Oliver Jeffers

From the illustrator of the #1 smash The Day the Crayons Quit comes another bestseller–a giggle-inducing tale of everything tossed, thrown, and hurled in order to free a kite!

When Floyd’s kite gets stuck in a tree, he’s determined to get it out. But how? Well, by knocking it down with his shoe, of course. But strangely enough, it too gets stuck. And the only logical course of action . . . is to throw his other shoe. Only now it’s stuck! Surely there must be something he can use to get his kite unstuck. An orangutan? A boat? His front door? Yes, yes, and yes. And that’s only the beginning. Stuck is Oliver Jeffers’ most absurdly funny story since The Incredible Book-Eating Boy. Childlike in concept and vibrantly illustrated as only Oliver Jeffers could, here is a picture book worth rescuing from any tree.

Stuck

Elizabeth Spurr

Manelle Oliphant

Simple and evocative language and charming illustrations describe a girl’s experience on a windy day.In this gently rhyming board book, a young girl makes, flies, and loses her kite on a windy day. But when she returns home, something special is waiting for her.Elizabeth Spurr and Manelle Oliphant together create a perfect sit-in-your-lap reading experience for toddlers.

In the Wind

Joan Holub

Leslie Patricelli

After little Icarus and his dad make a bird-shaped kite, Dad warns Icarus to hold on to the string and not let it fly too high. But Icarus disobeys, and soon the kite gets caught in the trees! Dad helps him repair the kite so they can play with it again, and Icarus learns the importance of being careful. Joan Holub’s carefully crafted text is brought to life by Leslie Patricelli’s famously humorous illustrations. Includes a summary of the original Icarus myth.

Mini Myths: Be Careful, Icarus!

Marie Letourneau

kites

the wind

perseverance

Argyle Fox, with his signature style, wants to play outside on a springtime day, but the wind is wreaking havoc with his fun and games. As soon as he builds a card tower, climbs into a giant spider web, or takes up his pirate sword, here comes the wind: Woosh! Mama Fox tells grumpy Argyle that if he thinks long enough, he will come up with something to do. Following his mother’s suggestion and inspired by her knitting, he works all the pieces of his day together and creates the perfect solution. The story of Argyle teaches that failure is often a path to success and celebrates perseverance, creative thinking, and an old-fashioned springtime activity.

Argyle Fox

Ruth Hengeveld

Melissa Nelson Greenberg

Bear receives a bright yellow kite for his birthday and flies it until . . . it gets stuck in a tree and rips. Oh, Bear. Lucky for Bear, Bird is busy building a nest and flies his broken kite home, where an even better surprise awaits him. A story about nature, renewal, and friendship—the best gift of all.

Oh, Bear

Jez Alborough  

Duck and his long-suffering friends Frog, Sheep, and Goat take off on their latest unforgettable adventure involving a runaway kite. By the creator of Fix-It Duck and Duck in the Truck.

Super Duck

Elisa Amado

Joya Hairs

In Guatemala, there is a village called Santiago Sacatepéquez. It is a very small but famous place because once a year, on the day of the Day of the Dead, the people of Santiago fly some of the biggest kites in the world. As large as seven meters (twenty-three feet) wide, they fill the sky over the cemetery with brilliant colors. Juan and his brothers always helped their grandfather build the kite for the Day of the Dead. But their grandfather has recently died, and the boys must carry on the tradition on their own. This beautifully photographed book shows us the village of Santiago and tells us Juan’s story as he gathers the materials, builds the kite and, finally, flies it with this help of his friends.

Un barrilete / Barrilete: para el Día de los Muertos / A Kite for the Day of the Dead

Roger McGough

John Prater

Words and pictures are combined to tackle a very sensitive subject, the death of a child. A kite comes to belong to Caitlin who is seriously ill. She dreams of the day she will get better and fly the kite. This does not happen but her final journey leads them to a place without pain and suffering.

The Kite and Caitlin

Shirley Parenteau

David Walker

The springtime trees are flowering, and the adorable bears from Bears on Chairs are ready for a picnic under the blossoms. When Big Brown Bear and the four little bears notice that the trees are shimmering in the wind with spring blooms, they know just how to spend the day: a picnic. The blustery weather is perfect for flying kites, and the bears can’t wait to frolic under the cherry blossoms with the busy bees and eat a lunch of bread with honey. It’s time to send the kites up into the air – but the winds are so strong, they carry the little bears up off the ground and away! What will Big Brown Bear do?

Bears and Blossoms

Jonathan Emmett

Adrian Reynolds

Sam’s dad says that he is too small to fly their new kite, but when Dad, the postman, a bank robber, and some zoo animals get pulled up into the sky, only Sam can save them.

Someone Bigger

Ying Chang Compestine

Yongsheng Xuan

Ting, Pan, and Kùai are tired of working in the rice fields, protecting the harvest from the birds. They try everything – they bang pots, blow whistles, and wave their arms. If only they could fly, they’d drive those birds away forever! Then the boys get an idea: if they made wings, they could fly! Using paper, straw, and feathers, the boys try to launch themselves into the sky from the hilltop above the rice fields. Kersplash! What else can the Kang boys come up with to keep those naughty birds away from their rice? Enjoy the third adventure of the Kang brothers who discovered some of China’s most amazing inventions — now with a new bilingual Chinese translation!

