Review by Booklist Review
Yoomi, a young cat, studies taekwondo every day at the dojang (training hall), along with her feline brothers and their animal friends. When she and her fellow white belts take their first advancement tests, everyone succeeds--except for Yoomi, who is intimidated by the final task of breaking boards. Yoomi's fear leads her to skip lessons, until her grandmother--herself grappling with frustration over noncompliant laptop technology--exemplifies how, with perseverance and support, any challenge can be overcome. Kim returns to the charming animal characters established in No Kimchi for Me! (2017) in this tender tale that also introduces the popular Korean martial art taekwondo. Young readers will love spending time with Yoomi at the dojang, where students meditate, practice forms, and break boards--exercises emphasizing not violence but rather the art's culture of "courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit." Back matter adds more information on taekwondo, as well as pertinent Korean language translations. Incredibly pleasant, colorful illustrations pair with an always-engaging subject and valuable lessons to make this a winner.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this companion to No Kimchi for Me!, anthropomorphic feline Yoomi and her family return in another adventure, this one centered on the young cat's taekwondo journey. Yoomi and her classmates are up for their yellow belt promotions, but board breaking gives Yoomi pause--she worries about hurting her hand. Feeling defeated when a new classmate breaks the board on their first day, Yoomi wants to quit taekwondo altogether. After she sees her grandmother's persistence in learning to use a computer for a video chat, however, she is galvanized to try again. Created with pencil, colored pencil, and pastel and assembled digitally, Kim's art features panels, thought bubbles, and a variety of expressive, energetic animals. Bits of Korean are spoken and written throughout, lending authenticity to this story, which will resonate with anyone who has faced down an obstacle. Back matter features a few taekwondo facts, as well as some Korean vocabulary. Ages 3--7. (Apr.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Helping somebody else becomes key to one kitten's overcoming her own obstacles. Yoomi, an anthropomorphic Korean American cat, is working toward a yellow belt in the Korean martial art of taekwondo. The only problem is the test requires punching through a wooden board. She watches her classmates break through their own boards, and they encourage her, but Yoomi is paralyzed by the thought of hurting her hand and cannot bring herself to do it. Her fears are not left at the dojang. After fleeing evil boards in her nightmares, she avoids several days of practice, making excuses to her grandma until she declares she is quitting the sport. In reply, her grandma declares that she is quitting her computer. Shocked by her grandma's revelation, Yoomi coaches her grandma until she successfully video chats with her sister in Korea. And after coaching grandma, Yoomi uses her newfound tools to visualize her goal and makes another attempt for the coveted belt. Diversity is indicated with a mix of cultural names and animals within the community. Korean words and names are seamlessly incorporated into the simple, winning narrative. In this follow-up to No Kimchi for Me (2017), Kim utilizes her signature bold cartoon style, developing distinct characters with touches of humor. Backmatter includes explanations of taekwondo, symbols of Korean culture, and a glossary. A sweet tale of shared perseverance that bursts with color, culture, and energy. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
