This is book is a very basic overview of kung fu, ostensibly written for children. The illustrations are very kid appropriate as is the lack of technical jargon and minimal use of Chinese terminology. Unfortunately, while I found the level of information kid appropriate, I think the writing style is too advanced for younger children who seem to be the target demographic. The end result is an odd tome-- one that is too challenging for most kids yet does not contain enough information for most parents.

It is very short, a mere 48 pages, and rather expensive at that. The fact that it was printed in hard cover drives up the price beyond the value of the contents in my opinion. It probably would have been better as a soft cover with expanded content or similar content edited to more kid friendly grammar.

The author clearly knows his stuff (he's been teaching since 1960) but I'm not convinced that this layout makes good use of his knowledge. It misses the sweet spot between ease of reading and value of content. It could also have benefited by including more information about how to find a teacher/class to meet your needs, both from the kid's perspective as well as the parent's.

The contents include a (very) short history of kung fu, descriptions of the major kung fu styles, getting ready for training, what to expect on your first day of class, rules/etiquette, common class structure/flow, basic elements (e.g., stances, punches, kicks), basic forms, advancement and testing, and a brief summary of what benefits you can get from practicing this art form.

Overall: Good concept yet poorly executed.

Lawrence Kane
Author of 'The Way of Kata' and 'Martial Arts Instruction'