The Story of Kites

Marsha Diane Arnold

Qin Leng

A sweet and funny story about sharing, friendship and belonging. When Little Panda startles Big Panda awake inside his den, Big Panda crankily declares, “Mine.” Then he puts Little Panda outside, “Yours.” When he still won’t leave, Big Panda offers Little Panda a kite. Which delights him! Until the kite’s tail starts annoying the other animals in the forest by sweeping up their things. They all give him the same message: their things, “Mine;” the kite, “Yours.” And soon the animals themselves get caught as they try to reclaim their stuff. Can they all learn a new word “Ours?” No “mine” allowed! This story’s too fun not to share!

Mine. Yours.

Sydney Hanson

Welcome to an enchanted land ruled by unicorn princesses! Cressida Jenkins, a unicorn-obsessed girl who is sure that unicorns are real, is invited to visit, and readers will be thrilled to journey to the Rainbow Realm along with her! In each story, Cressida is called to help a unicorn princess and her sisters in a magical adventure. Princess Breeze invites Cressida to the Blast–a special day where all the unicorn princesses ride huge kites into the clouds for a fantastic feast in the sky. But Ernest, the blundering wizard-lizard, once again casts an errant spell that might ruin everything! Will Cressida be able to find a way to save the Blast? This magical series is full of sparkle, fun, and friendship.

Breeze's Blast

From the illustrator of the #1 smash The Day the Crayons Quit comes another bestseller–a giggle-inducing tale of everything tossed, thrown, and hurled in order to free a kite! When Floyd’s kite gets stuck in a tree, he’s determined to get it out. But how? Well, by knocking it down with his shoe, of course. But strangely enough, it too gets stuck. And the only logical course of action . . . is to throw his other shoe. Only now it’s stuck! Surely there must be something he can use to get his kite unstuck. An orangutan? A boat? His front door? Yes, yes, and yes. And that’s only the beginning. Stuck is Oliver Jeffers’ most absurdly funny story since The Incredible Book-Eating Boy. Childlike in concept and vibrantly illustrated as only Oliver Jeffers could, here is a picture book worth rescuing from any tree.

A Little Stuck

Sam Usher

A storm is brewing and the wind is picking up, so a boy and his grandfather decide it’s the perfect weather for kite flying. There’s just one problem: they have to find the kite! Their search brings up many wonderful memories of previous adventures together, and when they finally make it outside, their adventure really takes off!

Storm

Victoria Kann

Readers can watch Pinkalicious and Peterrific on the funtastic PBS Kids TV series Pinkalicious &amp;amp;amp; Peterrific!#1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Kann is back with a new I Can Read story featuring Pinkalicious!It’s the pinkest day of the year! Thanks to a magical swirl of pink petals, Pinkalicious experiences a traditional Japanese cherry blossom celebration and learns to fly a kite with the help of a new friend.This is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

Pinkalicious: Cherry Blossom

Rukhsana Khan

Malik, a Pakistani boy who uses a wheelchair, is excited to compete in the annual kite-flying festival of Basant. Can his kite defeat the bully’s and make him “King” of the festival? Basant is here, with feasts and parties to celebrate the arrival of spring. But what Malik is looking forward to most is doing battle from his rooftop with Falcon, the special kite he has built for speed. Today is Malik’s chance to be the best kite fighter, the king of Basant.In two fierce battles, Malik takes down the kites flown by the bully next door. Then Malik moves on, guiding Falcon into leaps, swirls, and dives, slashing strings and plucking kites from the sky. By the end of the day, Malik has a big pile of captured kites. He is the king! But then the bully reappears, trying to take a kite from a girl in the alley below. With a sudden act of kingly generosity, Malik finds the perfect way to help the girl.This lively, contemporary story introduces readers to a centuries-old festival and the traditional sport of kite fighting, and to a spirited, determined young boy who masters the sport while finding his own way to face and overcome life’s challenges.

King for a Day

Alexis O'Neill

Terry Widener

waterfalls

technology

Homan Walsh loves to fly his kite. And when a contest is announced to see whose kite string can span Niagara Falls, Homan is set on winning, despite the cold and the wind–and even when his kite is lost and broken. Homan’s determination is beautifully captured in this soaring, poetic picture book that features Terry Widener’s stunning acrylic paintings. Both author and illustrator worked with experts on both sides of the falls to accurately present Homan Walsh’s story. The book also includes an extensive author’s note, timeline, bibliography, and further resources.

The Kite That Bridged Two Nations: Homan Walsh and the First Niagara Suspension Bridge

Belle Yang

In a lost-and-found tale that soars far beyond just a happy ending, Taiwanese fine artist Belle Yang pays affectionate homage to the city of Beijing. In busy Beijing, New Year’s Eve firecrackers scare a stray white cat into the courtyard of a young girl. The two become fast friends, riding the girl’s bike through the city and seeing all kinds of people and things. Trrrring-trrrring! the girl chimes with her bicycle bell. Niaow-niaow! answers Kitty. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the girl and the cat watch the kites soaring above crowded, chaotic Tiananmen Square. Kitty is enthralled by the enormous, colorful dragon kite, and she leaps to catch it as it sails up into the sky – taking Kitty with it and carrying her out of sight! The girl searches the city, visiting all their favorite spots and ringing her bell along the way, but Kitty is nowhere to be found. Will the two ever be reunited? Or could another unexpected friendship be in store – for both of them?