Lighter Than Air: Sophie Blanchard, the First Woman Pilot (Candlewick Biographies)

Gr 1-4—Ever since her youth, Sophie Blanchard (1778-1819) dreamed of flying. After she met and married her husband, the famous balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard, she was able to fulfill this dream. Her daring knew no bounds. Blanchard flew solo over the Alps and became a legend at Napoleon's court. The work ends with her gazing from her balloon at a beach from her childhood and reflecting on her cultural impact: "Now, she realized, she had lifted the spirits of thousands along with her." This amazing tale of the first female pilot is illustrated in ink and watercolor, with the changing sky becoming a character itself. VERDICT A story that needs to be shared. Pair this with Louise Borden and Mary Kay Kroeger's Fly High!: The Story of Bessie Coleman to demonstrate that girls can reach their dreams.—Paula Huddy, The Blake School-Highcroft Campus, Wayzata, MN

Writing with dry humor and keen attention to detail, Smith (Small Wonders) recounts the story of Sophie Blanchard, whose childhood dreams of flight came to fruition after she grew up and married showman Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a famous balloonist. Tavares (Crossing Niagara) smartly matches the story's emotional highs and lows to a palette of bright lemon yellows, reflecting Sophie's midflight joy, and stormy grays and blues that underscore the danger of the ascents (Jean-Pierre fell from a balloon during one flight, sustaining injuries he eventually died from). Smith and Tavares emphasize Sophie's determination to achieve her dreams; in a closing spread, she soars over a crowd and gazes across a sunlit ocean, a symbolic reflection of not only her successes but those of all trailblazing women who tested convention. Ages 6-9. Illustrator's agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Mar.)