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Curious George Original Adventures #5
Curious George Flies a Kite
George's adventures with bunnies, fishing poles, and a powerful kite are told in a simplified text suitable for first-graders to read themselves.
80 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1958
22 people are currently reading
761 people want to read
About the author
H.A. Rey
597 books215 followersHans Augusto Rey was born on September 16, 1898, in Hamburg, Germany. He grew up there near the world-famous Hagenbeck Zoo, and developed a lifelong love for animals and drawing. Margarete Elisabeth Waldstein (who would be known to most of the world as Margret Rey) was also born in Hamburg on May 16, 1906. The two met briefly when Margret was a young girl, before she left Hamburg to study art. They were reunited in 1935 in Rio de Janeiro, where Hans was selling bathtubs as part of a family business and Margret was escaping the political climate in Germany. Margret convinced Hans to leave the family business, and soon they were working together on a variety of projects.
Hans and Margret were married in Brazil on August 16, 1935, and they moved to Paris after falling in love with the city during their European honeymoon. It was there that Hans published his first children’s book, after a French publisher saw his newspaper cartoons of a giraffe and asked him to expand upon them. Raffy and the Nine Monkeys (Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys in the British and American editions) was the result, and it marked the debut of a mischievous monkey named Curious George.
After Raffy and the Nine Monkeys was published, the Reys decided that Curious George deserved a book of his own, so they began work on a manuscript that featured the lovable and exceedingly curious little monkey. But the late 1930s and early ’40s were a tumultuous time in Europe, and before the new manuscript could be published, the Reys—both German Jews—found themselves in a horrible situation. Hitler and his Nazi party were tearing through Europe, and they were poised to take control of Paris.
Knowing that they must escape before the Nazis took power, Hans cobbled together two bicycles out of spare parts. Early in the morning of June 14, 1940, the Reys set off on their bicycles. They brought very little with them on their predawn flight — only warm coats, a bit of food, and five manuscripts, one of which was Curious George. The Nazis entered Paris just hours later, but the Reys were already on their way out. They rode their makeshift bicycles for four long days until reaching the French-Spanish border, where they sold them for train fare to Lisbon. From there they made their way to Brazil and on to New York City, beginning a whole new life as children’s book authors.
Curious George was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, and for sixty years these books have been capturing the hearts and minds of readers throughout the world. All the Curious George books, including the seven original stories by Margret and Hans, have sold more than twenty-five million copies. So popular that his original story has never been out of print, George has become one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in children’s literature. His adventures have been translated into many languages, including Japanese, French, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Swedish, German, Chinese, Danish, and Norwegian.
Although both of the Reys have passed away — Hans in 1977 and Margret in 1996—George lives on in the Curious George Foundation. Established in 1989, this foundation funds programs for children that share Curious George’s irresistible qualities—ingenuity, opportunity, determination, and curiosity in learning and exploring. Much consideration is given to programs that benefit animals, through preservation as well as the prevention of cruelty to animals. The foundation supports community outreach programs that emphasize the importance of family, from counseling to peer support groups.
Hans and Margret were married in Brazil on August 16, 1935, and they moved to Paris after falling in love with the city during their European honeymoon. It was there that Hans published his first children’s book, after a French publisher saw his newspaper cartoons of a giraffe and asked him to expand upon them. Raffy and the Nine Monkeys (Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys in the British and American editions) was the result, and it marked the debut of a mischievous monkey named Curious George.
After Raffy and the Nine Monkeys was published, the Reys decided that Curious George deserved a book of his own, so they began work on a manuscript that featured the lovable and exceedingly curious little monkey. But the late 1930s and early ’40s were a tumultuous time in Europe, and before the new manuscript could be published, the Reys—both German Jews—found themselves in a horrible situation. Hitler and his Nazi party were tearing through Europe, and they were poised to take control of Paris.
