Author: Bill Cotter (no website found)
Publisher: Jabberwocky Kids (no website found)
Rating: WORTHY!
DISCLOSURE: Unlike the majority of reviews in this blog, I've neither bought this book nor borrowed it from the library. This is a "galley" copy ebook, supplied by Net Galley. I'm not receiving (nor will I expect to receive or accept) remuneration for this review. The chance to read a new novel is reward aplenty!
I envy writers who can illustrate. This author does a great job of conveying to young children in simple words and more complex images, the thrill of an airplane flight. It's an ideal introduction to children who are going to be traveling by air, or to any child who dreams of flying.
The story is very short and has few words, so there's not a whole heck of a lot to say about it, but the drawings are warm and engrossing, and will catch a child's eye and hold it. They show perspectives that perhaps your child hasn’t seen or noted, or thought about yet, and give a really good idea about what it’s like to fly - about what it’s like to climb higher than a chair or the upper floor of your home, or even the top of a tall building - higher even than the birds!
We not only look up through the trees (which is a image that will make a good and familiar impression), but also down, and in some interesting ways - such as looking down at the airplane's shadow on a cloud, which is an enthralling image. These pictures are colorful in some instances and rather muted in others, showing a changing view of things, just as you would experience during an airplane flight.
Finally, at the end of the flight, the people get to climb down back to the good earth, say goodbye to the airplane and head off on their various journeys. I still remember my first airplane flight and this was a fun reminder of how new and different, and exciting it all was.
