The Kobo devices are truly worth every penny and we've got 4 of them in our household at this point. These are some of the best devices to put in the hands of kids.
Until you learn the hard way that e-ink displays have a thin, fragile glass plate inside.
Our first two Kobo were purchased in 2018 and both have been on every business / personal trip since. I don't particularly go out of my way to protect mine, I have the stock magnetic cover. Other than the edges of it wearing, that's the only visible "damage". My kids have had Kobo since 2019 and they take them everywhere. The Kobo devices are not fragile in the least. I worry more about them being left behind than breaking them.