Knowing that they must escape before the Nazis took power, Hans cobbled together two bicycles out of spare parts. Early in the morning of June 14, 1940, the Reys set off on their bicycles. They brought very little with them on their predawn flight — only warm coats, a bit of food, and five manuscripts, one of which was Curious George. The Nazis entered Paris just hours later, but the Reys were already on their way out. They rode their makeshift bicycles for four long days until reaching the French-Spanish border, where they sold them for train fare to Lisbon. From there they made their way to Brazil and on to New York City, beginning a whole new life as children’s book authors.
Curious George was published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, and for sixty years these books have been capturing the hearts and minds of readers throughout the world. All the Curious George books, including the seven original stories by Margret and Hans, have sold more than twenty-five million copies. So popular that his original story has never been out of print, George has become one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in children’s literature. His adventures have been translated into many languages, including Japanese, French, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Swedish, German, Chinese, Danish, and Norwegian.
Although both of the Reys have passed away — Hans in 1977 and Margret in 1996—George lives on in the Curious George Foundation. Established in 1989, this foundation funds programs for children that share Curious George’s irresistible qualities—ingenuity, opportunity, determination, and curiosity in learning and exploring. Much consideration is given to programs that benefit animals, through preservation as well as the prevention of cruelty to animals. The foundation supports community outreach programs that emphasize the importance of family, from counseling to peer support groups.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
January 19, 2019
In one of his longer stories, George shows just how curious he can be. A little monkey can only take so much time alone, so when George discovers a large window in his house, the things he can see makes it all but impossible to stay still. H ventures down to check out all the world has to offer, from a garden to a little bunny house and even a few people who love to spend their lazy day by the water. As George learns the art of fishing, he discovers that it is not as easy as it seems. While fishing may be an art, George soon comes to understand that it does not hold a candle to flying a kite. George loves watching it, but when a gust of wind pushes him up into the sky, holding the kite, it is scarier than he could have imagined. How will he get down?! Neo and I loved this story, as it showcases all the trouble that George can find in a single afternoon. A lovely story that we both will surely enjoy for years to come, even as Neo introduces it to the next generation... someday!
November 21, 2018
Some dated language (George really beats himself up at one point for being a bad monkey. Don't let them get to you like that, George!), but mostly this is an innocuously sweet if slightly longwinded story. It's nice to be able to read stories like that.
May 1, 2013
My middle son is currently seven and he struggles with reading. He's great at math and science, he remembers things that blow my mind and he's got this amazing hand/eye coordination that causes me much envy...he's just not the best reader.
We've been playing a lot of phonics games lately, trying to build his confidence and get him more comfortable with reading instead of feeling frustrated because it's not clicking and yesterday he asked me if we could get some books just for him from the library. This is the first time he's asked me for that, so I got a little weepy.
Today we sat down with this on the couch together and he read me the entire thing. Curious George Flies a Kite is really three stories in one, and is a lot longer than most of the beginning reader Curious George books. Eighty pages! He read me 80 pages at once and barely stumbled!
When he finished, he hugged me and said "I'm catching up now, mommy!" in the most excited voice. I cried a little, and hugged him tight.
He wants to read now, which isn't even something I could have said a few weeks ago. FINALLY! YAY!
We've been playing a lot of phonics games lately, trying to build his confidence and get him more comfortable with reading instead of feeling frustrated because it's not clicking and yesterday he asked me if we could get some books just for him from the library. This is the first time he's asked me for that, so I got a little weepy.
Today we sat down with this on the couch together and he read me the entire thing. Curious George Flies a Kite is really three stories in one, and is a lot longer than most of the beginning reader Curious George books. Eighty pages! He read me 80 pages at once and barely stumbled!
When he finished, he hugged me and said "I'm catching up now, mommy!" in the most excited voice. I cried a little, and hugged him tight.
He wants to read now, which isn't even something I could have said a few weeks ago. FINALLY! YAY!
October 2, 2022
A fun classic to read to a child.
MY GRADE: A minus.
MY GRADE: A minus.
December 3, 2025
This isn’t my favorite Curious George story in the collection, and boy do I love this curious little monkey. I eventually concluded that wasn’t the strongest tale - in the sense that I wasn’t very curious about what would happen next. Nonetheless, a classic for all time.
