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Sky Sailors

True Stories of the Balloon Era
by David L. Bristow
Sky Sailors: True Stories of the Balloon Era by David L. Bristow Intermediate, Middle School Farrar 136 pp. 9/10 978-0-374-37014-5 $18.99
COPY ISBN
The skies were explored solely by various balloonists from the very first flight in 1783 until the advent of the airplane in the early twentieth century. Bristow has collected nine of the more interesting stories about the balloon era: children who inadvertently went aloft, a female daredevil, and men who flew too high, to name a few. The stories, divided by subheadings, are presented in chronological order (occasionally building on one another) and written in an anecdotal fashion with lots of dialogue and an emphasis on the strange, the dangerous, and the exciting. Illustrations, in both color and black and white, and captions complement the text. Notes and bibliography are appended. JONATHAN HUNT
Gr 4—7—With equal parts adventure and science, Bristow chronicles the invention and development of the hot-air balloon, from initial attempts in France in 1783 that were viewed with suspicion and fear, through the very early 20th century when people were using balloons to execute daring feats to entertain crowds. The writing is crisp and lively, and readers will be easily drawn into the stories of these early risk-takers. Vivid detail, imaginative storytelling, and artwork from the period all make for a compelling account of a bygone time. Thorough source notes, an extensive bibliography, and further-reading lists are included.—Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA
The skies were explored by various balloonists from the first flight in 1783 until the advent of the airplane. Bristow has collected nine stories about the balloon era, written in an anecdotal fashion with lots of dialogue and an emphasis on the strange, the dangerous, and the exciting. Captioned illustrations, in both color and black and white, complement the text. Bib.
Reviewed by Jody Kopple , Jan 01, 2011

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