Asian Kites

Asian Kites             Wayne Hosking           Tuttle Publishing  2004

Very nice instructional.

The book starts with a bit of speculation about the origin of kites, and then it gets into the nuts and bolts of construction.

There is a review of materials that are used. Different types are discussed, as well as their functions, advantages, and disadvantages. From there, the author discusses how the different parts of a kite function, and how to fly a kite.

The remainder of the book is divided into sections based on country of origin. China, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, and Japan are covered. In each of these chapters, there is information on the history and culture of kite flying in the area.

Most of the designs are for kids ages 9-12, though there are some projects that are for the ages of 7-12. Some of the kites use tissue paper, while others require silkspun (available in  hobby shops).

This book is good as an instructional, and it is also valuable as an example that students can refer to when they are making their own examples of instructional text.