The Story of Olympic Diver Sammy Lee

By Paula Yoo, Dom Lee
Paperback: $9.95

This compelling entry in the “Story of” line of chapter-book biographies features Sammy Lee, a Korean American diver who became the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal.

Front cover for Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds by Paula Yoo and Dom Lee
This book is also available in English
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds
By Paula Yoo, Dom Lee

Description

On a hot summer day in 1932, twelve-year-old Sammy Lee watched enviously as divers catapulted into the public swimming pool. Sammy desperately wanted to try diving himself, but the Korean American boy — like any person of color — was only allowed to use the pool one day a week.

This discrimination did not weaken Sammy’s newfound passion for diving, and soon he began a struggle between his dream of becoming an Olympic champion and his father’s wish for him to become a doctor. Over sixteen years Sammy faced numerous challenges, but he overcame them all and fulfilled both his dream and his father’s. In 1948 Dr. Sammy Lee dove into Olympic history. A matter of seconds after his final platform dive, the scores appeared and Sammy Lee became the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal.

Sammy Lee’s story of determination and triumph sets an extraordinary example for anyone striving to fulfill a dream and will inspire all who read it. This chapter book edition includes black-and-white illustrations as well as sidebars on related subjects, a timeline, a glossary, and recommended reading.

About the Creators

Paula Yoo

Paula Yoo is an author and screenwriter whose children's books for Lee & Low include Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds, Shining Star, and several titles in the Confetti Kids series. Her titles have been recognized by the International Reading Association, the Texas Bluebonnet Award Masterlist, and Lee & Low's New Voices Award. She and her husband live in Los Angeles, California, where she works in television. You can visit her online at paulayoo.com.

Dom Lee

Dom Lee made his picture-book debut with Baseball Saved Us. He grew up in Seoul, South Korea, and went on to illustrate books in both the United States and Korea. His titles for Lee & Low include Ken Mochizuki's Passage to Freedom and Heroes, as well as the award-winning Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds. Lee's unique illustration style involves applying encaustic beeswax on paper, then scratching out images, and finally coloring the images with oil paint. Lee and his wife live in Hollis, New York.

Awards

  • Notable Books for a Global Society

    International Literacy Association (ILA)

  • Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People

    National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS)

  • Best Children's Books of the Year

    Bank Street College of Education

  • CCBC Choices

    Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

  • Texas Bluebonnet Award Shortlist

    Texas Library Association (TLA)

  • Comstock Read Aloud Book Award Honor

    Minnesota State University Moorhead

  • William Allen White Children's Book Award

    Emporia State University

Reviews

  • "The Story of ... series takes the narrative text from each author's well-regarded picture book on the biographee, incorporates facts previously appended, and inserts five multi-page presentations on related topics, effectively refashioning the original biographies for an older audience. . . . These well-crafted, insight­ful biographies provide a useful historical context for each person's story."

    - Booklist

Paperback

  • ISBN 9781643790145
  • Publication Date Feb 25, 2020
  • Trim Size 8.25 × 5.5 in
  • Weight 0.3125 lbs
  • Page Count 80
  • Word Count 5216
  • Interests

  • Audience Children
  • BISAC Category 1 JNF / Biography & Autobiography / Sports & Recreation
  • BISAC Category 2 JNF / Sports & Recreation / Olympics
  • BISAC Category 3 JNF / People & Places / United States / AsianAmerican
  • Themes Asian / Asian American / AAPI, Biography / Memoir, Courage, Discrimination, Dreams & Aspirations, Heroism, History & Civics, Identity / Self Esteem / Confidence, Informational / Expository Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Overcoming Obstacles, Persistence / Grit, Sports, Sports History, Tolerance / Acceptance, United States History
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 8 - 12
  • Grade Range Grades 3 - 7
  • Guided Reading V
  • ATOS Book Level 6.8
  • DRA 50
  • Lexile Level 1110
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
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