Let’s Go To Taekwondo! tells the story of Yoomi as she tries to earn her yellow belt in Taekwondo. I really enjoyed that the story features the struggles that children go through to achieve things sometimes and how wonderful it feels when you try again and succeed!

Yoomi is close to earning her yellow belt. She just needs to break her board. When it’s time to do it though, she can’t. Frustrated she tells her grandmother she is quitting. Grandma is struggling with learning a new skill too, the computer. Grandma uses her troubles to show Yoomi that quitting won’t solve her problems. Grandma works hard to learn to use the computer to call someone, and Yoomi decides to go back to her Taekewondo class. With practice and focus, she breaks the board!

I thought that the writing in this story was perfect for a child. It was easy to understand and provided examples to help understand the story. Yoomi’s struggles can be translated to any problem that needs to be overcome. The overall lessons really focus on how giving up doesn’t hurt anyone except yourself and trying hard makes you feel so wonderful.

To Read or Not To Read:

I would recommend Let’s Go To Taekwondo! to any child. It is perfect for pre-k through early elementary. I think that a child interested in martial arts would find this more enjoyable than a child that isn’t, however, it’s suitable and has lessons for everyone.

Where to Find This Book:

Let’s Go To Taekwondo! by Aram Kim is available at these sites.

Bookshop | Amazon | Goodreads

Yoomi wants a yellow belt. But she’s afraid to break the board. Grandma to the rescue!

Yoomi and her friends are ready to take on the test for their yellow belts in taekwondo. But Yoomi is afraid to break a board. Meanwhile, Grandma is struggling to learn something new, too.

But Yoomi and Grandma encourage and inspire each other. Yoomi discovers how, with persistence, focus, deep breathing, and above all, a loving Grandma, even the toughest challenges can be overcome.

This companion to No Kimchi for Me emphasizes self-confidence, determination, and the value of family. Backmatter about taekwondo, including some Korean vocabulary, is included.

A Junior Library Guild Selection.

Just the Facts:

Let’s Go To Taekwondo! by Aram Kim
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Page Count: 40 pages
Publisher: Holiday House
Pub Date: April 6, 2020

I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Just a note about the photo of my daughter. She is actually in a different martial arts program, not Taekwondo, so if you happen to know that her uniform is not correct for Taekwondo, that’s why. I found that this was still an amazing book for her, regardless of the martial art type.

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