Charles Lindbergh

Children's Literature

Charles Lindbergh was the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean alone and non-stop in an airplane. Although shy, he instantly came into the limelight worldwide. The flight raised public awareness and advanced the cause of aviation. This biography flows from Lindbergh's early childhood through his years of fame and on into his later life. He remained in the public eye when he married and his infant son was kidnapped and killed. He continued to advocate flight as a way to bring countries and people closer together and he preached that America stay out of World War II. Each of the personal antidotes (which include inventing a way to haul blocks of ice from the shed into the house, learning to drive, and being a practical joker while in flight school) show Linbergh as a real and personable man. The book is well organized, easy to read, and contains pictures, an index, bibliography, and interesting sidebars. Each of the books in "The Importance Of" series would be useful to students doing reports about famous people who have made a unique contribution to the world. 2003, Lucent Books, Rose

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10-This well-written book gives insight into a shy but purposeful man. Koopmans describes Lindbergh's unconventional early family life, career, and legacy, and is commendably unbiased about his subject's unpopular political beliefs prior to World War II. Lindbergh's famous transatlantic flight is described in detail. The kidnapping of his son is treated without sensationalism and includes a discussion of Lindbergh's own involvement in the investigation. The descriptively titled chapters have numerous subheadings. Framed inserts from primary sources and many high-quality, black-and-white photographs are well placed within the text. However, the date given for Kristallnacht is incorrect; it took place on November 9-10, 1938, not in 1936. Nonetheless, this title can be read from cover to cover or used for reports.-Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.