YEONG-DAE IS A YOUNG BOY WHO HAS TO BEG ON THE STREETS AS A KKOTJEBI JUST TO SURVIVE. HE CROSSES THE TUMEN RIVER TO FIND HIS SISTER--HIS ONLY SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBER.
The water was as cold as ice. The current was stronger than Yeong-dae had expected, making it hard to move forward. The further he moved toward the middle of the river, the deeper the water got. The river kept pushing him downstream. Yeong-dae put all of his strength into swimming ahead. Suddenly, a light began to shine. Yeong-dae stopped where he was and ducked his head underwater. If he made a sound or the flashlight beam found him, everything was over. He couldn’t let himself die, not like this!
As North Korea undergoes a devastating famine, Yeong-dae loses both his parents and is forced to beg on the streets. Soon, this young boy sets off on a desperate journey to China to find his sister—his last living family member. Captured by the authorities, he is sent back to the North, where he is thrown in jail and tortured. Once he is finally released, he crosses the Tumen River again, more determined than ever to find a place where he can live a decent life. This inspiring tale offers a glimpse into the horrors faced by North Korean children—and their indomitable will to survive.
As North Korea undergoes a devastating famine, Yeong-dae loses both his parents and is forced to beg on the streets. Soon, this young boy sets off on a desperate journey to China to find his sister—his last living family member. Captured by the authorities, he is sent back to the North, where he is thrown in jail and tortured. Once he is finally released, he crosses the Tumen River again, more determined than ever to find a place where he can live a decent life. This inspiring tale offers a glimpse into the horrors faced by North Korean children—and their indomitable will to survive.
PRAISE FOR THE KOREAN EDITION OF THIS BOOK
Selected as “Young Adult Book of the Year” by the Korean Publishers Association
Selected as a “Recommended Book” by the School Library Journal
“When I started reading this book, I found myself amazed that the author seemed to understand North Korean society even better than me—and I used to live there! I was sucked into the story, and it felt less like reading a novel and more like reliving my childhood and escape from North Korea. Around 25,000 North Koreans have defected to the South as of 2013, and it seemed like the heartbreaking tale of each defector was distilled into this story.” -Kim Young-il, president of PSCORE
“Yeong-dae’s story blends reportage and children’s fiction, giving readers a fresh understanding of life in North Korea and the history of North and South Korea. The well-crafted plot and the breathless narrative flow will engage young readers, too.”
-School Library Journal
“A realistic description of how an ordinary boy becomes a kkotjebi and risks his life to cross the Tumen River into China.” -Kids’ Chosun Ilbo
“Across the Tumen is a historical children’s novel that vividly represents the difficult lives of North Korean children. Young readers may find themselves hoping that North Korean children can enjoy the same freedom as their counterparts in the South and that North and South Korea will be reunited before long. This is the powerful message that this children’s story hopes to communicate to readers.” -Kids’ Hankook Ilbo
“The novel follows the tumultuous story of Yeong-dae and describes the horrors that he experiences at a young age . . . In various places in the book, one is struck by the power of love to remain strong amid a famine.” -Baek Na-ri, Yonhap News
“An accurate depiction of the human rights situation for North Korean children—describing how a North Korean boy becomes a kkotjebi, is thrown in prison, and eventually gains his freedom.” -Gi Su-jeong, Aju News
“When writing Across the Tumen, Moon gathered information by reading accounts written by North Korean defectors and meeting with North Korean writers. This allowed her to write a novel that could easily be a true story.” -Kim Ji-eun, Ulsan Daily
“Reading Across the Tumen, you can imagine the tragic lives faced by those who had the misfortune of being born in North Korea . . . As you follow Yeong-dae through this book, you will find yourself thinking long and hard about the food, clothing, and shelter that we take for granted . . . Moon is one of those rare writers who deal with such weighty topics.” -yunizini, Kyobo Books reviewer
Selected as “Young Adult Book of the Year” by the Korean Publishers Association
Selected as a “Recommended Book” by the School Library Journal
“When I started reading this book, I found myself amazed that the author seemed to understand North Korean society even better than me—and I used to live there! I was sucked into the story, and it felt less like reading a novel and more like reliving my childhood and escape from North Korea. Around 25,000 North Koreans have defected to the South as of 2013, and it seemed like the heartbreaking tale of each defector was distilled into this story.” -Kim Young-il, president of PSCORE
“Yeong-dae’s story blends reportage and children’s fiction, giving readers a fresh understanding of life in North Korea and the history of North and South Korea. The well-crafted plot and the breathless narrative flow will engage young readers, too.”
-School Library Journal
“A realistic description of how an ordinary boy becomes a kkotjebi and risks his life to cross the Tumen River into China.” -Kids’ Chosun Ilbo
“Across the Tumen is a historical children’s novel that vividly represents the difficult lives of North Korean children. Young readers may find themselves hoping that North Korean children can enjoy the same freedom as their counterparts in the South and that North and South Korea will be reunited before long. This is the powerful message that this children’s story hopes to communicate to readers.” -Kids’ Hankook Ilbo
“The novel follows the tumultuous story of Yeong-dae and describes the horrors that he experiences at a young age . . . In various places in the book, one is struck by the power of love to remain strong amid a famine.” -Baek Na-ri, Yonhap News
“An accurate depiction of the human rights situation for North Korean children—describing how a North Korean boy becomes a kkotjebi, is thrown in prison, and eventually gains his freedom.” -Gi Su-jeong, Aju News
“When writing Across the Tumen, Moon gathered information by reading accounts written by North Korean defectors and meeting with North Korean writers. This allowed her to write a novel that could easily be a true story.” -Kim Ji-eun, Ulsan Daily
“Reading Across the Tumen, you can imagine the tragic lives faced by those who had the misfortune of being born in North Korea . . . As you follow Yeong-dae through this book, you will find yourself thinking long and hard about the food, clothing, and shelter that we take for granted . . . Moon is one of those rare writers who deal with such weighty topics.” -yunizini, Kyobo Books reviewer
Pub. Date: January, 2014 l 344 pages l 8.07 x 5.90 x 0.78 inches l ISBN: 978-1-62412-009-1
Purchase at: seoulselection.com, Amazon.com
