The Royal Bee

Written by Frances Park and Ginger Park · Illustrated by Christopher Zhong-Yu Zhang

A boy defies poverty to pursue education against all odds.

4.2 Goodreads · 156 ratings

32 pages· 1,755 words· Est. 14 min read-aloud· 800L

$10.99Save 5%

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Bookroo's summary

In a world where only the wealthy can learn, young Song-ho, born into poverty, dreams of education. Drawn by a distant school bell, he ventures into the valley, only to be turned away. Yet, his unwavering determination might just open doors to a new future. Will Song-ho's courage be enough to overcome societal barriers and change his destiny? Discover a tale of resilience and hope set against the backdrop of Korea a century ago, where the rich and poor live worlds apart.

From the publisher

Based on a true story, The Royal Bee is an elegantly written tale that pays tribute to a young boy’s courage and strength of character. Song-ho is a young Korean boy destined by birth to a life of poverty. Barred from going to school–only the sons of wealthy families could attend–he dreams of learning to read and write. Then one day he hears the sound of a school bell and follows it deep into the valley. There, the school master turns him away, but Song-ho’s boldness and determination earn him a chance at gaining an education nevertheless. Dramatically illustrated with richly textured oil paintings, the story offers glimpses of daily life in Korea a century ago–for both the rich and the poor.

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