Alison Behnke’s Kim Jong Il’s North Korea is a fine, evenhanded introduction to both the country and its dictators. The title of the book may give the impression that it is only about Kim Jong Il and modern-day North Korea, but Behnke covers a lot more than this. Acknowledging the difficulties of gathering accurate information about the country and the Kims, Behnke begins with a brief overview of the history of the Korean Peninsula, including its subjugation by Japan and the circumstances that led to the partitioning of Korea. She then moves on to Kim Il Sung—his origins, how he gained leadership, the Korean War, and life in North Korea under his dictatorship—before covering what is known about his son, Kim Jong Il, and the younger Kim’s dictatorship. Several first-person accounts by defectors are included in the text (they are also featured in a few sidebars), but the tone of the book is for the most part factual, describing the propaganda, purges, and other ways the Kims have maintained power without embellishment. Behnke concludes with a brief discussion of what might happen next as a result of North Korea’s nuclear capabilities and the possibilities of reunification.
Many full-color pictures and graphics enhance the appeal of this book, which is a good choice for student research. It’s informative enough for most high schoolers, yet readable enough for middle schoolers. A timeline, bibliography, further reading section, source notes, and an index add to its usefulness.
Also, can I just say how great I think the covers in Lerner’s Dictatorships series are? (Well, not the Mugabe one, but definitely this and Mao Zedong’s China.) Some YA non-fiction covers just flat out suck (yes, Mason Crest, I’m looking at you), but these are so stylish! and eye-catching! All in all, this is a well-written, well-designed book.
Let’s have a look at language. Did you ever stop and pause at the phrase, “Never look a gift horse in the mouth?” No? Must just be me. Anyway, here is one phrase that is definitely past its time. The phrase goes back at least as far as 1546, the first recorded form of it in print.
Having three horses I know that proof of age and health can be found in their mouths. It’s not uncommon when buying a horse to pry the poor creature’s jaws open and gaze at the wear on his teeth and the general “pinkness” of his gums and tongue. (Unfortunate. I imagine the horses aren’t getting the best first impression of a possible new owner.)
Throughout history horses have been popular gifts. Healthy horses apparently weren’t. But it was considered bad manners to prop open the jaws of your “gift horse” and estimate its worth or lack thereof. A Miss Manners of 1546 might caution her readers to accept their gift horse gratefully and curtsy. She might quip, “If life (or a cheap aquaintance) gives you an old horse, make glue!” (Readers, I do not advocate equine adhesive.)
Photo I took of our horse Rocky.
I mentioned that we own three horses. I should say the horses own us. I love them, but horses are very expensive. Hay, oats, trailers, vet bills, saddles, blankets, shoeing, barns, wormer, shots, tack and the list goes on…. Back in the day when horses were the primary source of transportation, these expenses weren’t so bad. And let’s face it, a lot of them weren’t even a reality. Horse trailers? Horses carried you to your destination, not vice-versa. Now horses are a luxury. When my CPA did my taxes he browsed our expenses. “I could save you a lot of money if you used your horses for income. Do you?” Um, sadly no.
Our horses are precious to me. They are very entertaining and very beautiful. But if somebody were to give me a gift horse I would assuredly look it in the mouth. Then I might proclaim, “Looks healthy. You keep him.”
You may be wondering what all of this has to do with children’s writing? Nothing, but never look a gift post in the mouth.
K….
