Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine
On November 19, 1916, at 8:25 a.m., Ruth Law took off on a flight that aviation experts thought was doomed. She set off to fly nonstop from Chicago to New York City. Sitting at the controls of her small bi-plane, exposed to the elements, Law battled fierce winds and numbing cold. When her engine ran out of fuel, she glided for two miles and landed at Hornell, New York. Even though she fell short of her goal, she had broken the existing cross-country distance record. And with her plane refueled, she got back in the air and headed for New York City where crowds waited to greet her. In this well-researched, action-packed picture book, Heather Lang and Raúl Colón recreate a thrilling moment in aviation history. Includes an afterword with archival photographs.
Age Range: 5 – 8 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 3
Why we LOVE this book
- Fascinating story
- Captivating illustrations
- Empowers young children to follow their dreams
- Great read a loud book
About the Author
Heather Lang loves to research and write about real women who overcame extraordinary obstacles and never gave up on their dreams. Her picture book biographies include, Queen of the Track: Alice Coachman, Olympic High-Jump Champion (Boyds Mills Press, 2012), The Original Cowgirl: The Wild Adventures of Lucille Mulhall (Albert Whitman, 2015), and Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine (Calkins Creek, 2016). Heather also writes web articles for the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance. When she is not writing, she loves to go on adventures with her husband and four children. Visit Heather at www.heatherlangbooks.com.
Ben Franklin’s Big Splash: The Mostly True Story of His First Invention
Every inventor has to start somewhere, and one of the greatest innovators in our history was no exception. Ben Franklin developed his first invention while doing what he loved best: swimming! Ben’s Big Splash is the story of Franklin’s first invention, his journey through the scientific method, and the surprising successes that result when you’re willing to make mistakes. Barb Rosenstock’s rhythmic, whimsical style is the perfect complement to S. D. Schindler’s pen and ink and watercolor illustrations. Together they recreate history in an engaging and unique way. Both author and illustrator worked closely with Franklin experts, and the book includes Franklin quotes, an extensive author’s note, timeline, and bibliography.
Age Range: 8 and up
Grade Level: 3 and up