Module 11: Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic

Book Summary: 

Robert Burleigh has captured Amelia Earhart's first solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932. She was only the second person to do this – and the first woman. The book is very detailed, and the feelings and emotions that are brought to life through text and illustrations are profound. The vivid and detailed illustrations help the reader be connected with Earhart as she battles the elements and her own physical needs as she makes this dramatic journey alone. 

APA Reference:

Burleigh, R. (2011). Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Impressions:

The illustrations and the text make this book action packed and full of adventure.  My heart was racing as she was flying through the storm and getting so close to the Atlantic's surface. I can't imagine flying solo and not having any means of communication.  That would scare the me to death. There is an illustration that I loved and you can see her profile  in the plane and there is a look of fatigue, fear and doubt, but she continued on to meet her goal. It was amazing to read and to know that she was such a pioneer in the world of flight and for women.  She did amazing things and never gave up because someone told her she could not accomplish a task.

Professional Review:

A worthy new addition to the recent spate of books about the famous aviatrix, Burleigh’s story concentrates on Earhart’s 1932 solo flight from Newfoundland to Ireland, placing compelling poetic emphasis on her single-hearted struggle. “Why? Because ‘women must try to do things as men have tried,’” writes Burleigh, quoting Earhart. Terse two-sentence stanzas tell a story focused upon the flight’s trials: a sudden storm (“the sky unlocks”), ice buildup on the plane’s wings, a precipitous plunge toward the Atlantic’s frothing surface, and a cracked exhaust pipe (“The friendly night becomes a graph of fear”). The loneliness of the effort is finally relieved over a farmer’s field, where Amelia lands and says, “Hi, I’ve come from America.” Minor’s illustrations maintain tension by alternating between cockpit close-ups and wide views of the plane crossing the foreboding ocean. Predominant reds and blues convey the pure excitement of the nail-biting journey. An afterword, along with Internet resources, a bibliography, and a column of Earhart quotes, increases the book’s value for curious children who might want more. Finally, Minor’s endpapers, with a well-drawn map and mechanical illustration of the plane Earhart called the “little red bus,” also work to inspire further learning.

Cruze, K. (2011). Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic. Booklist, 107(11), 69.

Library Uses:

This book could be used to teach how to use an atlas and chart her flight path.  It could also be used for a display of famous and heroic females in history.