Over the holidays, I revisited a story and two books that continue to leave an impression on me: The Kite of Stars by Dean Alfar, The Hobbit and Philosophy, and Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha. Each offered its own blend of magic, reflection, and wisdom, aligning with my personal journeys the past year. These books reminded me of literature’s transformative power and the unique ways stories heal connecting us to ourselves and the world.
Dean Alfar’s The Kite of Stars remains an enchanting tale, brimming with poetic language that defies convention yet feels intuitively right. I revisited it in preparation for a literature lesson, drawn once again to its magical phrasing and layered meanings. The story’s portrayal of love as both a fulfillment of time and presence struck me deeply. The nameless butcher’s boy, who sacrifices his life’s essence for a dream that isn’t his own, embodies devotion in its most profound form.
Sigh. Maria Isabella, that bratinella, does not deserve the butcher's boy. And to this day, I fear that one of my children loves the way the butcher's boy loves. Ah, there! The Kite of Stars' magic lies not only in its fantastical world but in the truths it reveals about the human heart.
This semester, our grade 8 English teacher will take on The Hobbit in class. I will request for a sit-in since he read this book in earnest. What a delight to share our own passions and geekiness to our students who, born in this generation of Zs and Alphas, may not respond the way we gen Xers do. Then again, this is the challenge of reading and teaching literacy where in we derive much joy.
For Siddhartha, my review can be read here.
