A YEAR OF KITES
Traditions Around the World
Synopsis
In this inviting and informative picture book, travel the globe and learn how kites are flown to honor gods and ancestors, bring good fortune, celebrate milestones, and join communities together. Kites have been flown for nearly 3,000 years by people all over the world. In A Year of Kites, take a journey through kite-flying festivals in countries from Greece to New Zealand, from South Africa to Japan. Discover how kids fly kites in twelve unique places and be inspired by the beautiful kites that have captivated people across cultures and throughout history. With warm and well-researched text from debut author Monisha Bajaj and vivid, sweeping art from New York Times bestselling illustrator Amber Ren, this colorful and inviting picture book celebrates the diversity of our world and the connections we share.
Book info
Publisher:
Bloomsbury Children's Books
Release date:
2026-02-17
Book category
Picture books
Language:
English
ISBN:
9781547612246
About Monisha Bajaj
Monisha Bajaj is a South Asian American author and a Professor of International and Multicultural Education at the University of San Francisco. She is the lead author of Humanizing Education for Immigrant and Refugee Youth (Teachers College Press, 2023), a book for educators of newcomer students. A Year of Kites is Monisha’s debut picture book and was inspired by her lifelong love of kites.
Kirkus Review
A high-flying and illuminating celebration of kites, culture, and connection. For almost 3,000 years, humans have flown kites in cultures across the globe. Beginning in January and continuing throughout the year with the repeated phrase opener “Kites fly high,” each spread features a child from a different part of the world, highlighting the seasonal, cultural, and historical significance of kite-flying in that region. Bajaj’s buoyant text is peppered with fascinating historical facts. The introduction of a fictional character on each spread makes the work even more accessible to a young audience: In Gujarat, India, during the festival of Uttarayan, Asha launches her kite from a balcony, using its sharp string to cut other kites down. In Maui, Hawaiʻi, King Kamehameha once flew 100 kites all at once to honor the God of the Harvest. Ren’s digital illustrations depict doe-eyed cartoon youngsters and families flying intricate and colorful kites of all shapes and sizes amid vibrant ink wash landscapes. Characters are diverse in skin tone and clothing. Informative backmatter offers more context on the history of kites, a glossary, and a DIY kite tutorial, but blank world maps on the endpapers are a missed opportunity to geographically pinpoint the book’s featured locations. A high-flying and illuminating celebration of kites, culture, and connection. (Informational picture book. 4-7) https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/monisha-bajaj/a-year-of-kites/