King for a Day - Hardcover

Rukhsana Khan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1600606598 ISBN 13: 9781600606595

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 2014

Synopsis

Basant is here, with feasts and parties to celebrate the arrival of spring. But what Malik is looking forward to most is doing battle from his rooftop with Falcon, the special kite he has built for speed. Today is Malik s chance to be the best kite fighter, the king of Basant. In two fierce battles, Malik takes down the kites flown by the bully next door. Then Malik moves on, guiding Falcon into leaps, swirls, and dives, slashing strings and plucking kites from the sky. By the end of the day, Malik has a big pile of captured kites. He is the king! But then the bully reappears, trying to take a kite from a girl in the alley below. With a sudden act of kingly generosity, Malik finds the perfect way to help the girl. This lively, contemporary story introduces readers to a centuries-old festival and the traditional sport of kite fighting, and to a spirited, determined young boy who masters the sport while finding his own way to face and overcome life s challenges.

About this title

About the Author:

RUKHSANA KHAN is the author of several award-winning books published in the United States and Canada. Born in Lahore, Pakistan, she and her family immigrated to Canada when she was three. Khan s stories enable children of all backgrounds to connect with cultures of Eastern origins. The idea for King for a Day came to Khan one day when she was watching people practicing their kite lifts and dives. Khan lives with her husband and family in Toronto, Canada.

From Booklist:

Using a fantastic medley of mixed-media collage that incorporates traditional Pakistani fabric, handmade paper, burlap, silk, and ribbon, Krömer skillfully captures the textures and colors of basant, the spring kite-flying festival in Lahore. During basant, the people of Lahore move to their rooftops to enjoy the spectacle of a sky filled with kites and birds, an impressive city skyline, their community, and the renewal of spring. Here, a boy in a wheelchair overpowers the neighborhood bully with his kite-flying savvy and keen, compassionate eye. While this is undeniably grounded in a Lahori tradition, it is also a universal tale of one boy’s good-natured, competitive spirit and desire to shine, if only for a day. This story could be paired with Jacqueline Woodson’s Each Kindness (2012) to spark discussion about being a bystander. Grades 2-4. --Amina Chaudhri

About this edition

• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1600606598
• ISBN 13: 9781600606595
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Christiane Kromer