Amelia Earhart (The First Names Series)

by Andrew Prentice, Mike Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

See how Amelia Earhart went from a little Kansas tomboy to a high-flying feminist icon

Before Amelia Earhart (1897–1939) became a world-famous pilot, she was a little tomboy from Kansas with a taste for adventure. When she visited an airfield and took a short plane ride, she knew she had to be a pilot. She signed up for flying lessons and cropped her hair short so that the other pilots would take her seriously. She became the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. With each flight she took and each record she broke, Amelia became more and more of a celebrity. Her final flight was intended to be a trip around the whole world, but her plane disappeared after takeoff—and her disappearance is still a mystery today. Inspirational, highly illustrated, and full of adventure, Amelia Earhart tells the story of the feminist icon who changed the world of aviation. It includes a timeline, glossary, and index.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419737411
Publisher:	Abrams Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	08/13/2019
Series:	Abrams First Names Series
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	1,114,170
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.75(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Andrew Prentice is the author of a number of children’s books. He lives in England with his wife, three daughters, and dog. Mike Smith is the author and illustrator of a number of children’s books and the winner of the Macmillan Prize for children’s book illustration. He lives in Cambridge, England.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Amelia Arrives 5

2 Amelia Gets a Chance 15

3 Amelia Takes to the Sky 26

4 Amelia Earns Her Wings 35

5 Amelia Takes the Plunge 48

6 Amelia Finds Fame 66

7 Amelia Goes Solo 87

8 Amelia Soars Even Higher 96

9 Amelia Flies the World 109

10 Amelia's Final Flight 121

Timeline 136

Glossary 144

Notes 147

Select Bibliography? 148

Index 149

Editorial Reviews

08/01/2019

Gr 3–7—This series presents a lighthearted and easy look at some of the world's most famous celebrities. The informal tone and accompanying cartoon illustrations give these texts the feel of biographies that can be read for pleasure, while the level of detail ensures that the information is accurate. The first two books are written in a narrative style, and because the text is broken up with frequent illustrations, they do not come off as intimidating, textbook-heavy reads. The writing is also supported with time lines, glossaries, and bibliographies in the back, should readers want further information. The main weakness of the series is the lack of primary source material. Because there are no photographs or portraits, the stories come off as a little disingenuous. Nonfiction books can be especially impactful when they are accompanied with beautiful, full-color pictures, letters, and maps. Since these books have only cartoons, readers may feel disconnected from the real historical figures and the times in which they lived. The illustrations may prove to be comforting for fiction readers who enjoy diary style series like Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and Rachel Renée Russell's "Dork Diaries." VERDICT While telling interesting stories, these books could be better supported with higher quality, varied visuals. The reading experience would be enhanced with photographic depictions of the people being described, instead of exclusively using exaggerated caricature.—Sara Kundrik, Gilbert Paterson Middle School, Alta.

School Library Journal

**STARRED REVIEW**
"In line with the series premise and overall informal tone, the author refers to him throughout as "Harry" (his stage name). Andrew Prentice does likewise for his free-spirited subject in the co-published Amelia Earhart (illustrated by Mike Smith), taking "Amelia" (or, in childhood chapters, "Millie") from homemade backyard roller coaster to final disappearance . . . Together with its companion, stimulating portraits of two colorful, driven historical figures."—Kirkus Reviews

"A lighthearted and easy look at some of the world’s most famous celebrities . . . The illustrations may prove to be comforting for fiction readers who enjoy diary style series like Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Rachel Renée Russell’s Dork Diaries."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

Sound effects and Elizabeth Cottle’s enthusiastic narration bring Amelia Earhart’s daring adventures to life—from her tomboyish childhood in Kansas to her worldwide fame as an aviatrix. Whether she is sledding down a snowy hill at top speed or flying above the clouds in a biplane, each episode vividly captures the thrilling excitement that Amelia thrived on. Cottle’s voice reflects the informal, lighthearted tone of the narrative, and she gives Amelia an air of cool confidence. Listeners can hear Amelia’s frustration at the limits placed on girls, her determination to succeed, and her awed wonder at flying. With such an immersive and absorbing audio production, listeners won’t miss the illustrations in the printed edition. S.C. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2019 - AudioFile