Red Kite, Blue Kite
Ji-Li Jiang, Author
Greg Ruth, Illustrator
Disney Hyperion Books, fiction, 2013
Suitable for Ages: 5-8
Themes: Father/son relationship, Kites, Separation, Hope, Chinese Cultural Revolution, Multicultural
Opening: “I love to fly kites. But not from the ground. My city is crowded, and the streets are skinny. Baba and I fly our kites from the tippy-top of our triangle roof. We are above but still under, neither here nor there. We are free, like the kites.”
Synopsis: When Tai Shan and his father, Baba, are separated during China’s Cultural Revolution, Tai Shan goes to live with Granny Wang. Baba is able to visit Tai Shan every Sunday, but they stay close by greeting each other every day with flying kites. It is their secret way of communicating their love for one another and ease the separation. One day Tai Shan isn’t able to see Baba’s kite in the sky and worries if he will ever see his father again.
Why I like this book: Ji-Li Jiang has written a beautiful poetic story about a father/son relationship that endures under the most difficult time in China’s history. Greg Ruth’s double-page spreads are done in ink and watercolors. They are large, evocative and a feast for the eyes. It is a compelling story that teaches children about the Chinese culture and a little history at the same time.
Resources; There is an author’s note at the end that talks about the author’s relationship to the story and the Chinese Cultural Revolution from 1966-1976. The author was born in Shanghai and spent many years dealing with her childhood memories of surviving the Cultural Revolution. Visit Ji-li Jiang’s website to learn more about using this book in the classroom. She has a video presentation that can be downloaded. Talk about separation with kids and ask them what they would do to stay in touch with a parent.
Children's Books Heal 
I’ve seen this “advertised” and want to read it. Thanks for highlighting it!
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Tina, it has won awards and is a top book this year. I loved it!
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Pat, this sounds like a wonderful book. I love the idea of the kites connecting the parent and child. Thanks for reviewing! Will try to pick this one up at the library.
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Yes, I thing the kits are very symbolic. It is a beautiful story of love and the connection between a boy and his father.
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This sounds both elegantly understated and poignant. Yet another to add to my list :-).
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It is a beautiful story about how love is always there, even when parent and child are separated. Liked the history too.
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This sounds like a good one! Kites are fun for children. What a cool idea for the father and son to use them to stay “connected.” A little different from cell phones, isn’t it? 🙂 Thanks for sharing the review.
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I felt the same way Freeda. It has won awards and is a top book this year. I am late reviewing it. But, the relationship between the boy and his father is so special and the use of kits to remain connected is beautiful.
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Sounds like a beautiful book!
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It is a beautiful book about dealing with separation. And, I like that it’s a multicultural story.
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What a sweet idea. I hope there’s a happy ending….
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Spoiler alert: yes. I enjoyed this book for so many reasons. Thank you for stopping.
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This sounds absolutely beautiful, Pat and I love the symbolism of kites in a pb.
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It is a beautiful story with some history. I love the symbolism used with the kites.
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I saw this book somewhere recently and was quite taken by the cover. Sounds like a great story. Thanks for sharing!
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It is a lovely book about how a boy and father deal with separation. Little bit of history too.
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This sounds like a great book about a real-life event. I like the idea of “communicating” via kites. 🙂
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I do too, Erik. I liked that it was based on real-life events. I learned something. Beautiful story!
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Sounds like a lovely book with some history that many children will not know about. I will check it out.
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It is such a lovely story Darlene. I loved the history. Thanks for the tweet.
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So essential for children to learn to appreciate what they have in comparison to those who live under oppressive regimes. Beautiful.
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It is a beautiful story. And, there is a lot for children to learn. Thank you for tweeting.
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