March 15, 2018
My three-year-old son was able to sit through all 80 pages of this in one go. That's the magic of Curious George.
March 7, 2018
My son from birth has always been surrounded with Curious George. Today at the ripe old age of 3 he travels everywhere with his stuffed George doll, and morning cuddle time he is a mainstay. He loves the cartoons on PBS as well. For me, I remember as a kid going to my ped. for Dr. appts, always looking for a certain George book, (George Goes to the Hospital) for the waiting room. Luckily it was always available in the waiting room. A couple years ago I found a beautiful hardcover boxset at B&N that I thought would make a great Xmas gift for my son, and it included the Hospital book along with this one. The gift was a smash hit. The stories tend to be a bit on the long side by todays standards, but they are highly enjoyable to read for bedtime story telling.
Beautiful artwork, well written stories in a classic sense. Wording that always follows the pictures as well as now my son can relay the stories to me by both memory and picture guidance. You can't go wrong here. The simplicity and innocense of the time period when written is highly apparent which for me I want for my son. Life lessons will come, but right now I want him to enjoy his time of playfulness and George helps him do so.
Beautiful artwork, well written stories in a classic sense. Wording that always follows the pictures as well as now my son can relay the stories to me by both memory and picture guidance. You can't go wrong here. The simplicity and innocense of the time period when written is highly apparent which for me I want for my son. Life lessons will come, but right now I want him to enjoy his time of playfulness and George helps him do so.
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January 26, 2026I remember loving this as a kid, and just read it to my five year old daughter. It’s just wonderful.
May 7, 2020
Probably my favorite of the Curious Georges.
June 30, 2025
George is a dumbass and he gets on my nerves.
January 8, 2026
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May 8, 2008
Flying a kite is no picnic! The church I attended held an annual Kite Day, which, invariably was the least windy day of the year. Never could seem to get the kite off the ground for long. George tackles this problem in this addition to H.A. Rey's series.
March 1, 2017
After his adventure in space, George gets a more low-key affair in Curious George Flies a Kite, the fifth installment in the story of George's life. In this book, Margaret Rey has taken over writing duties, while husband and previous author H.A. provides illustrations only.
This books really contains three separate mini-adventures, but each of which is more or less satisfactorily concluded, which is a welcome improvement after the rambling, unfocused mess that was Curious George Gets a Medal. On the whole, they are much more in keeping with the more down-to-earth mischief of George's pre-Medal shenanigans, as well. Oh, and as far as I can tell, the common theme to these adventures is "Behold, the power of string!"
The book begins with George in his house, playing with a new ball. This is George and the poacher's third house in as many books. I understand that they are now rather wealthy, what with George's starring in a hit movie and being the subject of at least one book, but the frequency with which they move strikes me as excessive.
Also, we are told that George's name is actually "Curious George," and that he is the most curious of all monkeys. This is all news to us readers. Previously, he was simply "George," and the "Curious" bit was just a descriptor. Not sure when the name change took place. Also, that latter bit is completely unverifiable. I doubt Rey has done an exhaustive study of the curiosity levels of all monkeys everywhere. In a nice call-back to Curious George Rides a Bike, George's bugle is visible in the background of his bedroom.
So once again, the story begins with the poacher leaving George unsupervised for the day, but giving him a stern warning to behave. George begins by--sorry, I have stop here. Can we please talk about the poacher's behavior for a minute? Leaving a wild animal unattended at any point is tremendously negligent. It was negligent in Curious George when he let the monkey run amok on the ship. It was negligent in Curious George Rides a Bike, when he let the monkey play outside without supervision. And so on and so on. And you know what? Every single time, George got into trouble. What the is wrong with this guy? He has no excuse. The monkey has proven time and again that it will get into trouble if not being watched.
Sure, things may have wrapped up quite nicely each time the monkey gets loose so far, but we won't always be so lucky. Someone is going to call animal control at some point and what do you think they'll do when the come across a wild animal harassing children? They won't give him an opportunity to clean the kitchen and consider everything square, that's for damn sure. He'll probably get taken into custody and there's a realistic chance he'll be put down. What then, man with yellow hat? Not that he cares, I expect. He'll just go capture another wild animal and put it to work and earn enough money to buy another helicopter.
