Reference
Diane Hendrick M Ed. Coordinator WCCC Campus Children’s Center Ages 3-12
“The Emperor and the Kite” by Jane Yolen, Illustrated by Ed Young
For Ages: 5-8 I give it
I think the book could be used in a lesson on diversity/disabilities to help children understand
differences do not mean weakness.
Summary
Princess Djeow Seow is the youngest in her royal family, she is also the smallest. Being the smallest she is often overlooked. She is overlooked by her father; she is overlooked by her mother, her 3 brothers and her 3 sisters. She eats alone and plays alone. She feels alone and unloved, mostly unloved, but she loves to fly her kite.
She flies it often but always alone. While flying her kite a monk often passes by repeating a short verse he has made up: “My kite sails upward, Mounting to the high heavens, My soul goes on wings.”
Because she is so small and often overlooked when muggers come to the palace and kidnap the king no one sees her follow them into the forest and place her father in a tall tower. Daily the child attaches a basket of food to her kite to feed her father.
One day while she is sending food to her father the monk comes by with a different verse: “My kite sails upward, Mounting to the high heavens, My emperor goes on wings.” This gives her an idea. She crafts a string of grass, vines and her hair until it is tall as the tower. She attaches the sting to her kite and sends it to her father. He releases the kite and attaches the string to the tower bars and slid down the string of grass, vines and her hair. The king no longer overlooked his youngest and tiniest daughter. He built her a throne beside his. She no longer was overlooked and most importantly she felt the love of her father, her mother, her sisters and brothers.
