One of those books that highlight the need to just let go, this focuses on James. He's lucky in that all his paid chores lead him to buy a collection of fine kites, but all he does with them is store them in his cupboard. When his baby sister GG starts to show too much interest in them, he buys her one – a simple diamond shape with a skull and crossbones on – but he's not too sure she should ever be allowed to fly it. Things could go wrong that way…

There is a good lesson to be had from the example of things that lose their shop-bought newness, but are still perfectly brilliant even if showing signs of wear and tear. It's a lesson we might all need to be reminded of at some time or other, that use shows usefulness shows merit and worth, whether that be a raggedy old book, a kite flown once or a person. I'm just not sure if this was the perfect delivery of that lesson. The art has some childishness, but not to its detriment; the story has a lot of commonsensical repetition and a cyclical nature – but I still felt something was lacking somewhere.

Until I pin down exactly what that was, this is a three and a half stars, even though I found no real fault with the look of it, with the construction of the story, and certainly not with the moral, which is not one of the most regularly-seen ones. I don't know – perhaps I needed to read this as a second-hand copy...

This tender and thoughtful picture book follows a boy who carefully saves his money to collect beautiful kites - tucked safely away in his closet, admired but never flown. When his younger sibling begins walking and reaching for the kites, he lashes out, only to realize he doesn't like how it made his sibling feel. So he saves agin, this time for a kite to gift to his sister. As his sister grows, she longs to fly the kites, and he must face his fear of imperfection, risk, and letting go.

Zoey Abbott captures the quiet bravery of learning that some things, like joy, love, and even kites, are meant to be shared, even if they get tangled or torn along the way. A beautiful story about generosity, emotional growth, and the rewards of embracing what scares us.

The Kite Collector - 3,75/5

James with his kites is me with my books. Don't touch it, don't open them too much, don't rip the pages !

James is a Kite Collector. He works for his money then buys them and keep them all pinned to a wall, beautifully arranged and most importantly : safe. That's how he collects them. How he likes to have them.
"When he got home, he added it to his collection.
It was magnificent."
Until his little sister who takes her first steps grabs one with her tiny hands. James doesn't like this. But with talking and acceptance, he works to fine a fitting solution for the both of them : he buys GG a kite ! It's hers and if she wants to make it fly she can.

It's a nice tiny story to read to siblings, to make them understand and learn how to navigate with smaller children who don't understand "no" and "dangerous". Who have another way of playing with the toys or things in their bedroom, or outside... Even it means the toy will get some scrapes and tangling.

This was a pleasure of a book about the different ways of enjoying hobbies and other things we care about, and how to share them with the people that we love. James has a pristine and untouched kite collection in his closet, bought from time working at various jobs in the neighborhood. But when his toddler sister G.G. literally stumbles right into it, ready to play, James is startled. His initial reaction makes him think differently about how to include his little sister in his activities, as well as a new way of looking at the kites that he loves so much. The relationship between James and G.G. is realistic with his share of humorous as well as sweet moments. Watching the joy on the siblings' faces as they spend time with each other, particularly G.G.'s as her big brother brings her into his world of kite-dom, contributes to the book's appeal. The illustrations remind me a bit of Christian Robinson's and capture a sense of place and movement very well. One of my favorites is when James frantically waves his arms up and down when G.G. places her little hands in the kite closet for this first time, which gave me a chuckle. The book's emphasis on speaking kindly to each other is also a welcome one.

James is a warm, quirky and likable protagonist, one who takes his hobby seriously and as such engages with his items in his own unique way. The book's title underscores this by stating that James is a collector, one who sees the value of the kites themselves, and who enjoys the thrill leading up to their acquisition as much as the actual purchase. Little me was (and is) an avid collector and is very much like him, as I liked for my toys and art supplies to be used just so and go great pleasure out of arranging them a certain way. One of the great appeals of the story is how it shows that James' way of enjoying his kites is not wrong; it's simply different, and is just as valid as G.G.'s desire to actually fly the kites and use them in more active play. This is important message for children to read as they meet children who may have similar personalities to James. I loved how Abbott framed the resolution of the story in a way that supported James' emotional growth through his bond with G.G., allowing both of them to appreciate kites in their preferred way in a fun and peaceable way, without James having to sacrifice his collection. It's handled exceptionally well here.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Kids Can Press, for this DRC in exchange for a fair and honest review. The thoughts and opinons expressed here are my own.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A young boy earns money to buy kites but when his sibling starts to walk those kites are the first thing they go for.

The Kite Collector is a sweet and gentle story about sibling love, courage, and perspective. James, a thoughtful young boy, collects kites but never flies them. He saves up his own money—doing small jobs like dog walking—to grow his colorful collection, which he stores neatly in his closet. While James treasures his kites quietly, his younger sibling (likely a toddler) has a very different idea: kites are meant to fly!

This difference in perspective sparks a beautiful moment of growth for James. With his sibling’s curiosity and boldness, he is gently nudged out of his comfort zone. What follows is a touching portrayal of how siblings can challenge and support each other in the best ways.

