The Most Beautiful Kite in the World

Linda Ludke is a librarian at the London Public Library.

Jenny longs for the big, colourful kite that is on display in the store
window. She is disappointed when her much-anticipated birthday present
turns out to be a plain white homemade kite from her father’s
workshop. Even worse, Jenny can’t get the kite to fly. Her father adds
a string tail and Jenny reluctantly searches for something that she can
use to make a bow. Neighbours offer their help: she receives wool from
Mrs. Omelchuk, a magazine cover from Mr. Braun, and a candy wrapper from
Charlie. Patience and perseverance pay off as the transformed “sunbeam
golden” kite soars upwards and sweeps across the prairie sky “with a
tail bobbing yellow, red and purple butterflies.”

Leslie Watts’s realistic paintings are warm and evocative. Close-up
illustrations capture Jenny’s frustrations and joys. The text also
eloquently describes her feelings of disappointment: “Jenny smiled but
her throat hurt too much to speak.” Highly recommended.