Review: Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story by Paula Yoo with illustrations by Dom Lee

Title: Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story

Author: Paula Yoo

Illustrations: Dom Lee

Rating: 1/2

Who Should Read It? I think most people could benefit from this book, and it is such a pleasant read that I think anyone would enjoy it. It is especially great, though, for classroom reading, especially in more underprivileged areas.

What I Have to Say: This is one of those fabulous books that makes kids curious about learning. The story of Sammy Lee's fight for racial freedom, his struggle balanding his father's wishes and his own, and of his determination in all his endeavours is nothing short of inspiring. His struggle as a Korean American trying to become an Olympic swimmer was so inspiring that I almost cried.

Any child who reads this book will, by the end, have no doubt that the final phrase is true: "In America, you can achieve anything if you set your heart to it." As such, this is a great story for a teacher to read with his class. Young students have often been known to be lazy and to feel entitled. This book will help them understand that it is not that way for everyone, that struggling is a part of life, and it will hopefully inspire them to work harder, especially in the face of difficulty.

In the summary, it says "Sammy Lee's story of determination and triumph sets an extraordinary example for anyone striving to fulfill a dream." I couldn't have said it better myself. I can't over-express how true that statement is.

All this raving, and I haven't yet said anything about the gorgeous illustrations. Each image was beautifully drawn with such obivous love and care that they were all inspiriations in and of themselves.


I highly recommend this book!

Summary (from Good Reads): The inspirational true story of Sammy Lee, a Korean American who overcame discrimination to realize both his father's desire that he become a doctor and his own dream of becoming an Olympic champion diver.

Cover Story: I think this is a beautifullly illustrated cover that fits the mood and feel of the book perfectly.

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the publisher. This in no way affected my review.