Synopsis
Planes, planes, planes, in the big wide sky!
Cargo planes, jumbo jets, propeller planes, rotor planes, hydroplanes, military planes, and many others dive, buzz, and turn as they fly across the sky.
Children's Literature
A fun and unique layout sets apart an otherwise rather typical book about types of airplanes. Short, one or two sentence rhyming verses take the reader from navy planes to jumbo jets and many in between, as several different types of airplanes are presented to the reader in interesting and artistic ways. The page layout switches from horizontal to vertical occasionally, keeping readers active and on their toes, and this provides a unique twist to a simple book. Very young children would most likely enjoy hearing this book read aloud, as the steady rhythm of the rhyming verses is often better presented orally than through text. This could be a nice addition to the bookshelf while covering a unit on types of transportation or, specifically, types of airplanes. Though children in grades above kindergarten would most likely be bored by the textual content, the imaginative illustrations are enough to hold the attention of any age. Using a variety of techniques and textures, illustrators Halsey and Addy give an old topic new dimension, encouraging readers to open the pages again and again, if only to look at the pictures. Reviewer: Carly Reagan