How do you inspire a new generation of kite enthusiasts? Aside from bringing the children or grandchildren to Tumbleweeds & Tarantulas in Bullhead City, Arizona, and buying a kite or two, inspire the imagination with a book or two.
How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning by Rosalyn Schanzer is a fun read for children between the ages of five and eight. Colorful illustrations draw the eye. Told with a unique narrative styled flair the story tells the story of Benjamin Franklin, his legendary kites, and experiments with lightening. Children will learn a bit about history and be encouraged to sail a kite on a breeze.
This book by Glenn Davison is an interactive odyssey that ensures the making of memories, and inspiring a life long love of kites. In Flying Kites at Night with Lights: A Complete Guidebook to Creating a Light Show in The Sky you will learn all about how to enjoy kites after the sun goes down. This book contains detailed information about kite selection suitable for outfitting with batteries and LED lights. This is sure to spark some interest with young and old alike.
Leyla Torres has a gem in The Kite Festival. Torres draws on a childhood in Columbia to tell this delightful story. The promotional summary reads, “One Sunday morning, Fernando Flórez, his parents, grandparents, and sister head to a random destination for an outing — San Vicente. When they arrive in the center of town, they see many people preparing for a kite festival. The Flórez family waste no time joining in the fun. Unfortunately, all the stores are closed, so buying a kite’s out. But by using their ingenuity — along with found objects — they successfully put one together. Although they encounter some challenges along the way, they can always find a solution with a little thinking. A surprise comes at the end of the day, with the mayor of San Vicente on hand to deliver it.”
As it invokes childhood memories of making a newspaper and flour past kite with my day, this book by Rosella Guerra is a treasure. The book The Kite Making Handbook, is a wonderful introduction to kites. There are stories about the history and legends of kite flying from ancient China to modern mega festivals with an international touch.
The book also features more than 400 illustrations that provide detailed, step by step instructions for making an array of kites. There is also information about selecting materials for various kites, including box kites and acrobatic kites. And for the more aggressive competitor there is information about making a fighting kite which is abit more complicated than a simple flat kite.
The book doesn’t stop there as there are sections of kite flying. The Italian authors provide detailed but simple instructions and tips for getting the kite off the ground. Then they go deep by providing information about dealing with varying wind conditions and avoiding hard landing. to avoid untimely landings.
But the book is not dry or dull even though it is technical. There are lots of anecdotes and a few humorous notes as well.
So, how do we inspire the imagination? Buy a book. Buy a kite. And go fly a kite.
