This is a very enjoyable kids book! I didn't love how the women were relegated to the background, but it is accurate for 15th century Korea, so it gets a pass. I did love the relationship between the two brothers and how they became such good friends with the king. It was an easy and enjoyable read! ( )

I absolutely loved this book. I enjoyed its historical context as well. I also liked how there was an underlying meaning behind it. Linda Sue Park was able to portray two brothers who were close in age but every different in personality and also held to different responsibilities. Her writing style was easily understandable but also descriptive in painting pictures of the mood and setting. "For a moment Young-sup felt a twinge of guilt when he saw the depths of surprise and unhappiness on his opponent's face." This quote shows the simplicity of her writing but also the directness of it at the same time. For younger children, it is easily to understand and for older children it is a good book to read independently. Another helpful component was the way that the book pushed readers to think about tough issues, broadening perspectives. Throughout the book, Young-sup is seen as weak, inadequate, and treated unfairly due to his age. In the Korean culture, it is common for the parents to treat the eldest child with more "favor" than the others. Young-sup is relatable in the sense that he's been treated unfairly because he is young. Many students in the younger grades feel this way because teachers and parents may assign them lesser duties. It also encourages readers to imagine how it would have been to be treated unfairly. I believe that the main message was focused on Young-sup trying his best to please those that he loves. He is trying to win the kite battle so that Kee-sup, his father, and the King will be proud of his accomplishment. He is constantly seeking his fulfillment from those that he favors. It also is focused on a boy's dream and ambition to win the New Year's kite fighting festival and how he accomplishes this. ( )

My grandson is ten and a big reader. He loved this book. I read it so I could discuss it with him and found it a great read for me too.

Two Korean boys, Young-sup and Kee-sup, in Seoul, Korea, 1473, become interested in kites, make their own, and enter the yearly kite-fighting contest, meeting the child emperor along the way and becoming friends with him, a bit improbable as the brothers aren't part of the nobility. They learn about life, their father, and themselves and their relationship to each other. They also learn it's not such an easy thing to be a child emperor.

Hightly recommended. ( )

In a riveting narrative set in fifteenth-century Korea, two brothers discover a shared passion for kites. Kee-sup can craft a kite unequaled in strength and beauty, but his younger brother, Young-sup, can fly a kite as if he controlled the wind itself. Their combined skills attract the notice of Korea's young king, who chooses Young-sup to fly the royal kite in the New Year kite-flying competition — an honor that is also an awesome responsibility. Although tradition decrees, and the boys' father insists, that the older brother represent the family, both brothers know that this time the family's honor is best left in Young-sup's hands.
This touching and suspenseful story, filled with the authentic detail and flavor of traditional Korean kite fighting, brings a remarkable setting vividly to life.

Interesting details about kite making, flying kites, and competition. Boys have a strong desire to win, but don't want to break the rules. Quick read. ( )