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  • Published: 4 November 2020
  • ISBN: 9781984814869
  • Imprint: Kokila
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 48
  • RRP: $39.99

The Ocean Calls

A Haenyeo Mermaid Story





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.

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.

  • Published: 4 November 2020
  • ISBN: 9781984814869
  • Imprint: Kokila
  • Format: Hardback
  • Pages: 48
  • RRP: $39.99

About the author

Tina Cho

TINA CHO is the author of four picture books: Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans, Korean Celebrations, My Breakfast with Jesus: Worshipping God around the World, and The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story. After living in South Korea for 10 years, Tina, her husband, and two teenagers moved to Iowa, where Tina teaches kindergarten, bringing science and other subjects to life for little kids.

Also by Tina Cho

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Praise for The Ocean Calls

Fall 2020 Kids' Indie Next list
Kirkus Best Children's Books 2020

*"Use this sweet story about family tradition, trust, and confidence to support STEM units on weather and tides, sea life, and ecology." —Booklist, starred review

*"In Cho and Snow's celebration of this fascinating tradition, the risks and rewards are given only to the worthy--which takes practice, courage, and a grandmother's love." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Cho (Rice from Heaven) highlights a segment of Korean society whose women preserve a vibrant tradition of enterprise, stamina, and cooperation, and Grandma shines as a kind of generous real-life superhero." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

*"[A] must-have for any collection." —School Library Journal, starred review

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