Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Anyone remember this book about kites?

I took DD to the park today to fly her kite, and it started me thinking about a book I had as a kid. I can't remember what it is, and it's one of the few that I don't have anymore.

It was about kids building Chinese box kites for some sort of a competition. It was a really important (to them) prize, but I can't remember what it was. I think they were in China, but I'm not sure if they were Chinese or not. Seems like it was their grandpa teaching them about the kites and the parades and stuff.

Ring any bells? I had it when I was a kid, in the late 70s, but it could have been a lot older.

YES!! It was a book about a Kite Festival-- which could mean that it was Korean, Japanese, or Chinese, though I think in the story line, it was a Chinese community/competition which was featured.

I can almost see the illustrations. Not wood-block prints, though it was stylized and vaguely Japanese in illustrative style, if that makes sense. Limited color palette, heavy lines.


I associate the story with "The Seven Chinese Brothers," "RikiTikkiTembo" and "The Boy Who Drew Cats," probably because my mother (an elementary teacher) tended to group books thematically like that.

Some possible candidates--

Jane Yolen's "The Emperor and the Kite"

The Kite Mystery, by M. Adrian (1968)

Nu Dang and His Kite, by Jacqueline Ayer (1958 publication year)

The Dragon Kite, by Thomas Lewis (1973)

A Sky Full of Dragons, by Mildred Whatley Wright (1969) <--- I think that this MAY be the book that I was thinking about above, but no longer as sure that it's the one whose plot I recall matching yours.

Sumi's Prize, by Yoshiko Uchida (1963)

As I noted above, it's possible that I'm conflating the illustrations in another book that I remember on this topic-- it was one that my mom had a LOT of books about-- and living on the west coast, it was very relatable culturally sensitive literature for her elementary students, so I've read a LOT of K through 6 books about Asian culture and heritage and kites in that context. I do recall the book that you're mentioning though-- at least I think that I do!!

Maybe this would help
http://m.voices.yahoo.com/best-childrens-books-national-kite-month-11980922.html

Here is some more help -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_about_kites

Wow, so many books and it doesn't look like any of them is the one I'm thinking of!

I added a couple of them to my wishlist for DD7, though.

I'm not sure about wood-block illustrations, either -- I have a collection of Asian fairy tale and folk tale books, so I have lots of those woodcuts in my head.