The Story of Kites - (Amazing Chinese Inventions) by Ying Chang Compestine (Hardcover)

About the Book

Learn how the three fun-loving Kang brothers created kites, one of China's most famous inventions! This colorfully redesigned edition features a new bilingual Chinese translation.

The playful Kang brothers (Ting, Pan, and Kùai) discovered four of China's most famous discoveries in the series Amazing Chinese Inventions. The brothers must protect the rice harvest from the birds. Then the boys get an idea: if they made wings, they could drive the birds away!

Using paper, straw, and feathers, the boys experiment with flying many different things! What can get the job done and be fun to fly? The story features an author's note on kites' history and instructions for making your own kite.

"Written to appeal to children in primary grades, the exciting story of the invention of kites is told in both English and Chinese/Mandarin narratives, with exciting, vibrant woodcut-style illustrations and brilliant primary colors."
- Midwest Book Review

Book Synopsis

Learn how the three fun-loving Kang brothers created kites, one of China's most famous inventions! This colorfully redesigned edition features a new bilingual Chinese translation.

The three playful and creative Kang brothers (Ting, Pan, and Kùai) discovered four of China's most famous discoveries in the series Amazing Chinese Inventions. The brothers need to protect the rice harvest from the birds. Nothing works!

Then the boys get an idea: if they made wings, they could fly drive the birds from their rice fields! Using paper, straw, and feathers, the boys experiment with flying many different things, including themselves! What else can they create which will get the job done and be fun to fly at the same time? The story features an author's note on the history of kites and instructions for making your own kite.

This fanciful blend of fact and imagination brings Asian culture alive for young readers. Children will enjoy the bright and bold artwork, created in the traditional Chinese style of hand cut, colored paper. Parents will enjoy the ingenuity of the main characters who teach adults a thing or two about inventiveness.

Teachers and librarians like the storybook's historical references and how it features a bilingual translation in simplified Chinese - ideal for language classes, programs, and schools.

"Written to appeal to children in primary grades, the exciting story of the invention of kites is told in both English and Chinese/Mandarin narratives, with exciting, vibrant woodcut-style illustrations and brilliant primary colors."
- Midwest Book Review

Review Quotes

"the playfulness and creativity of this book makes this version specially appealing." - Paper Tigers

"To keep the birds away from the rice fields in their village, the Kang brothers, Ting, Pan, and Kùai, improvise with feathers, chopsticks, paper until they invent kites. The boys are a bit mischievous when it comes to avoiding their chores or practicing their math, but together, they encourage one another to overcome a problem they are experiencing...The simplified Chinese that appears under the English text will be of interest to bilingual families or students...Recommended."
- CM magazine

"Traditional cut-paper art puts the wind in the sails of this charming story, appended with kite-making instructions."

"Traditional papercuts are perfectly suited to the kite images . . . With its folkloric tone, this stands on its own as a story about creativity."

About the Author

Ying Compestine: Ying's dozens of children's books have won many awards, including spots on the "best lists" from the ALA, Bank Street, Book Sense, and New York Times. She visits schools and teaches workshops internationally. She has written for magazines such as Cooking Light, Self, Men's Health, and Martha Stewart's Whole Living. Her website is www.yingc.com.

YongSheng Xuan illustrated the four volume "Story of" series. Educated at the renowned Central Arts and Crafts University in Beijing, China, he lives in Vancouver, Canada. His art has exhibited worldwide and appeared in Cricket magazine. His website is www.ysxuan.com.