But now we're getting ahead of ourselves...
Anyway, George plays in the house for a while until he looks out the window, gets curious about his new neighbors, and goes exploring. Because the poacher left window open. Great parenting, .
George climbs into the walled garden across the street, where he finds a small house full of baby bunnies and a mother bunny. George takes a bunny out, promptly loses it, but then uses the mother bunny (whom George keeps track of by making an impromptu leash out of some string he found in a toolshed) to track it down and safely return it to its home. Hurray.
As George is leaving the garden, he sees a man carrying a fishing pole, and his next adventure immediately begins. George follows the man to the lake and watches him fish for a while. Hilarity ensues when George then decides he would like to fish, as well. This part was entertaining and ends in humiliation for George. I especially like that George used cake as bait, but when he couldn't catch any fish, decided that he'd just eat the cake himself. Good stuff. George also used string as part of his cobbled-together fishing pole.
George's third and final adventure--the one referenced in the book's title--begins after his disastrous attempt to catch some fish. Climbing out of the lake, he encounters Bill, a neighborhood lad flying a kite. Perhaps following the poor example set by the poacher, Bill leaves George unsupervised with the kite. The wind sweeps George and the kite up into the air, and George is suddenly in trouble! Bill rushes to the tell the poacher what's going on; the poacher drives off immediately. We see him again shortly, as he rescues George and the kite(using string! Hurray for string!) in a helicopter.
How did the poacher get access to a helicopter that quickly? The only explanation I can think of is that he not only owns it, but keeps it nearby. Which strikes me as weird. And lavish. Huh. Didn't see that coming, I guess.
Bill and the poacher are glad George is safe, and for some reason, Bill concludes that George's irresponsible warrants giving George one of the bunnies. Apparently, the garden was Bill's. It's not clear whether or not this is the bunny George almost lost earlier in the story.
So, yeah...a lot going on with this one. It's certainly better structured and more coherent than the previous, but the shockingly irresponsible behavior of the human characters is troubling. No one seems to give a what sort of discord George causes. They don't even take reasonable measures to keep him out of trouble.
A solid book overall, I guess. Not great, but better than others in the series.
This books really contains three separate mini-adventures, but each of which is more or less satisfactorily concluded, which is a welcome improvement after the rambling, unfocused mess that was Curious George Gets a Medal. On the whole, they are much more in keeping with the more down-to-earth mischief of George's pre-Medal shenanigans, as well. Oh, and as far as I can tell, the common theme to these adventures is "Behold, the power of string!"
The book begins with George in his house, playing with a new ball. This is George and the poacher's third house in as many books. I understand that they are now rather wealthy, what with George's starring in a hit movie and being the subject of at least one book, but the frequency with which they move strikes me as excessive.
Also, we are told that George's name is actually "Curious George," and that he is the most curious of all monkeys. This is all news to us readers. Previously, he was simply "George," and the "Curious" bit was just a descriptor. Not sure when the name change took place. Also, that latter bit is completely unverifiable. I doubt Rey has done an exhaustive study of the curiosity levels of all monkeys everywhere. In a nice call-back to Curious George Rides a Bike, George's bugle is visible in the background of his bedroom.
So once again, the story begins with the poacher leaving George unsupervised for the day, but giving him a stern warning to behave. George begins by--sorry, I have stop here. Can we please talk about the poacher's behavior for a minute? Leaving a wild animal unattended at any point is tremendously negligent. It was negligent in Curious George when he let the monkey run amok on the ship. It was negligent in Curious George Rides a Bike, when he let the monkey play outside without supervision. And so on and so on. And you know what? Every single time, George got into trouble. What the is wrong with this guy? He has no excuse. The monkey has proven time and again that it will get into trouble if not being watched.
