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Title: Exquisite illustrations and inspiring theme
Review: Young's The Emperor and the Kite shows us that even (seemingly) small, insignificant individuals can accomplish great deeds and challenges us not to underestimate anyone's capabilities. The story, by Jane Yolen, takes place in ancient China and tells of a tiny princess, not much thought of by her family, who uses her intellect, creativity, and skill to save her father, the emperor, held hostage by kidnappers. The text of the story is lengthy (many pages have ten or more lines of text) and more explanatory than descriptive. The illustrations, done in multi-colored paper cuts, bring the text to life, depicting the most dramatic moments of the story. The illustrations stretch across both pages and often bleed off the edge. Despite their exquisite detail, the illustrations are flat and float in the white space of the page, without any sense of depth or context.
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