A rousing narrative by Carnegie Medalist Mal Peet and his wife, Elspeth Graham, with atmospheric illustrations by acclaimed artist Patrick Benson. Yazul loves making kites with his grandfather, but all he truly desires is the approval of his father. Yazul's father, lord of a han along the Silk Road, is a man made stern by loneliness, and Yazul's love of kite-making only seems to elicit disappointment. "Travel and trade are what matters," his father says. But when the han is attacked by bandits, Yazul has an idea. With the help of his grandfather, he might just be able to use his kite-making skills to scare the bandits away and save the han. Will Yazul's courage and cleverness make his father proud?

Author Biography

Mal Peet (1947-2015) was a critically acclaimed and award-winning writer of picture books and novels, including Beck, which was co-written by Meg Rosoff. Elspeth Graham was born during a snowstorm in Northumberland, England. She has written many books for children, some with her husband and fellow author, Mal Peet. The Treasure of Pirate Frank is one of the last picture books that they wrote together. Elspeth Graham lives in Devon, England, with her dog, Pedro. Patrick Benson has won many awards for his illustrations, including the Mother Goose Award, the Christopher Award, and the Kurt Maschler Award. He has worked with such luminaries as Roald Dahl and Russell Hoban, and his picture book with Martin Waddell, Owl Babies, is a classic with more than 12 million copies in print.