Archive for July 16, 2014

The Kite that Bridged Two Nations

Written by Alexis O’Neill
Illustrated by Terry Widener

When it became time to build a bridge across the enormous Niagara Falls between the United States and Canada, the best way to begin seemed to include a single string. But how could anyone get a string between the two nations?

Charles Ellet, Jr. decided to sponsor a kite flying contest, with a reward for anyone who could span the chasm with a kite string. That was exactly what a young Irish immigrant boy named Homan Walsh loved to do more than anything else. Fly kites.

This is his story. It is written sparingly, like exquisite poetry. But it tells details. How he designed his kite, built it, named it, tested it. This story tells of his hardship of getting stranded by a huge winter storm.

Readers will cheer for Homan. Readers will be amazed and want to read about Niagara Falls. They will want to build kites and go outside to fly them. Fourth grade readers will dream big dreams and go forth to follow those big dreams.

Teachers and librarians can use this book in the core curriculum to teach geography, biography, history and research in a really entertaining way.

 

  • KiteTitle: The Kite that Bridged Two Nations
  • Author: Alexis O’Neill
  • Illustrator: Terry Widener
  • Publisher: Calkins Creek, 2013
  • Reviewer: Elizabeth Swartz
  • Format: Hardcover, 32 pages
  • ISBN:  978-1-59078-938-4
  • Genre: Nonfiction
  • Grade Level: 3-6
  • Extras: Extensive author’s note/ timeline/resources/ sources for further research