Take Off!

Children's Literature - Children's Literature

Zoom, Vroom! Here's a spirited nonfiction book that tells young readers how people got off the ground and just how far flight has brought them to date. Busy airports, the sound of jets buzzing over home or school, and airline trips to faraway vacation spots are commonplace experiences for many of today's children. But, it's been barely a hundred years since the Wright Brothers achieved controlled, manned flight. This well-designed hardcover book traces the development of airplanes over the past century in easy-to-understand steps of technical development. The text also gives an overview of the role airplanes play in our everyday lives (such as delivering packages, mail and passengers all around the globe) and how pilots navigate safely in busy skyways. The text is amply illustrated with detailed, full color paintings of all kinds of aircraft and helpful diagrams. Even the sky-blue end papers are decorated with labeled renderings of vintage and modern airplanes. "Ryan Ann Hunter" is the pen name of Pamela D. Greenwood and Elizabeth G. Macalaster, who have written many fine books, both individually and together. 2000, Holiday House, Ages 6 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-This informational picture book opens to sky-blue endpapers covered with more than 25 labeled airplanes of different eras. In several short sentences per page or spread, and accompanied by clear, breezy illustrations, it gives a brief history of aeronautics with descriptions of some famous flights (no female feats are listed) and planes. The text describes planes of today, the jobs they do, how airports keep track of them, and how pilots navigate, and ends with a brief description of the Concorde and the Blackbird spy plane. The last page has step-by-step illustrated instructions for making a paper airplane. Miller's bright, appealing graphics utilize a palette of predominantly primary colors. The pictures and text are reminiscent of Gail Gibbons's easy nonfiction. An excellent choice for all collections.-Cathie Reed, The Montessori School, Lutherville, MD Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|