Bibliographic data
Yoo, Paula. Sixteen Years in Sixteen Second: The Sammy Lee Story. New York: Lee & Low Books, 2005.
Brief plot summary
In 1932, twelve-year-old Sammy struggles with segregation. Sammy wants to jump in the pool on hot summer days but is only allowed at the pool on Wednesdays because he is “of color.” Sammy’s father wants him to concentrate on his studies and to get into medical school, but Sammy wants to practice diving instead. A man watches him diving in the pool and critics his diving. He offers to coach him and prepare him for the Olympics. Sammy fulfills both of their dreams in this poignant true story of discrimination.
Critical analysis
This great picture book tells of a true story of the first Asian American to win a gold medal in the Olympics. Most of the time when we read or hear about discrimination we usually think it’s about African Americans and Caucasians. In this story it reminds readers that anyone can be discriminated against. Readers that do not know much about the discrimination in the 30’s on throughout WWII, will get to read about a true story of one boy and his struggle to achieve his dream and his father’s dream for him.
Many people link Asians with intelligence. Many more Asians than Americans spend more time with their studies. Sammy’s father wants him to concentrate more on his studies than his diving activities. He wants him to become a doctor while Sammy wants to become an Olympic diving champion. Throughout the book, Sammy’s father reminds him, “In America…you can achieve anything if you set your heart to it.” Sammy’s father like most parents, want only the best for his child. He tries to steer him in the right direction, of becoming a doctor. Finally, through hard work, Sammy achieves both of their dreams.
The pictures throughout the book are all illustrated in lovely rich earth tones. The illustrations are large with particular attention to detail. My favorite pictures in this book are the diving illustrations. For each dive, there are three panels, each showing the motion of the jump. Dom Lee, the illustrator, pays close attention to detail, even mapping out the muscles in Sammy’s figure perfectly. Family is important for this culture and the illustrator demonstrates this by the closeness seen with Sammy and his father in the book. In one particular illustration, Lee portrays Sammy looking through his father’s shoebox, which is filled with money. Behind him on the wall framed pictures of his family are displayed along with the trophies Sammy has one in his diving competitions.
This story is important to have available for readers because it tells of the first Asian American to win an Olympic medal. It took Sammy sixteen years to become an Olympian and the dive took sixteen seconds. This is a great book to incorporate into anyone’s library, public, school, or personal collection. On the back of this hardcover picture book there is a photograph of the real Sammy Lee.
Yoo, Paula. Sixteen Years in Sixteen Second: The Sammy Lee Story. New York: Lee & Low Books, 2005.
Brief plot summary
In 1932, twelve-year-old Sammy struggles with segregation. Sammy wants to jump in the pool on hot summer days but is only allowed at the pool on Wednesdays because he is “of color.” Sammy’s father wants him to concentrate on his studies and to get into medical school, but Sammy wants to practice diving instead. A man watches him diving in the pool and critics his diving. He offers to coach him and prepare him for the Olympics. Sammy fulfills both of their dreams in this poignant true story of discrimination.
Critical analysis
This great picture book tells of a true story of the first Asian American to win a gold medal in the Olympics. Most of the time when we read or hear about discrimination we usually think it’s about African Americans and Caucasians. In this story it reminds readers that anyone can be discriminated against. Readers that do not know much about the discrimination in the 30’s on throughout WWII, will get to read about a true story of one boy and his struggle to achieve his dream and his father’s dream for him.
Many people link Asians with intelligence. Many more Asians than Americans spend more time with their studies. Sammy’s father wants him to concentrate more on his studies than his diving activities. He wants him to become a doctor while Sammy wants to become an Olympic diving champion. Throughout the book, Sammy’s father reminds him, “In America…you can achieve anything if you set your heart to it.” Sammy’s father like most parents, want only the best for his child. He tries to steer him in the right direction, of becoming a doctor. Finally, through hard work, Sammy achieves both of their dreams.
The pictures throughout the book are all illustrated in lovely rich earth tones. The illustrations are large with particular attention to detail. My favorite pictures in this book are the diving illustrations. For each dive, there are three panels, each showing the motion of the jump. Dom Lee, the illustrator, pays close attention to detail, even mapping out the muscles in Sammy’s figure perfectly. Family is important for this culture and the illustrator demonstrates this by the closeness seen with Sammy and his father in the book. In one particular illustration, Lee portrays Sammy looking through his father’s shoebox, which is filled with money. Behind him on the wall framed pictures of his family are displayed along with the trophies Sammy has one in his diving competitions.
This story is important to have available for readers because it tells of the first Asian American to win an Olympic medal. It took Sammy sixteen years to become an Olympian and the dive took sixteen seconds. This is a great book to incorporate into anyone’s library, public, school, or personal collection. On the back of this hardcover picture book there is a photograph of the real Sammy Lee.
Review excerpt
School Library Journal
Yoo brings the biography to a dramatic conclusion with the 16 seconds of a three-and-a-half somersault dive. Lee's painterly illustrations give texture and depth to the full-page spreads. More than a story about discrimination and unfair treatment, this story shows one young man's determination and resolve toward accomplishing a goal in life.
Booklist
Yoo describes how Sammy found a coach, maintained a grueling balance between academics and training, and finally earned both a medical degree and an Olympic gold medal. The minimal, well-shaped language focuses on powerful scenes that demonstrate Sammy's indestructible determination, his struggles with his father, and the prejudice he faced. Washed in nostalgic sepia tones, Dom Lee's acrylic-and-wax textured illustrations are reminiscent of his fine work in Ken Mochizuki's watershed Baseball Saved Us (1993), and like Yoo's understated words, the uncluttered images leave a deep impression; an aerial view of Sammy facing the blue expanse of the Olympic pool is particularly affecting. A page of facts closes this handsome, inspiring biography, which will make both an excellent read-aloud for younger children or a read-alone for confident older ones.
Connections
Read: GOOD ENOUGH by Paula Yoo
BASEBALL SAVED US by Ken Mochizuki
Discuss: Segregation issues
Ken Mochizuki will be on blog tour Nov. 1-7, 2009. Contact me to schedule an interview.
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