The Kite Fighters
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{{Infobox book
| italic title =
| name = The Kite Fighters
| image = File:TheKiteFighters.jpg
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| caption = First edition cover
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| author = Linda Sue Park
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| illustrator = Eung Won Park
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| country = United States
| language = English
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| genre = Children's fiction
| published = 2000, Clarion Books
| media_type = Print, ebook, audiobook
| pages = 144 pages
| awards =
| isbn = 0395940419
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The Kite Fighters is a 2000 historical children's novel that was written by Linda Sue Park and illustrated by her father Eung Won Park.{{cite book|last1=McElmeel|first1=Sharron L.|title=Children's Authors and Illustrators Too Good to Miss: Biographical Sketches|date=2004|publisher=Libraries Unlimited|isbn=1591580277|page=265|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qZNi-cWgQegC&dq=%22Kite+Fighters%22+Park&pg=PA165|accessdate=1 June 2014}} It was first published on March 20, 2000, through Clarion Books and follows two brothers in Korea during the 15th century.{{cite journal|title=The Kite Fighters (Book Review)|journal=Reading Teacher|date=November 2001|volume=55|issue=3|page=247|url=http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/book-reviews/5445533/kite-fighters-book-review|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140601133526/http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/book-reviews/5445533/kite-fighters-book-review|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-06-01|accessdate=1 June 2014}}
Plot
Set in Seoul, Korea, in 1473, the novel depicts the relationship of two brothers in a tradition-bound family. Lee Young-sup is acutely aware of the difference in his status being a younger brother, but he finds a true talent the first time he flies a kite. First-born son Kee-sup is under pressure from his father, a rice merchant, to advance the family honor by becoming a court official; he spends much of his time studying for the position, though it is not his true life goal. Young-sup's growing expertise in flying kites and Kee-sup's craft in making them draw the attention of the boy-king of Korea, modeled after King Songjong, and they become friends with the king outside of the ancient protocol and secretly represent him for them kite-fighting competition during the New Year's festival. It is the tension between traditional duties and individual needs.
Reception
Critical reception has been positive.{{cite journal|last1=Vidor|first1=Constance|title=Children's Book Review: The Kite Fighters|journal=International Journal of Multicultural Education|date=2009|volume=11|issue=2|page=3|url=http://ijme-journal.org/index.php/ijme/article/viewFile/288/360|accessdate=1 June 2014}}{{cite web|title=The Kite Fighter (review)|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/0-440-41813-5|publisher=Publishers Weekly|accessdate=1 June 2014}} January Magazine praised The Kite Fighters for "[painting] a realistic picture of coming of age in Korea in 1473" and "[relaying] a timeless, compelling story that easily translates to our own age".{{cite web|last1=Remick|first1=Lynne|title=The Kite Fighters (review)|url=http://www.januarymagazine.com/kidsbooks/kitefighters.html|publisher=January Magazine|accessdate=1 June 2014}} Kirkus Reviews also gave the book a positive rating, as they appreciated the book's resolution came out of the hard work of several people as opposed to it being a "foregone conclusion".{{cite web|title=The Kite Fighters (review)|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/linda-sue-park/the-kite-fighters/|publisher=Kirkus Reviews|accessdate=1 June 2014}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kite Fighters}}
Category:American children's novels
Category:Children's historical novels
Category:Novels by Linda Sue Park
Category:Fiction set in the 1470s
Category:2000 children's books
Category:Children's books about kite flying
Category:Children's books set in Korea
Category:Children's books set in the 15th century
Category:American historical novels
Category:Novels set in the 1470s
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