The Kite Rider
By Geraldine McCaughrean
HarperCollins, 2002. 272 pgs. Chapter book.
Here is a new twist on the old theme of “the boy who runs away to join the circus.” Haoyou is a young boy in 13th century China. His life is thrown into chaos when his father is killed by a man who wants to marry his mother. Haoyou finds a way to save his mother from the unwanted suitor, but then must flee his hometown to escape the wrath of his controlling Uncle Bo who is in favor of the marriage. Haoyou joins a circus and becomes a kite rider, a performer who flies in the air strapped to a giant kite. At first he is frightened by the strange circus performers, especially the wild and uncouth Mongols. As time goes on he learns from them what he needs to know to return home and face the evil that threatens his family. This is a book rich with the atmosphere of ancient China. McCaughrean describes the society, sights and smells with convincing vividness. The story is fast paced and Haoyou has many thrilling adventures in the air and on ground. The only disappointing part of the book is that there is no historical evidence for the practice of kite riding in the time period depicted in the book. The author found an account of kite riding in later Japanese history and transposed it onto the Chinese setting. Other events in the story are inspired by historical events, particularly the account of the court of the great Kublai Kahn. This is a good book for boys or girls age 11+ who like historical adventure novels.
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