The Kite Fighters

The Kite Fighters is a most enjoyable read about kite flying and kite competition in 15th century Korea. The main characters are typical boys, exuberant and gifted, whose brotherhood and friendship make the story rich and meaningful. Highly recommended!

I bought this book because I volunteered to coach a team of 4th graders in Battle of the Books. I wanted to read the books the students were reading so I could help them prepare for the Battle. I thought that reading books written for children would be tedious, but I was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable The Kite Fighters was. The story is compelling and there are some good life lessons illustrated in the plot.And, I learned a lot about the sport of kite flying. I never even realized there was so much involved in the constructing of kites and that kite flying can be very competitive.A good book to read and share with the young readers in your life.

The book made so many great things with how the king and brothers treated each other. The King was a child and acted like one but in a mature way and the brothers relationship was very real to what it is really like.

In See-Saw Girl, Linda Sue Park described the expectations and limitations for a girl growing up in ancient Korean traditional society, and in The Kite Fighters she does the same for two brothers. Both boys have differing interests and skills, but the expectations put on them by their family and society don't match them very well. Played out in the arena of "professional" kite flying, brave decisions and honorable understandings develop in a dramatic ending. A fast, relatively easy read for upper elementary students.

This was a good story about sibling rivalry that is solved through the depiction of a traditional pastime that still practiced today. It is also a great description of kite making, kite flying and kite fighting.

The characters are so believable! The history of Korea is interesting and accurate. I love her books!

Who needs fantasy when real civilizations have been so diverse? Park's book brings medieval Korea to life through the eyes of two young brothers, one a talented kite maker, the other a skilled flyer. The story never set my pulse racing (which is the only reason I don't give it 5 stars --- I'm fond of thrillers), but hundreds of little details that make the boys' lives different from ours, yet the same, are effortlessly conveyed.

What a great book. My children (ages 10,12,13)and I read it together and thoroughly enjoyed it. I wasn't sure I would like it, but it was so beautifully written. LOVED it.