To Fly: The Story of the Wright Brothers

"To Fly: The Story of the Wright Brothers" is a science lesson told as the opening chapter in the Age of Aviation. The story is about how Orville and Wilbur Wright went from flying kites to the first heavier-than-air manned flight (the book touches briefly on the initial skeptcism over their claims and their vindication five years later in France). Each chapter by Wendie Old consists of a page (maybe two) of text and an accompanying diagram, and the result is a sequential study of process by which kites became gliders and gliders became flying machines because of the Wright Brothers. The biographical elements become the backdrop for the invention of the airplane, focusing more on the unique working relationship that developed between the two brothers more than anything else. The illustrations by Robert Andrew Parker were executed in watercolor, which is appropriate to the subject matter; I was reminded, as you may be as well, of the famous drawings of DaVinci. The moral of the story is explained in the epilogue, where it was noted that the problem of making a flying machine work was not solved by scientists but by two bicycle repairmen from Dayton, Ohio. However, because of the way that Old tells the story, many young readers are going to be struck by the idea that what the Wright Brothers did is something that could have done. Ultimately, "To Fly" is not just informational, but inspirational as well.

Wendie Old introduces Orville and Wilbur Wright, two bicycle repairmen from Dayton, Ohio, who dreamed of leaving the ground behind and soaring through the sky. From experiments with kites and gliders to the first self-propelled flying machine, the Wright brothers used ingenuity and imagination to do something no scientist had ever been able to master, fly a heavier-than-air machine..... Ms Old's easy to read and engaging text traces the lives, work, disappointments, and triumphs of these two unassuming dreamers, and her simple scientific explanations of things like wind resistance, drag, and air pressure bring the mysteries of flight to life in a simple and informative way. Robert Andrew Parker's stunning and evocative pen and water-color illustrations enhance the story with drama and wit, and imaginations will soar as kids watch the brothers' ideas come to life and take off. Perfect for youngsters 7-11, To Fly is an inspiring and intriguing biography that's sure to whet the appetite of young scientists and dreamers everywhere. "Watch buzzards,/Flying kites,/Lazy, crazy boys/The Wrights. They // Tried to fly/Just like a bird/Foolish dreamers/Strange. Absurd. We // Scoffed and scorned/Their dreams of flight/But we were wrong/And they were Wright. (Beverly McLoughland)"