Bravery and Adventure

Would you be brave enough to be frank with the king or have a secret friend? Discover both these dilemmas and decide for yourself. Sometimes, adventures are simply waiting for us right outside our own front doors (or maybe just next door). Throughout these suspenseful stories, we will discover Korean family tradition, kite making, Pablo Picasso, the Catacombs, and the story of a crazy sultan. Who knows what kind of adventures lie ahead?
 
Day and Time: Thursdays, 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM ET
Class Duration: 4 Weeks
Dates: February 6-27, 2025
Recommended for: Ages 9+ / Grades 4-5
Teacher: TTK Faculty
Required materials: 
The Kite Fighters, by Linda Sue Park
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters, by Lesley M.M. Blume
 
The Kite Fighters, by Linda Sue Park
In a riveting narrative set in fifteenth-century Korea, two brothers discover a shared passion for kites. Kee-sup can craft a kite unequaled in strength and beauty, but his younger brother, Young-sup, can fly a kite as if he controlled the wind itself. Their combined skills attract the notice of Korea's young king, who chooses Young-sup to fly the royal kite in the New Year kite-flying competition—an honor that is also an awesome responsibility. Although tradition decrees, and the boys' father insists, that the older brother represents the family, both brothers know that this time the family's honor is best left in Young-sup's hands. This touching and suspenseful story, filled with the authentic detail and flavor of traditional Korean kite fighting, brings a remarkable setting vividly to life.
 
Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters, by Lesley M. M. Blume
Eleven-year-old Cornelia is the daughter of two world-famous pianists—a legacy that should feel fabulous but instead feels just plain lonely. She surrounds herself with dictionaries and other books to isolate herself from the outside world. But when a glamorous neighbor named Virginia Somerset moves next door with her servant Patel and a mischievous French bulldog named Mister Kinyatta, Cornelia discovers that the world is a much more exciting place than she had originally thought.
 
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See more classes for ages 9+ / grades 4-5: thethinkingkid.org/grades-4-5