12-year-old Haoyou and his cousin Mipeng join the Jade Circus after shanghaeing Di Chou, the man who was to marry his mother. Haoyou is the circus' kite rider and in this role, he earns money and fame. Miao is the circus master and a sort of father figure to Haoyou. Being around Miao, Haoyou learns that Miao is royalty, of the Sung Dynasty. Haoyou also learns that blind obedience isn't necessarily a good thing.

It's about the adventures of a young Chinese boy at the beginning of the Mongol rule; he learns painfully and slowly that simple obedience to elders and the teachings of others isn't an answer to all life's challenges. It was a decent read, interesting and well-written. However, I was expecting something much lighter and more fun when I picked it up (a long time ago, but I remember) and had a bit of a shock. This is a pretty bloody book, and one full of bitterness and pain for the characters. That being the case, I'm not especially inclined to look out more of McCaughrean's work. ( )

RGG: Shady Hill School 5th Grade Reading. Set during the time of Mongol Kublai Khan, 13th century. Full of period details, custom, and culture. But at points violence may be too graphic for some young readers.

Such a frustrating book to read, in an amazing why. I was drawn into this wonderful yet heart wrenching of a story. I found myself loathing multiple characters and questioning the motive/reasoning/ and thought process of the main character (a young boy who does everything that he is told to do, which drove me crazy). Very well written, as the author provides a great story and that the reader is easily transported back to China in the 13th century. The author does provide background information in an afterward about the 13th century and Kublai Khan. From my knowledge I would have to say that the book does accurately reflect the values and the norms of the Chinese culture. The author does a great job in bringing this story to life by the dialog of the characters, providing with a detailed setting, honest and accurate facts thus making this a believable story. Such a good story that I want to read more about and learn more of Chinese history and culture. I would think that many young children would enjoy this book due to the lack of exposure to Chinese history. This story deals with many problems that still are relevant in today's society (racism, poverty, family relations, substance abuse, etc...).
Ages 12 and up ( )

FINALLY settled in with some knitting to listen to the rest of this one. Over all it was quite an interesting read/listen. The actors did a good job of bringing it to life and the annoying characters were suitably strangle-worthy. The author did a good job of giving the reader a feeling of being back in 13th Century China without overwhelming us with historical details. Details were presented as needed and reasonably paced with the action. I found the characters a little annoying, however. The main character (the boy) seemed either exceptionally stupid or a very slow learner when it came to making the right choices and dealing with his family, and the adults around him never seemed to explain much or take the time to try to teach him. Still, it was interesting, and ended quite well, without leaving the reader dangling or wondering what happened.The concept of the story was quite interesting too. Riding on a kite. . .if a bit odd. But I'll blame the oddness on the practice that caught the author's attention in the first place. :) ( )