Perfect for Preschool to Grade 3! Kite Flying is the perfect book to introduce children to Chinese Kites.

Three daughters shop for supplies and make a dragon kite, which they fly on a windy day. The brief sentence on every page describes what each family member is doing: "Ba-Ba glues the paper." "Mei-Mei cuts whiskers." Young Mei-Mei's protruding tongue is evidence of her complete absorption in and enjoyment of her task. Patterns in the wallpaper and floor that form the background for the brilliantly colored, flat paintings of family members add visual interest. More patterns appear on Chinese-style jackets and slippers and on the bright-red dragon as well. Lin's signature swirls in the sky along with diagonals of kite string, grassy hill, and kite ribbons; and blowing hair, clothing, and leaves combine to suggest the ideal blustery day for this activity. The front of the book contains supplies needed to build a kite while the back describes different kite creatures and the what they symbolize.

Chinese Kites are works of art, whether done by a master craftsman or a class of young children. In both cases, the idea is to fly an artistic design on the end of a string, sounds cool huh!


The craftsmanship of Chinese Kites can be broken down into four points:

* Structuring: selecting bamboo, chopping bamboo, bending bamboo, and joining bamboo

*Paperhanging: selecting material, cutting out, paperhanging, and cutting away or adding material as needed.

*Color drawing: drawing a picture, outlining, dyeing (or coloring), and decorating.

*Flying: finding the location and the right weather, launching the kite into the air, adjusting the line, and controlling your kite.

All of these points take skill and patience. I believe making Chinese Kites builds essential skills in children that they will take with them throughout their entire lives.

There are four categories with kites, although this is argued by many on different levels. Some say there are only two while others argue there are eight but in my opinion I break it down like this:

* Centipede (multiple flat sections stacked together plus a 'head')
* Rigid Winged (paper or silk tightly stretched over rigid spars)
* Soft Winged (flexible structures behind just one spar)
* Flat (just like the name says)

Those awesome Dragon Kites you see are an excellent example of a centipede kite and my favorite I will add. I just adore Chinese kites and even more I love to make them. My family and I find such pleasure in creating our own kites. The gratification is unreal when you fly a kite you made with your own hands. Find more resources at my blog.