Book Guide

On a 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 and became the first Asian American to win a gold medal.

Sammy Lee's story of determination and triumph sets an extraordinary example for anyone striving to fulfill a dream.  Winner of Lee & Low's New Voices Award, Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds will inspire all who read it.

From the dust jacket

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Paula Yoo

Paula Yoo

American
Paula Yoo first learned about Sammy Lee while studying the history of Korean Americans.  She has worked as a full-time journalist and a writer ... See more
Dom Lee

Dom Lee

1959 -
American
Dom Lee has been a baseball fan since he was a child growing up in Seoul, South Korea.  He has a master's degree in illustration from the Schoo... See more

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Content Guide

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Reviews

The Good and the Beautiful Book List

Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
Reviewed by Jenny Phillips
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds follows the story of Sammy Lee, a Korean American swimmer who became an Olympic champion diver and a doctor. Wonderfully inspiring!...

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