Around 8:30 A.M., on April 6, 1924, three airplanes floating on the calm water of Lake Washington in Seattle taxied away from their moorings, revved their engines, and climbed steadily into the cold, gray sky.
Do you enjoy reading nonfiction? I do. Especially nonfiction written for young people. At 96 pages, this one is quite accessible, and yet it is packed with information, photographs, and illustrations such as maps and newspaper clippings. This is the first book I've read on the subject--I'd never really thought about who was first to fly around the world-- and it served as a great introduction to the subject.
The year is 1924. Several countries including the United States are trying to be the first to fly around the world. (Other countries making an attempt that year, or planning to make an attempt that year, include Great Britain, France, Portugal, Italy, and Argentina.) Which country will be the FIRST and get all the glory? Instead of sending one plane to make an attempt, there will be FOUR planes carrying eight men. Each plane is named after an American city: Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, and Seattle. The flight is chronicled step by step. Readers learn about the men making the trip, the troubles they encountered along the way, the places they stopped, etc. The book does a good job in providing context: what was the world like in 1924? flying was certainly still a novelty, for example, and it wasn't always easy to find places to land and all the supplies one would need. So planning was essential, and unexpected challenges were problematic!
I would recommend this one.
© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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