of Korean women have done so for centuries. To Dayeon, the haenyeo are as strong and graceful as mermaids. To give her strength, Dayeon eats Grandma's abalone porridge. She practices holding her breath while they do the dishes. And when Grandma suits up for her next dive, Dayeon grabs her suit, flippers, and goggles. A scary memory of the sea keeps Dayeon clinging to the shore, but with Grandma's guidance, Dayeon comes to appreciate the ocean's many gifts.
Tina Cho's The Ocean Calls, with luminous illustrations by muralist Jess X. Snow, is a classic in the making.
Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast of Jeju Island to pluck treasures from the sea--generations of Korean women have done so for centuries. To Dayeon, the haenyeo are as strong and graceful as mermaids. To give her strength, Dayeon eats Grandma's abalone porridge. She practices holding her breath while they do the dishes. And when Grandma suits up for her next dive, Dayeon grabs her suit, flippers, and goggles. A scary memory of the sea keeps Dayeon clinging to the shore, but with Grandma's guidance, Dayeon comes to appreciate the ocean's many gifts.
Tina Cho's The Ocean Calls, with luminous illustrations by muralist Jess X. Snow, is a classic in the making.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.
