The Emperor and the Kite

Small brave girl rescues her father and eventually becomes leader of a nation. Message about loyalty and love and character. She is a princess but there is no discussion of her beauty or marriage prospects. Beautiful illustrations.

I was very pleased with the book I received. Although the book was used, it looked new!!

I never know if my 6 and 8 year old girls will like a book or not. This one they loved! The story involves a timeless theme of a daughter wanting her father's love. Flying kites is one way our family spends time together, so this really resonated with us. Our girls have asked me, or their dad, to read this to them repeatedly.

When I ordered Emperor and the Kite, I already knew I loved the folktale. I saw it first as a teacher in the reading text, and knew I wanted it as a book on its own. I looked forward to that story every time we came to it in the text, and it was a favorite with my second and third grade students as well. It is a classic tale of strength, courage and loyalty in a small girl, which enpowers children and assures them that there is a little bit of hero in all of us. She remains loyal to her father, even when her other larger and stronger siblings desert him, fleeing in the face of evil. Her father had always favored the others, so this was particularly noteworthy. In the end, he rewards her loyalty and learns that even if you are big and strong, without strength of character, you are useless. The story reminds me of Mulan in the way that the main female characters basically save China. Ed Young's illustrations are awesome as always.

I thought that this book was excelent. The artwork was wonderful, and the storyline was entertaining. What I liked most about the book though is the hero of the story. She is a tiny, little girl. This book provides a great role model for children in its hero. I highly recommend this book, as well as many of the authors other books, to anyone, child or adult. It's a great read.