Illustrator Snow gives us undersea colors that are cool and inviting and we see treasures under the surface. Dayeon very much wants to learn, so she goes under. She says the waves are calling them to come home. Her grandmother does breathing exercises with her and tells her not to be afraid. Young Dayeon wants to learn to swim underwater too, but she is afraid of water filling her ears and nose and of sea creatures. These skilled divers don't use sophisticated equipment and learn to hold their breath for long periods. This is a story of a young girl of South Korea whose grandmother is one of the famed "mermaid" divers who collect undersea treasures, such as sea cucumbers and abalone. It’s a beautiful book and quickly became a favorite. The illustrations of marine life and the fishing gear for traditional free diving fishing will also capture children’s interest.
The story tenderly conveys the girl’s fears and her grandmother’s kind reassurances as she moves past her fears to explore the ocean. It also depicts the traditional seafront circular stone shelter (bulteok) where the diving women (haenyeo) have their campfire for warmth while sorting the day’s harvest. It faithfully captures small details such as the grandmother’s tewak, a hand tool for scraping shells such as abalone off a rock. Through beautiful illustrations in a palette of purple, blue, and orange, the story unfolds against the backdrop of the traditional matriarchal diving culture of Jeju Island in Korea.
It tells the story of a young girl beginning to learn free diving in the ocean with her grandmother.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 11 January 2022 Well-researched story with compelling illustrations
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