Sure, things may have wrapped up quite nicely each time the monkey gets loose so far, but we won't always be so lucky. Someone is going to call animal control at some point and what do you think they'll do when the come across a wild animal harassing children? They won't give him an opportunity to clean the kitchen and consider everything square, that's for damn sure. He'll probably get taken into custody and there's a realistic chance he'll be put down. What then, man with yellow hat? Not that he cares, I expect. He'll just go capture another wild animal and put it to work and earn enough money to buy another helicopter.
But now we're getting ahead of ourselves...
Anyway, George plays in the house for a while until he looks out the window, gets curious about his new neighbors, and goes exploring. Because the poacher left window open. Great parenting, .
George climbs into the walled garden across the street, where he finds a small house full of baby bunnies and a mother bunny. George takes a bunny out, promptly loses it, but then uses the mother bunny (whom George keeps track of by making an impromptu leash out of some string he found in a toolshed) to track it down and safely return it to its home. Hurray.
As George is leaving the garden, he sees a man carrying a fishing pole, and his next adventure immediately begins. George follows the man to the lake and watches him fish for a while. Hilarity ensues when George then decides he would like to fish, as well. This part was entertaining and ends in humiliation for George. I especially like that George used cake as bait, but when he couldn't catch any fish, decided that he'd just eat the cake himself. Good stuff. George also used string as part of his cobbled-together fishing pole.
George's third and final adventure--the one referenced in the book's title--begins after his disastrous attempt to catch some fish. Climbing out of the lake, he encounters Bill, a neighborhood lad flying a kite. Perhaps following the poor example set by the poacher, Bill leaves George unsupervised with the kite. The wind sweeps George and the kite up into the air, and George is suddenly in trouble! Bill rushes to the tell the poacher what's going on; the poacher drives off immediately. We see him again shortly, as he rescues George and the kite(using string! Hurray for string!) in a helicopter.
How did the poacher get access to a helicopter that quickly? The only explanation I can think of is that he not only owns it, but keeps it nearby. Which strikes me as weird. And lavish. Huh. Didn't see that coming, I guess.
Bill and the poacher are glad George is safe, and for some reason, Bill concludes that George's irresponsible warrants giving George one of the bunnies. Apparently, the garden was Bill's. It's not clear whether or not this is the bunny George almost lost earlier in the story.
So, yeah...a lot going on with this one. It's certainly better structured and more coherent than the previous, but the shockingly irresponsible behavior of the human characters is troubling. No one seems to give a what sort of discord George causes. They don't even take reasonable measures to keep him out of trouble.
A solid book overall, I guess. Not great, but better than others in the series.
May 23, 2025
Second appearance of Bill (first time named). He lives within sight of George's window in a house with a walled garden next to the front yard.
Curious George wants to know what's in the small house in a neighbor's walled garden, so he trespasses and finds a bunny house. He lets out a baby bunny to play hide-and-seek with, but loses it and cries (Rey drew a bird saying "Bad monkey!") He uses string to make a leash for Mother Bunny and lets her out to find the baby. Reunited, they nap in the hutch.
George starts going home, but gets distracted by a man carrying a fishing pole. He wants to make his own fishing pole out the neighbor's string, his mop and a hook he rips out of a kitchen wall. He also takes cake from home for bait. Down at the lake in the local park, this goes about as well as you'd expect.
George leans in and tries to catch a fish with his hands, but falls in. When he gets out, he meets Bill with his kite. Bill flies it, warning George that he's so little that he'd fly away if he took a turn. When Bill turns his back to get his bike and take the kite home on it, George does exactly what he was warned not to and flies off.
Bill rides to tell the Man in the Yellow Hat what happened, and tMinYH... quickly rents a helicopter? Acquires it somehow, as that's what it takes to save George's life in the air.
When he returns the kite, Bill thanks George (for some reason...) and takes George to see his bunnies, revealing who that house George was curious about at the beginning belongs to. He even lets George take one of the babies home as a pet.
This will be the last time we see George get up to a complicated series of bad behaviors. Rey's last two books follow a different structure. Later books were shortened from around 60 pages to only 24, leaving George only enough time to cause trouble in one location.
