Kites Books

Pirates, as author Richard Platt quickly makes clear, were an unsavory lot to say the least. Wonderful full-color illustrations of these grizzly fellows also leave no doubt that they were men to be avoided at all costs. That was not as easy as it sounds because early mariners on the Mediterranean (some 5,000 years ago) had no defense when overtaken by a merciless crew who stole what they had and often sold the seamen for slaves.

During the 16th century Spanish ships carried the greatest booty in gold and silver stolen from the Aztecs and Incas. Even the English, led by Sir Francis Drake, raided Spanish treasure.

Famous pirates aren't overlooked - Blackbeard, of course, one of the cruelest and most intimidating physically. His real name was Edward Teach; it's said he was so fierce that it took five gun shots and 20 sword wounds to kill him. An English pirate, Henry Avery, made his fortune in piracy as did William Kidd.

Illustrations of pirate ships, their weapons, and flags are also discussed, and a visit to Treasure Island is included.

"Discovering Pirates" is a valuable resource as well as entertaining reading for those interested in the buccaneers who once roamed the seas.

- Gail Cooke

This is the book that kept my enthusiasm up while learning to fly a fighter. It's no coffee-table book, with simple line drawings only, but it does the trick at the right price.

If you already fly well, or have a group of friends to help, then this is still a good book because David Gomberg is a well-travelled kite-flyer, and there are snippets of fighter information here that you'll be unlikely to come across elsewhere. Fighter kites are multifaceted, quirky and unique, and he gets this impression over well. One of the best aspects of the book is the many many quotes/tips from flyers all over the world.

If you're looking for plans, then this is *not* really the book (there's just one simple plan, with little in the way of construction advice), instead look at the plans on the net or search for Philippe Gallot's classic book - and for a coffee-table book I'd choose Tal Streeter's "A Kite Journey Through India".

However, although both of those two books are also good at conveying the fun of fighters, neither gives anything like the practical information that this slim volume does on the actual techniques of *flying* a fighter.

PS: As well as the classic small fighters, there is also a short chapter on fighting with larger "Roks"

This book made flight really fun and easy to understand for my kids. I use the whole series every year for science. Lots of enrichment for smart kids too.

A little girl and her family go South to visit her grandma. When she gets there, things are not like at home. Black people and white people are treated differently. She sees "Colored" and "White Only" signs. She didn't like it. Things change when she went to visit her grandma again the next summer. Everyone could use the same bathroom, water fountain and waiting room.

I liked it because it taught me more about black and white people and the way things used to be.

Reviewed by: Jada Monet, 7-years old

1. I'm reading a book about a girl that wants to be come a teacher. So there at school and she was talking to her friend about this kite contest that there going to have at school. But they get caught talking to each other. So Addy gets up and says that she started it. So they were still talking about it and the teacher dismissed the whole class. So they go to the teachers desk. She tells them that they been the smartest students in class. So she promotes them to this school. That teaches them about how to become a teacher. After school her freind and her are on there way home and her friend tells her that it will cost ten dollars toution. So she's thinking that her parents don't make that much.

This book is fun. Too bad it's out of print. We wanted to make red kites for our Pentecost Sunday church picnic and didn't have much time to teach everyone how to make them. This book teaches you to make kites with very few materials and they can be made in no time at all. If you've never made a kite before, this is a good place to start.

This book is an ok book, but is a little confusing... I found that the drawings did not explain how to build the kites very well Intermediate-Advanced kite makers would love this book!!!

I found this book interesting and fairly easy to follow. The reason I gave only four stars is because occasionally some of the steps are a little vague and take some puzzling over to figure them out. I have successfully made the paper fold kite in the book and so have several of my sixth and seventh grade students. They fly very well and are great if you have limited flying area. The materials to make the kites are for the most part easy to find and inexpensive. Great book for teachers and lessons on following instructions.

A math wiz views the world in the form of math equations: baby + bottle = happy baby; baby - bottle = crying baby; what's a math wiz to do when Math Wiz + PE = misery?
As a math teacher, I get excited about books that show creative problem solving techniques. It's a good read for anyone who doesn't fit in--it might even give the reader ideas for how to solve their own "fitting-in" challenges.

This is probably one of my favorite reasons for loving craft projects, but it keeps someone like me, who tries to be green, recycling a product into something beautiful. I have already started setting aside the gift kites for people's birthdays. And at first you question if the directions for the kite is the page you have, but how it works is that the following week is the diretions for kite-making of the prior week. That way you don't destroy direction. Most brilliant! Good recommendation for christmas ornaments also. I am decorating trees and flying kites to my hearts content this year.