The Story of Kites: Amazing Chinese Inventions

by Ying Chang Compestine, Yongsheng Xuan (Illustrations)

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

The Kang brothers imagine making wings to fly and drive the birds from their rice fields! With paper, straw, and feathers, what else can they create?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, China, Historical Fiction, Cultural, Asian Literature, Folklore

40 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2003

About the author

A leading national authority on culture and cuisine, award-winning author, and former food editor for Martha Stewart's Whole Living magazine, Ying Chang Compestine has written 27 books across multiple genres, including picture books, YA novels, and healthy adult cookbooks. She has hosted cooking shows, worked as a food editor for Martha Stewart’s Body+Soul, and was a spokesperson for Nestle Maggi and Celestial Seasonings.

Her novel "Revolution is Not a Dinner Party" and her memoir "Growing Up Under a Red Flag" recount her childhood during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. These works have received awards globally and high praise from prestigious media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and Publisher's Weekly. Her novel "A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts" is currently being adapted into an animated TV series.

Named one of the "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" by The Author's Show, her books have sold worldwide in multiple languages. Endorsed by Dr. Andrew Weil, her cookbook "Cooking with an Asian Accent" has been described as “a contemporary new cuisine.”

Ying believes food can be both healthy and delicious and that healthy eating is the key to a long, happy life. By integrating her background into her recipe creation, she features the three most critical Asian principles of food in her dishes: satisfaction of the senses, yin-yang balance, and medicinal properties.

In addition to writing, Ying has been a sought-after keynote speaker for high-end cruise ships, private jets, and resorts, including The World Residences at Sea, Crystal, Silver Sea, Viking, TCS World Travel, and Canyon Ranch. Ying is also frequently invited to speak at schools and conferences worldwide to share her journey as a writer—how her life in Wuhan, China, inspired her work—and to promote healthy eating and living. Her website is www.yingc.com

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story based on the Chinese invention of kites. The Kang brothers, Ting, Pan and Kuai are tired of working in the rice fields banging pots, blowing whistles, and waving their arm to scare off the birds during the harvest. So with numerous trial and error attempts, the trio invent the wind kite, and soon open the first kite factory in China.

[Sarah A · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated book telling the story of the origin of kites. Three boys, fed up with their chore of chasing birds away from the rice fields, try out various ideas to save them work, ending with the invention of kites as we know them today.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea that kites came from China. I absolutely adored this book. It was so informative in a beautiful way. The illustrations were gorgeous and I found myself smiling throughout the entire book.

[Kaitlin Eck · Rating 4 out of 5]

(2003) I really love the illustration style in the "The Story of" books! Still a fun read for younger kids!

[Library Lady Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustration style is amazing for these books!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun fictionalized origin story of kites. Amazing illustrations, but too much text to be an effective group read aloud.

[Willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated and humorously told tale about the invention of kites with information about kites at the end of the book. This was a great addition to our medieval China studies.

[Andrea]

This folkloric tale tells the story of the three Kang brothers who began the tradition of kite flying in China, after their desperate trials to develop devices to chase birds off of the rice fields where their family worked. Readers witness the perseverance of the brothers as they collect information from each trial to make their following ideas newer, better and more creative. The townspeople gather each time to observe the brothers' efforts, and are awestruck when they observe the beauty of their kite inventions. Colorful illustrations with bold outlining are featured on each page. The text and story line is at times repetitive, when each trial is reviewed and each brother contributes something, and the townspeople gather. The text also introduces some Chinese words, history, diet and family dynamics. This text could also be paired with The Story of Chopsticks: Amazing Chinese Inventions by the same author and illustrator to contribute to a unit about China, or inventions. This story could serve as a mentor text for a text to self connection for students to reflect on a time that they persevered and ultimately succeeded at something. This text could also serve as a supportive text in a lab as a part of a science or technology unit in which students record their observations of each experimental phase, detailing what was successful, what didn't work and their suggestions for the next phase, until they reach their desired goal.

[Katie Logonauts · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story, the poor Kang brothers are tired of constantly having to scare the birds away from their rice crop. First, they decide to try making their own wings, with predictably disastrous consequences, but eventually their designs lead them to the first kites. Kite-flying has been documented in China more than twenty-four hundred years ago. The book ends with an Author's Note and directions on how to make and fly your own kites.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those Kang brothers are certainly inventive! In this one they invent the kite to scare away the birds from the rice plants. I love the colorful illustrations of YongSheng Xuan. As with all Compestine's books, I appreciated the historical information at the end and the instructions on how to make a kite. This would make a nice read for a windy spring day.

[Jonathon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting to me because I am very involved in a Chinese ministry at my church. I think this book could inspire children. It really makes you want to be creative. The characters within the book are very inventive. Illustrations are cool. You could flip through this book and get a feel for what it is about because the illustrations are so good.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reads like a Chinese creation myth on the subject of kites. Three brothers work hard day after day scaring the birds away from their family's rice fields. After many trials and errors they create kites that act as flying scarecrows and keep the birds at bay.

With thick black outlines, the illustrations resemble stained glass.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that this told the folklore-based origin story of kites. That was certainly a welcome addition to the folklore canon. I would share this with children if we were doing a unit on folklore from around the world. Still, in other venues I'm not sure I could convince young readers to pick it up. A nice piece of folklore, but I'd have have some trouble creating buzz around this title.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Chinese cutout illustrations. A fun enough story, and part of a series of the history of Chinese cultural artifacts, but not very dynamic compositions for a style that could have had good potential.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly, William really likes this book, although I think it is for older children. I like the unique, Chinese-styled illustrations.

[Paul Hankins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brother device an inventive way to scare birds away from their crops using kites which leads to a legacy of kite building that becomes a part of their family histoy. Striking illustrations.

[Marshmallowlemonade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neat story. Prose isn't great.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book.