James is portrayed as kind, patient, and empathetic—a boy who not only shares his hobby but also opens his heart. He gifts his sister her own kite and allows her to experience the joy of flying it, even though it’s something he’s feared.

Zoey Abbott weaves a warm narrative about connection, bravery, and the quiet strength in letting go. The soft, engaging illustrations complement the emotional depth of the story beautifully. This is a lovely book for young readers, especially siblings, and a wonderful reminder that love and courage often come in the smallest, most unexpected ways.

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

what a sweet story!! i loved the two different dynamics- learning how to share with your sibling / getting her her own kite to take care of but then also the 'what if something bad happens' mentality
i think the graphics could've been better here and there, the pictures of the sad/tempertantrum were a little confusing for a child i think the emotions could've been a little better displayed but i love the overall messages in this. great job

I was drawn to the color palette and illustration style, and once I was in, the story delivered. I really felt for our main character as he tried to keep his kite collection out of the hands of the Little. As we all know, those little hands are not always the most careful. I love how the story conveyed the conflicted feelings but also allowed him to be the one to find a solution that satisfied he need to collect and maintain his kites with the love of his sibling.

Deceptively simple, The Kite Collector shares a warm, nostalgic story of a hard-working child who earns money via various chores and uses his money to purchase kites, which he hoards and preserves in their most perfect state. To him, that is the joy of kites. But his little sister is growing, exploring,...touching his kites! After yelling at her once, he is aware enough that he recognizes that he doesn't like the way yelling made him feel. So he charts a new course, one that includes his little sister and ends up increasing his own joy and helping him to accept that it's okay (and maybe even desirable) to have less-than-perfect kites if imperfection comes from kites being flown.

This would be a sweet book to share with older siblings, and really with any child who struggles with using toys or other items that become less "perfect" via use. I appreciate the willingness the "kite collector" child demonstrates to work hard and to adapt his expectations to include a younger sibling. Worth reading.

A very beautiful book on what life is all about through the lens of relationship between siblings - James and his little sister GG. James does many errands, saves money and buys kites, kites that looked like octopus, butterflies, even a pirate. He keeps them carefully in his cupboard and adores his collection, everything is safe and right until GG, his baby sister, begins to walk around and pull things from the cupboard. James warns GG not to pull things out of the cupboard or mess with them. But GG doesn't like words like NO, Never, Bad or Dangerous. GG is full of life, wants to experiment, to err, cry and mend things And together with her, James too learns that to fall and rise again is what life is all about rather than playing it safe all the time. A beautiful picture book with panels of simple and beautiful illustrations and minimal text. Loved reading this !!

James loves kites. James has a little sister Gigi. In this book as we watch Gigi grow, she comes to love her brother’s kites. Her brother‘s kites are not just given to him. He works hard to buy them himself. And when he’s worried that Gigi might harm one of his favorite things, he works even harder to buy her kind of her own. They even eventually fly it. This book was endearing. It was bright. It was beautiful and full of heart. The illustrations are an older style. Reminds me very much of Madeleine. I loved it from beginning to end.

This children's picture book is a story about a boy who collects, but doesn't fly, beautiful kites. As he earns money and buys more kites his baby sister also grows and is interested in them. He eventually buys her a kite of her own and overcomes his worries about flying the kite. Even though the kite comes back with some wear and tear, he works hard so that he can pay to repair it and realizes that it's ok after all. This is a simple story but is an example of a child overcoming anxiety and worries and would be an awesome option for a child who has anxiety. It is also a good example of how hard work can earn money and allow you to buy things you love. In the story James speaks to his sister harshly and then realizes it wasn't a good choice and makes it right. I really like the subtle lessons incorporated into this story.
I love the print method used for the illustrations and the fun patterns incorporated into them. They made the pictures interesting and my kids liked them.
I would love to get a copy of this book for my elementary school library!
Thank you to Kids Can Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

The Kite Collector is a charming and precious story all around. It has an unexpected life lesson for young children and also older readers - it's rewarding to work hard for things we enjoy, and it's natural to want to keep those treasures safe and hidden, but can keeping those things locked up and safe really worth it, or are you missing out on something more such as a wonderful experience that becomes memories? Some treasures are meant to be used and/or shared with others. The Kite Collector is also a great book for children whose younger siblings may go through their belongings and a reminder on how to be aware of their words and reaction to the situation. The story definitely allows for multiple open discussion while reading the story, and so I am definitely recommending this book for either a home or classroom setting.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very sweet story about a little boy who collects kites as well as his love for his sister who wants to be included and play with the kites. The little boy displays empathy and love for his sister, which is heartwarming.

The Kite Collector was such a charming book. The classic picture book art style draws you in instantly with the combination of white spaces and miniature art panels to a full page of environment with whimsy and color. The messaging was so clear and needed—we should enjoy the things we work for. Collecting is important but not experiencing and enjoying and living with the item collected is not completing the expectation of the “thing.” If we work hard to buy a kite but never fly a kite, then why the kite? It’s the “dream” of the experience but fearing losing that experience forever. This will be a go to read for all because the imagery, from GG as a new walker to lemons being squeezed for lemonade need to be visualized over and over again.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.