Curious George wants to know what's in the small house in a neighbor's walled garden, so he trespasses and finds a bunny house. He lets out a baby bunny to play hide-and-seek with, but loses it and cries (Rey drew a bird saying "Bad monkey!") He uses string to make a leash for Mother Bunny and lets her out to find the baby. Reunited, they nap in the hutch.
George starts going home, but gets distracted by a man carrying a fishing pole. He wants to make his own fishing pole out the neighbor's string, his mop and a hook he rips out of a kitchen wall. He also takes cake from home for bait. Down at the lake in the local park, this goes about as well as you'd expect.
George leans in and tries to catch a fish with his hands, but falls in. When he gets out, he meets Bill with his kite. Bill flies it, warning George that he's so little that he'd fly away if he took a turn. When Bill turns his back to get his bike and take the kite home on it, George does exactly what he was warned not to and flies off.
Bill rides to tell the Man in the Yellow Hat what happened, and tMinYH... quickly rents a helicopter? Acquires it somehow, as that's what it takes to save George's life in the air.
When he returns the kite, Bill thanks George (for some reason...) and takes George to see his bunnies, revealing who that house George was curious about at the beginning belongs to. He even lets George take one of the babies home as a pet.
This will be the last time we see George get up to a complicated series of bad behaviors. Rey's last two books follow a different structure. Later books were shortened from around 60 pages to only 24, leaving George only enough time to cause trouble in one location.
January 24, 2025
Curious George is a monkey that always finds himself in an adventure. In Curious George Flies a Kite by Margret Rey, the man in the yellow hat has work to do so George has the day to amuse himself. His new ball is a lot of fun, until George gets distracted by the window and must see who would live in the tiny house next door. This is George’s first experience with rabies and he really enjoys them until he sees a man going fishing. He tries to go fishing on his own but has no success and luckily his friend, Bill, is there to help get George out of the water. Bill has a kite, which turns out to be great fun until George attempts to fly the kite by himself. Fortunately, the man in the yellow hat is able to catch George in a helicopter and bring George and the kite back home.
This fun fiction children’s classic with animals is brought to life by the colorful pictures by H. A. Rey. This picture book is full of humor, morals and the innocent whims of Curious George.
This fun fiction children’s classic with animals is brought to life by the colorful pictures by H. A. Rey. This picture book is full of humor, morals and the innocent whims of Curious George.
February 11, 2023
Curious George books are fun because George is relatable to young kids- like George, they are curious and don't always think decisions through.
On the one hand, the writing is a little tedious to read out loud. On the other hand, it's at a level that allows very young kids to easily track the story.
The title of this story implies that it's about a kite, but actually the kite doesn't enter the story until halfway through. Before George and Bill meet up and fly the kite, George plays hide-and-seek with a baby bunny and tries his hand at fishing. It's a springtime adventures book.
The story gets pretty exciting at the climax and I'm happy that everything turns out OK (no surprise there, given this is a children's book) but I was hoping for a more creative solution to the problem. (It's a classic trope for sky-high rescues.)
Overall, I'm thinking 3.5 stars.
On the one hand, the writing is a little tedious to read out loud. On the other hand, it's at a level that allows very young kids to easily track the story.
The title of this story implies that it's about a kite, but actually the kite doesn't enter the story until halfway through. Before George and Bill meet up and fly the kite, George plays hide-and-seek with a baby bunny and tries his hand at fishing. It's a springtime adventures book.
The story gets pretty exciting at the climax and I'm happy that everything turns out OK (no surprise there, given this is a children's book) but I was hoping for a more creative solution to the problem. (It's a classic trope for sky-high rescues.)
Overall, I'm thinking 3.5 stars.
December 29, 2021
When my six year old brother came over in 2021, this was the book he wanted me to read from. It's a lot longer than Curious George books that I read when I was younger, but this didn't make it less fun, topsy-turvy, and adventurous as the Curious George books I remembered. It didn't matter how late it was, or if we were playing a video game, the nights weren't complete unless my brother could experience why Curious George was known as Curious George at the end of every night -- and Curious George flies a kite was perhaps the best way for him to get to know George as I once did.
After this book, my brother loves watching the TV show and reading every Curious George book he can, and Curious George become a nightly staple whenever he's able to come over.
