Kai Po Che: Mini’s Perfect Kite

K-Gr 3–A vibrant story of siblings that creates a window and mirror into India and a very fun tradition that kids of any age will want to try for themselves. Mini is jealous of her older brother’s perfect kite flying during Makar Sankranti, the Indian festival of kites. She makes her own kite and tries to fly just like him—but fails. Bhai helps her get her kite into the sky just in time for a kite battle, where she is able to get him a “kite-a-trophy” for teaching her how to fly her “perfect diamond.” Text and dialogue are suitable even for younger readers and clearly stand out against the pages. Vibrant colors draw readers’ attention to specific actions and phrases, working with the text to bring the story to life. The text includes some new vocabulary, but readers can easily see or listen to the story to figure out meaning. Fantastic illustrations show all the emotions of Mini and her brother, as well as scenes of the colorful Makar Sankranti. The artwork shows the culture around this festival, as well as the emotions of the characters, helping younger readers understand what is happening. An author’s note connects the story to science and math curriculum and explains more about the kite fights that happen during the festival.