The Boy Who Could Fly Without a Motor

Concise, and a bit simple. Good for that awkward age in between baby books with pictures, like Magic Tree House, and big kid books like Gregor the Overlander. Still, it is thought-provoking, and I know I would have loved it when I was 8.

What is a child to do when he's so lonely & frustrated that, when faced with a unique opportunity, he can't think clearly about the consequences of his actions? Jon is a typically short-sighted but brave little boy, and the glimpses we get of adults reveal some fun characteristics that we have to admit we can recognize in ourselves.

This is a quick read about a lonely young boy who lives on an island with his father who is the lighthouse keeper, and his mother.

Craving adventure, he discovers a Chinese man who hailed from the 1800's. Giving the boy the power to float, and then fly, enabled the boy to feel powerful and less lonely.

When he failed to listen to the warnings of what could happen, he discovered the consequences of flying were too dangerous.

Lacking depth, this is a book for a young juvenile reader.

Summary: In 1935, living at a lighthouse near San Francisco, a lonely nine-year-old boy inadvertently summons a magician who teaches him the secret of flying. He promises the Chinese magician that he would never reveal his new-found flying power. However, the boy's neighbors discover that he can fly, what remains is a story of the boy's attempts to disguise and rid-himself of his power.

Personal reaction: This is a rather juvenile book that easily depicts a typical child's lack of foresight regarding consequences. However, if I were to have a kid, this would be a go-to for the 6-9 year range of reading. Distinctly portrays life-lessons of decision-making, associated consequences, and accountability for one's own actions.

Classroom show more extension: In a classroom setting, such a book would serve as a perfect bridge for students to critically think about the positive effects of apologies and forgiveness. This book could also portray alternatives to boredom, rather than getting into trouble, how could I better use my time...? show less

This book is about a boy living in California with his parents and his dog name Smack. The boy who's name is Jonathan was very lonely because there was no more children on the coast in which he lived. His father was the lighthouse keeper and all that Jonathan did was watched through the telescope. Jon tries to learn telepathy. Jon meets up with a old Chinese man that he convinces to teach him how to levitate, but he makes a promise not to tell anyone. The promise didn't last because some people saw him flying. Jon broke his promise and his leviatating got out of control. He leviated when he didn't want to. He had to weigh himself down with buckets. He convinced the Chinese man to help him get rid of the what now seemed to be a curse and show more the man did by telling him to think. The boy no longer flew and went back to his life with his only friend Smack. I enjoyed the book and think that children would like it to. It took me a couple of chapters to get a true understanding of what was happening. show less