King Sejong Invents an Alphabet

August 15, 2021
A king's love of learning and his people leads to a landmark achievement. Born in Korea in 1397, young prince Yi Do has a love of reading. Since he is royalty, his education enables him to learn Hanja, a complex Chinese writing system used at that time. Through his studies Yi Do realizes that Hanja does not suit the Korean language and is only accessible to the rich, leaving the rest of the population largely illiterate. When Yi Do takes the throne as King Sejong, he declares, "When the heavens nourish the earth...they do not distinguish between the great and the small. When a king loves his people, it should be the same," and endeavors to create an alphabet understood by all. Kim's straightforward and evenly paced narrative reveals that King Sejong's goal is not met without challenges. Even after deciding carefully to shape his consonants so they reflect how the mouth makes the sounds, he still toils on Hangeul, his 28-letter alphabet, for 10 more years. Subsequent protests from members of the government and refusal to use the system threaten initial public acceptance. Yet King Sejong's language legacy endures. Kang artfully uses bright colors and textured cartoons to bring movement and life to the story. More detailed information about King Sejong, Hangeul, and the historic context around its acceptance is appended. An artful telling of the birth of an alphabet. (bibliography) (Informational picture book. 5-8)

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December 1, 2021

K-Gr 3-Yi Do was born in Gyeongbokgung Palace in 1397, and as a member of royalty, was taught to read and write Hanja, the complex Chinese characters Korea used at that time. It was difficult to learn Hanja, but Yi Do loved learning and reading. When Yi Do became king, his name was changed to Sejong. As king, Sejong realized that most people, especially the general population, could not read Hanja. The characters did not match Korean sounds and words. Korea needed its own alphabet, so Sejong took on the task of creating Hangeul. This had to be done in secret since the wealthy wanted to keep the general population ignorant to maintain power. Sejong, and Hangeul, helped improve the lives of people all over Korea. In the back matter, readers learn that it took many more centuries, and quite a few wars, for Hangeul to become the official alphabet. This is an engaging, informative, and accessible biography with bright, inviting artwork about man who had a major impact on language and the marginalized citizens of his country. VERDICT A wonderful addition to elementary school biography collections.-Kristyn Dorfman, Friends Academy, Locust Valley, NY

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 21, 2021
Grades K-3 In ancient Korea, government officials and the wealthy elite wrote in Chinese characters. This changed in the 1500s when King Sejong created a simple alphabet that everyone could learn. This picture book unfolds like a folktale as Sejong becomes a benevolent ruler who cares just as much for the underprivileged as for the rich and creates his new alphabet in secret, defying opposition from those in power. Sejong's alphabet improves the lives of all his subjects ("Soldiers could write home to their wives . . . Mothers could share their love through letters. And children could read books. As many times as they wanted"). The colorful illustrations help propel the action while offering all kinds of visual details about traditional Korean dress and village life. An author's note fills in background information, and both source notes and a brief bibliography are included. Kids in Korea still learn Sejong's alphabet today. This account, which would make a great read-aloud, adds a bit of history to the abecedary shelf.

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