Ara's Rocky Road to White Belt

October 9, 2017
Turtles are known for many things, but not their martial arts skills (except for those that have encountered radioactive ooze). But in this first book in the Team Taekwondo series, Ara may be on the road to changing that after his new friend Baeoh, a goofy and talkative tiger, persuades him to learn tae kwon do. Ara’s lack of self-confidence and limited physical abilities (his hobby is rock collecting) leave him doubting that he can achieve even the first belt, which requires him to break a board with his bare hand. Lee and Nodelman blend the essential lessons of tae kwon do with an idealized look at how family and friends can support self-confidence rather than diminish it. Messages about self-esteem, positive thinking, and persistence are never far from the surface, but the story avoids turning preachy, just barely. Beavers’s vivid, angular cartoons balance action-oriented scenes with more introspective moments. It’s a story that makes the success of a small first step feel like an epic achievement, which is exactly what someone lacking confidence needs to hear. Ages 6–10.