[Children’s Book Recommendation] The Emperor and the Kite by Jane Yolen

Ever notice a small child look up when an adult walks into the room? Especially a very tall adult. Do you ever notice their eyes widen and how they bend their heads back almost to the point that you think they might break their little neck trying to look up in awe at this giant!

Do you wonder what they might be thinking? 

Do they think:

- How does a person get to be so big?

- Will I ever become a giant like that?

- I am so small. Will that big person hurt me?

- They're looking at the wall. Do they see me down here? I could get crushed!  Better move to some place safe like next to my mom.

Now imagine you're a small child in a home filled with giants. A giant father. Giant brothers. Giant sisters. All of them doing gigantic enormous things every day! Always busy all of the time. So busy they never even see you. You're so tiny. So tiny that your family gives you the name that means “the smallest one”. 

You think to yourself:

• Do they call me that because I'm not as big as they are and never will be?
• Or is it because they think so little of me that I might as well not exist? 

Though not her exact words, these were very likely the daily thoughts of Princess Djeow Seow, fourth youngest and smallest daughter of the Emperor of China.

Such was her world. Her brothers were allowed to help her father rule the kingdom. Her sisters brought the food to their father's table.

What was she permitted to do?  Go fly a kite! Literally.

But not everyone disregarded the tiny princess. There was a humble monk who always watched her whenever she hoisted her favorite kite into the air. Each day he would repeat the same prayer to her and each day she would always thank him in the same way. Every day. Each day. Each day. Every day. Except … one day.

Sometimes being “the smallest one” can be a very good thing.

*The Emperor and the Kite by Jane Yolen is suggested reading for 3rd and 4th graders.

Jane Yolen is one of my favorite authors of books for children and young adults.  She has been writing for decades, mainly the fantasy genre.  The sweetness and simplicity of her style is what makes her work so appealing.

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