Planes

Children's Literature - Beverly Kobrin

Artist Hans Jenssen provides readers a view beneath the skins of flying machines from a somewhat different perspective. He's shown how pilot, crew and passengers go about their respective roles and how the various parts of planes work in detailed cross sections. Among the ten are the Red Baron's Fokker triplane, the Harrier VTOL, and the supersonic Concorde. A glossary and illustrated aircraft timeline of thirty planes from the 1903 Wright Flyer to the 1980s Stealth Fighter wrap up this eye-opening book with introductory remarks and annotations by Michael Johnstone.

School Library Journal

Gr 3 Up-Two books that let young readers explore the inside of planes and ships by means of colorful cross-sections. Ten ships are presented, each in a two-page spread (except for the USS Lexington, which gets four) that contains on average six sentences of facts and a box entitled ``Technical Data,'' which lists length, beam, and other details. Children will probably be more interested in the clear, detailed, well-labeled drawings. They are not strictly cross-sections, however; some ships are sliced laterally. The goal is to let readers see inside them. The presentation begins with a trireme and concludes with a British Royal National lifeboat. Planes follows the same format. A Fokker Triplane and the world's first airliner, the graceful Handley Page, are included along with the Boeing 314 seaplane, a Spitfire, the famed Flying Fortress (B17), and five more appealing aircraft. While the drawings are interesting and clear in both titles, they are not of the caliber of Stephen Biesty's books (Dorling Kindersley).-Don Reaber, Meadowdale High School, Lynnwood, WA