Aviation: Reaching for the Sky

Gr 5-8?A well-written and thoroughly documented history of aviation. The introduction covers the first several centuries of humankind's desire to fly. Berliner then devotes a chapter each to the Montgolfier Brothers and the hot-air balloon; Henri Giffard and the dirigible; Otto Lilienthal and the glider; Samuel P. Langley and the Aerodrome; the Wright Brothers and the airplane; Glenn Curtiss and the seaplane; and Igor Sikorsky and the helicopter. The text is liberally illustrated with lithographs and black-and-white archival photos. Wide margins allow space for definitions and captions. The interesting and informative text is followed by a five-page listing of important events in aviation history, a thorough glossary, and an extensive bibliography. Other titles may cover one or more of the above aviators, but few, if any, are as complete as this one.?Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS