Commercial Aircraft Book

The first commercial flights in the 1920s were cold, expensive, and dangerous. Today, millions of people fly safely around the world each day in comfort. Realistic ...

Susan Hepler, Ph.D. - Children's Literature

"The Story of Flight" series celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first flight and presents the history of aviation. Full-color illustrations and photographs show aviation's greatest moments, famous pilots, and numerous aircraft. This entry deals with airplanes of the Cold War, defined as the period from 1945 to the early 1990s. Two-page entries on such subjects as spy flights, interceptors, and wars such as the Gulf, Vietnam, and Korean wars, search and rescue, and smart planes bring readers into the action. Numerous small pictures with accompanying text break up the pages and encourage browsing and scanning. Each volume ends with a spotters' guide showing a series of relevant planes and listing their specs, such as country of origin, description, length, wingspan, and speed that invites readers to compare planes and their usage. An index and glossary, but no Web sites, are included. This series is bound to appeal to boy readers and its format encourages less able readers to dip in, as well. 2003, Crabtree Publishing Company, Ages 9 to 14.