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Captain Arsenio: Inventions and (Mis)adventures in Flight

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Leonardo da Vinci has nothing on Captain Arsenio, a retired cheese maker, blacksmith, scuba diver, and ship captain turned inventor, who decided one day in 1782 to build a flying machine. Captain Arsenio was a curious man who liked to tinker and explore, and the fact that he worked with a hodgepodge of materials and was totally unaware of the laws of physics were not account to get in the way of a man who sets off to fly with the birds (in spite of himself). In this delightful book we learn about his long series of eccentric projects in this quest.

"Captain Arsenio: Inventions and (Mis)adventures in Flight" by Pablo Bernasconi purports to be based on pages from the recently discovered of Captain Manual J. Arsenio, in which were recorded his many failed attempts to create a flying machine. Of course, this is all fiction, which probably explains why it the book ends up being so much fun. Bernasconi tells Arsenio's story, starting in the 1780s with the Motocanary and the Flying Runner, then progressing to the Corkscrewpterus, Aerial Submarine, Illusion Burner, and Hamstertronic. These are six of his eighteen most influential projects that have contributed to modern aviation by virtue of teaching that most valuable of lessons, "Don't try this at home." For each of his flying machines we have the details of the project (e.g., the Motocanary involves tying sixteen canaries to a belt), including diagrams and sketches, followed by Arsenio's Flight Diary which details the specific phases of the attempt and the lessons learned (e.g., choose more obedient bird, test the design in a field without any trees, etc.).

Bernasconi's artwork consists of collaged original art and found objects, and if it does not remind you of a cross between Rube Goldberg's inventions and Terry Gilliam's animation for Monty Python, then you are a whole lot younger than I am. Young readers will be delighted by the (mis)adventures of Captain Arsenio and captivated by the various designs and Beransconi's artistic renderings of them. He even tries to answer the big question (Did Arsenio eventually succeed in flying?) and while a sequel might be possible given the other twelve designs left unexplored, I doubt we will be that lucky. The copyright page for this book appears in the back instead of the front and I think this was done so that we could better appreciate the dedication to Bernasconi's father, who taught him to fly, and his mother, who taught him to land when he was growing up in Argentina. Captain Arsenio must have been that lucky as well.

Want to make a kid laugh? Read this book together. To quote the amazing and amazingly inept (though highly persistent) Captain Arsenio, "It cannot fail!" 18th century aeronaut-wannabe, Captain Arsenio, gives us a wonderful first-hand view of his inventions and logic. Quirky art and a slapstick sense of humor with a dry, yet over the top, delivery makes for a great story that stands up well to multiple readings.

This is an entertaining book detailing the failed flying inventions of the determined but untalented Captain Arsenio. Each section outlines the theory and construction of a different invention, accompanied by a diagramatic "flight diary" showing the (usually catastrophic) results. The humerous visuals and commentary are immediately appealling, but it is the dogged optimism and courage of the character of Captain Arsenio that will keep you returning for another read.

Of the dozens and dozens of children's books in my collection, this one is on my top 5 list. Hilarious. Truly imaginative illustration work. The kids love it. As do I.