What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
UNSOLVED: One specific book
>
Children/YA book: Set in China, I believe, begins with a girl learning to make a bamboo and paper kite
date
newest »
newest »
Do you think it was definitely set in 20th century China?How old was the girl, a teenager or a younger child?
Rainbowheart wrote: "Do you think it was definitely set in 20th century China?How old was the girl, a teenager or a younger child?"
I don't know for sure that it was 20th century. It could have been earlier. I don't think it would be too much earlier, though, as the kite making method (if memory serves) referred to as "traditional", which would imply that there are new-fangled methods as well.
I believe that the girl would have been pre-teen or very very early teen. I'm pretty positive she would not be above 14 and 12 may be more accurate a guess.
Rosa wrote: "The Kite Rider is about a boy who makes kites at first."That one sounds interesting, but does not ring any bells. But I appreciate the suggestion!
When in the '80s did you read it? Could it have been as late as '89?I'll do some more searching to see what I can find. Not so many books from that era with girls set in China. Lots more with boys.
Rainbowheart wrote: "When in the '80s did you read it? Could it have been as late as '89?I'll do some more searching to see what I can find. Not so many books from that era with girls set in China. Lots more with boys."
I don't know when, specifically, I might have read it. My guess would be that it would mid to late 80s. I didn't develop my fascination with Asian cultures until about 84 or 86...
It's possible that the main character was a boy, but I don't think so. Girl still sounds more correct. But it has been a LONG time.
I've been searching for the title of this book for nearly 20 years, but with as little as I remember, it's made the search even more difficult.
Rainbowheart wrote: "The Chinese Daughter?Bells for a Chinese Donkey?
Ho-Ming, Girl of New China?"
Hmmm. No, none of those sound familiar at all. I will have to add a couple of them to my library reading list, though.
Andria wrote: "A Home For Su-lan? (first published in 1971)"That one sounds interesting, but not familiar at all.
It was definitely a child's novel, not a picture book?
Rainbowheart wrote: "It was definitely a child's novel, not a picture book?"I'm pretty sure that it was a children's novel. What little imagery I remember is more like the occasional illustrations that you see in some of the Narnia books. Just a page with a picture from the story, but not every page. Mostly text, opposite page a line drawing with maybe one or two colors (I think).
What's the Name of That Book???
Books mentioned in this topic
The Kite Rider (other topics)The Chinese Daughter (other topics)
A Home For Su-lan (other topics)
Bells for a Chinese Donkey (other topics)
Ho-Ming, Girl of New China (other topics)
I would have read this one also in about the 80s. I remember very little of the book, and I apologize in advance for that.
The book is set in China or Japan, but I think China. I don't believe it would be set too far back in the past.
The main character that I recall is a girl (I think) who is introduced as learning to make traditional kites in a kite shop. There was a description of finished kites in the form of all kinds of real and fantastic animals (or animal heads) lining the walls.
I distinctly remember mention of having to bend bamboo and fasten it in place, then applying paper to it.
The kite she made was in the form of a lion head with a green tongue (I'm pretty sure it was green, although there is a tiny whisper in my mind that maybe it was purple? Green sounds more accurate, though.)
I think there may have even been an illustration of the lion head kite with the green tongue (or purple.)
She finishes the kite and sets it to dry, then the story moves out of the kite shop. I don't recall anything else right now and have had no luck trying to find anything with that little of a description.