The Little Blue Kite
Published November 5th 2019 by Pantheon Books, Hardcover 96 pages
We all have fears, but if we can’t face the small ones how will we face the big ones? Kai is afraid to fly a little blue kite. But Kai is also very, very brave, and overcoming this small fear will lead him on a great adventure.
Remember: all great adventures start with one little moment. You know the one. It’s like a gentle breeze whispering in your ear what you already know by heart:
not even the sky is the limit . . .
User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
i am a monster.
review to come.
Rating: really liked it
Mark Z. Danielewski (who I'll call MZD as who wants to repeatedly spell out Danielewski) is a wizard with formal invention and always a joy to read. I have enjoyed all his work immensely with The Familiar being my favorite (and maybe a defining) text (of our increasingly fractured (connected?) world). The Little Blue Kite (TLBK) however is a much more approachable work than either The Familiar or House of Leaves. Despite this approachability, TLBK contains seeds that in the fertile reader’s mind, may just become large oaks of truth. On first glance, it appears straight forward. But this is MZD we are talking about, close attention always rewards. Let's start with the epigraph:
"The great sky is open"
Simple right? Of course then we see that this is a line from the great Zen writer Mumon. Which tells you something about what you are in for. Something that can be read very simply . . . or you can ponder for the rest of your life. And I suppose I should say what the book is about. Well a young boy (Kai) has a fantastically-colored kite. That kite gets destroyed. Kai then receives a blue kite from a mysterious teacher. Of course, Kai doesn't just fly that kite right away, time must past, courage get screwed up, mettle get tested. And ultimately this is the bedrock of the story, how do we re-engage after loss, how do we measure quiet personal panic, and more importantly what larger social value can be found in showing this particular stripe of courage.
Now structurally TLBK is most like a Picture Book, with airy watercolors working to not be subsumed by dark swirling clouds. But it also boasts three different ways to be read (as well as what may or may not be a time-travel subplot hidden in sartorial trickery!). Each path through the book is tiered for a different reading level. For me this is the best feature of the book; it can be read by any age - or more preferably shared amongst different ages. And throughout this experience, this engagement, we are allowed to explore what keeps us ground-bound, stuck in the Murk of the ego, and fear and division. And then, most powerfully, we can entertain the notion of finally being unstuck, flying free.
Rating: really liked it
Talk about a book that's got something for people of all ages. A beautiful story, told in three ways. That's not counting what the art has to tell you, either.
Rating: really liked it
Check out my review: https://www.raintaxi.com/volume-25-nu...
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Update (1/31/2020): Shame on me for not finishing off
Redwood first, as
The Little Blue Kite comes from p. 742. Very clever, Mr. Danielewski.
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Danielewski never stops pushing the boundaries of what fiction can be--that's for sure. And when I saw he went from the dishearteningly-canceled
Familiar series to a children's book, my interest was as piqued as my confusion. Here are some thoughts:
1. It is a moralizing children's tale that can be read by people of all ages, like
Le petit Prince .
2. Like
House of Leaves , you will be turning the book this way and that, amused at how the form matches the content.
3. As this is the same production team that brought us the aesthetic-bending treats of his former series, you will savor the alternating fonts and colors, looking for patterns.
4. The concepts of the Murk, the sky of the mind, and gentle thoughts are a neat metaphor.
In the end, though, I can only say that I am left indifferent. Really, I mean, who doesn't want some thick book from this guy?
Rating: really liked it
No one has ever impressed me by hiding the name of a major collaborator until the last page. The name of artist Regina M. Gonzalez is not noted anywhere on the cover, title page or verso page. Danielewski is also credited for art, and I have to wonder if he drew the hideous figure art while Gonzalez drew everything else on the page that looked good.
Also, this is classified as a graphic novel, but it is really just a picture book with ridiculous and annoying fonts.
Regardless, it is pure drivel, painful to read once, much less
three times as is recommended on the dust jacket. Ugh.
Rating: really liked it
This author is known for his mind-bending stories, fonts, and graphics. This book holds no exception. Although classified as an adult graphic novel, this book about anxiety and overcoming it can be enjoyed by all ages.
Rating: really liked it
I cant stop talking about this book. Ive been teaching special education literature for almost a decade and it has fast become one of my favorites to read both to my biological kids and my students alike. In TLBK, MZD has captured the essence of fear and the redemption that follows a long battle with it. The main character, Kai, is an accurate and humanistic portrayal of mental illness and phobia, while simultaneously not becoming preachy or pedantic. All in all, TLBK is a stellar book from an accomplished writer. You'll love it too.
-MW
Rating: really liked it
Mark Z Danielewski free gain does not disappoint. Reading the three stories in order from shortest to longest is watching a flower slowly unfold in your hands. This is a children's book, but that doesn't mean it's only meant for children.and it is definitely fit for fans of the rest of his books, particularly HoL in how, at least for me, The Little Blue Kite is almost a children's parallel to HoL. As a 26 year old adult, I will be coming back to this book regularly when I need it's message in my life.
Rating: really liked it
Danielewski shows his ability to write for all ages in this soul warming tale. A story of fear, dread, and self transcended that even the little ones can appreciate. I would have appreciated this story as a young child growing up with an anxiety disorder. My adult self found joy in Kai's journey as well.
Rating: really liked it
An absolutely beautiful book that will be a fun read aloud to kids of all ages, and adults as well! There’s a lot to read in these 96 pages, and multiple ways to do so!
Rating: really liked it
Don't like children's literature but I enjoyed the light-heartedness of the grand idea. Well written.
Rating: really liked it
This is a book I know I'll return to again and again like comfort food. I felt the sense of wonder I experienced reading THE LITTLE PRINCE as a kid. This book is able to accomplish the seemingly impossible: it's for both kids and adults. Sort of the way that TOY STORY and other films can be experienced on different levels, this book can be read in three different ways: one for parents to read to really young kids, one for older kids and one for adults.
And depending on your life and perspective, you'll probably get different things out of it on such a deep level. I felt it spoke so well to issues like anxiety, and relating to others, but there is so much in there. And the graphics are beautiful—combining painted art with photos. I can't wait to see what I discover on my next read.
Rating: really liked it
Check out our interview with Mark: https://bookedpodcast.podbean.com/e/4...
Rating: really liked it
What an incredibly sympathetic and beautiful little book! Knowing Danielewski, I knew the story would know no bounds, and I was not disappointed. The metaphysical implications are literally pouring off the pages, but in a way suitable for younger children to grasp. There is such vivid kindness and conscientiousness within the story of Kai and his little blue kite given to him by his teacher. It is truly heartwarming and mystifying.
(Also, the book itself is gorgeous. Some of the most beautiful illustrations I have ever seen in any book for that matter.)
Rating: really liked it
I followed the directions on this book. I read it all three ways. First I followed the rainbow (which after flipping through it once, when I sat down and looked at it I figured out what that meant-the rainbow colored words) and what a lovely story that was.
The second reading was the words rimmed in blue, red, and rainbow. A simple story that had a bit more depth but was still quite lovely.
The final reading I read from beginning to end, all the words, and this did take me two sittings, but I do wish I had read it in one sitting. I feel it may have had more impact and I could have grasped the message more. Because the fact that there is a message in the full version of the story is clear, though I am still figuring out what exactly it is.
The artwork is beautiful and I want to just take the backgrounds of some of these pages and make them into giant posters, or computer wallpapers. The visuals of the whole book are stunning, but the use of colors and of the backgrounds is excellent. I also like how on certain pages the text is arranged in a non-traditional format.
I honestly enjoyed all three readings of this book and I'm definitely going to be recommending this book, and quite possibly buying it.