After this book, my brother loves watching the TV show and reading every Curious George book he can, and Curious George become a nightly staple whenever he's able to come over.
May 2, 2022
Based on one of the seven original Curious George book by the Reys, this version has been adapted for beginning readers, so the language is somewhat repetitive, and it seemed a lot longer than other CG books we’ve read, with three different mini-plots that could have easily been their own book. Elliot recognized the stories from the CG show and he didn’t seem to mind the length, but this may be more appropriate as a read-aloud for preschool and up
February 22, 2024
Although this book is full of ways that Curious George finds to play, I'd agree that his kite flying is by far the most impressive.
How often does your typical kite flyer get rescued by a helicopter?
Plus, education is built in here. For instance, while George is searching for string to attach to his kite, he learns that the string on a stranger's fishing pole becomes a new toy... and the start of a fish-laden adventure.
FIVE STARS for ingenuity!
How often does your typical kite flyer get rescued by a helicopter?
Plus, education is built in here. For instance, while George is searching for string to attach to his kite, he learns that the string on a stranger's fishing pole becomes a new toy... and the start of a fish-laden adventure.
FIVE STARS for ingenuity!
April 1, 2018
AHH, what a great read for students who love monkeys, and curious george. I picked this book because I know that I enjoyed these books as a kid, and so did all my sibilings. I love how this book is able to make kids laugh, and draw them in. I will for sure use this in a classroom to teach students about kites, and how to fly a kite.
May 16, 2018
This is a story in four parts: playing ball, playing with bunnies, going fishing, and flying a kite. They are all tenuously related but almost like four separate stories. I liked that George was more curious than naughty in this one. I find those types of scrapes more palatable than the naughty monkey stories that my kiddos could manage to imitate.
September 1, 2021
This book was a little longer than other books that I have read within the goodreads website. The book, Curious George Flies a Kite, contains a bunch of different small adventures and in each adventure, you are learning something new. If I had to choose one this would be one of my favorite Curious George books. I recommend this book to grades third grade and above.
November 6, 2022
The story didn't feel as cohesive as some of the others, and even for a Curious George story, there were some very far-fetched moments (The Man with the Yellow Hat just happens to know how to fly a helicopter, and just happens to have access to one on a moment's notice?) But it still kept my toddler's attention, which is all that matters.
February 22, 2025
This is the fifth book in the children’s picture book series. For the first time, Margret Rey was credited as the author, even though she and her husband had written and illustrated the first four together. H.A. Rey is credited only as the illustrator. As usual, George is left alone to cause all sorts of chaos. Compared to the first four books, this one is a tamed down adventure.
October 4, 2025
We're so proud you read 'Curious George Flies a Kite'! George learned being curious is wonderful, but we must listen and be careful too. You discovered that trying new things is fun, but asking for help keeps us safe. Like George with his kite, you can explore every day—just ask Mommy or Daddy when you need help! Keep reading, sweetie. You're doing amazing!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2018
This sweet little story deserves a four star. Curious George checked out the bunnies, went fishing with his creative fishing tools, flied a kite and went up with it until The man with the yellow hat saved him from the helicopter. He was rewarded a baby bunny when he saved Bill’s kite. Sweet.
August 7, 2018
Curious George is curious about something that is outside, so he wanders from his home to look around. While out, he runs into Bill, and they fly a kite. George goes on a bigger adventure than he had planned. Silly and cute.
January 25, 2019
I love all of the Curious George books. He has always been one of my favorites, especially because I love monkeys. George is a a curious monkey and he is very adventorous, hence all of the titles of all of the books.
September 25, 2019
What an enjoyable story! It starts out with George not being allowed to go outside, then escalates to fishing, hunting wabbits, and ending up with a helicopter chase. But it all makes sense if you're Curious George.
January 14, 2020
Nearly Simpsons level absurd with the way the plot twists from one element to the next, (First a garden, then a bunny house, then the lake, then fishing, THEN flying a kite) but also one of the more enjoyable reads despite its ridiculous plotting.
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