The Flying Fish Kite

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

At Eastertime the trade winds over Barbados are especially good for kite
flying, and contests are held with prizes awarded in several categories
for the best kite. Wanting to participate in one of these competitions,
Timothy makes a slim, streamlined kite in the shape of a flying fish. On
its test flight, the kite soars into the sky but the rope snaps and it
flies away. After a long search, Timothy finds the kite in a coconut
tree and then enters it in a competition. Many of the other kites in the
contest are larger, more beautiful, or more sophisticated in design. But
Timothy’s kite again soars high into the sky and he wins second prize
in the “most unusual” category for his “fish with a flair.”

This book satisfies on many levels: in its positive theme of
perseverance (working hard to achieve one’s goals and having faith in
one’s abilities); in its information about Barbadian culture and
geography; in Simons’s colorful and interesting illustrations; and in
the beauty of Stirling’s prose.

The thumbnail biography informs us that the author is heavily
influenced in her writing by Lucy Maud Montgomery. That influence is
obvious: Stirling has Montgomery’s capacity for rendering natural
beauty into words. Particularly memorable are her lyrical descriptions
of the Barbadian landscape. Highly recommended.