George Guzzi

Did you know that two brothers flew the first airplane in 1903? Wilbur and Orville Wright flew their airplane for twelve seconds. The Wright Flyer only traveled one hundred twenty feet, but it was the realization of man’s dream to fly.

Learn about propeller planes like passenger planes and crop dusters as well as the flying boat and light planes. Explore the world of helicopters; see how they are different from airplanes and what kinds of jobs they can do. Discover jet planes, supersonic show more jets, mail jets, and executive jets. See military planes such as jet fighters and huge cargo jets. Learn about AWACS, stealth jets, and VTOL. Then look to the stars and learn about the first reusable spacecraft, the space shuttle.

From the first flight of the Wright Flyer to the Space Shuttle, this Reading Railroad book brings the wonder of flight to young readers. Colorful illustrations accompany the text.

Although the stated target audience is preschool through third grade, ages three through eight, the book seems more appropriate for elementary-grade readers.

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This simple book describes a variety of aircraft with a paragraph or two each that tell why each kind is special and might include a bit of history. Each aircraft also has a picture. The aircraft described include planes ranging from the Wright Brother's plane to modern jets to planes used for a variety of kinds of jobs. The book also describes helicopters and the space shuttle.