Born to Fly
The First Women's Air Race Across America
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
From New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Honor recipient Steve Sheinkin, Born to Fly: The First Women's Air Race Across America is the gripping true story of the fearless women pilots who aimed for the skies—and beyond.
Featuring illustrations by Bijou Karman.
Just nine years after American women finally got the right to vote, a group of trailblazers soared to new heights in the 1929 Air Derby, the first women's air race across the U.S. Follow the incredible lives of legend Amelia Earhart, who has captivated generations; Marvel Crosson, who built a plane before she even learned how to fly; Louise Thaden, who shattered jaw-dropping altitude records; and Elinor Smith, who at age seventeen made headlines when she flew under the Brooklyn Bridge.
These awe-inspiring stories culminate in a suspenseful, nail-biting race across the country that brings to life the glory and grit of the dangerous and thrilling early days of flying. From Steve Sheinkin, the master of nonfiction for young readers who expertly unraveled the infamous story of whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and the impeachment of Richard Nixon, comes the untold story of fearless women who dared to fly.
This title has common core connections.
A 2020 ALSC Notable Children's Book
Also by Steve Sheinkin:
Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon
The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery
Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War
The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights
Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team
Which Way to the Wild West?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About Westward Expansion
King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution
Two Miserable Presidents: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the Civil War
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this riveting account, Newbery Honor author Sheinkin (Bomb) introduces 20 American pilots who flew in the 1929 Women's Air Derby, from Santa Monica, Calif., to Cleveland, Ohio. How the women deftly handled weather, accidents, fires, exhaustion, and far too many chicken dinner banquets are among the accounts. Even threats of sabotage, scorn from the media, and sexual discrimination failed to dissuade the determined flyers from crossing the finish line. Pilot Marvel Crosson,who lost her life in the race, wrote that she had given her all to proving that "women are the best pilots in the world." Later forming the first organization of women pilots, playing important roles in WWII, and setting speed and endurance records, these pioneering aviators also inspired future pilots, including astronauts Sally Ride and Linda Godwin. Historical photos and Karman's realistic drawings bring to life famous women, such as Amelia Earheart, along with lesser-known flyers. With immediacy and vivid detail, Sheinken's thoroughly researched account of these daring women will capture the imagination of contemporary readers. Ages 10 14.
