My Brothers' Flying Machine: Wilbur, Orville, and Me [Hardcover]

Jane Yolen (Author), Jim Burke (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: 1 and up

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers' flight, this story is told from the point of view of their sister, Katherine, who watched her brothers play with a toy flying machine, which was the beginning of their remarkable collaboration. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4-There were the Wright brothers. In point of fact, there were two of them older than the famous pair, and one in between who died along with his twin sister in infancy. And there was a little sister, the last child in the family, Katharine, born three years after Orville. It is from her perspective that Yolen writes, and she includes the important facts and events of the brothers' achievement in flight along with incidentals that provide a window into Wright family life. The text is arranged vertically on one page, suggestive of free verse in its irregular rhythms, and faces an illustration. In an author's note, Yolen credits several biographers along with numerous letters and diary entries for documentation of incidents and conversations. Katharine Wright seems a little like a child in voice, although she was 29 years old in 1903, the year of the historic flight. Her words here can only be adult reminiscences. Burke's paintings are chock-full of realistic and well-researched detail. The newspaper masthead, "West Side News," is clearly visible in the scene showing the Wrights' printing business. And, although there is no mention of the family love of music in the text, Orv's mandolin is propped up on a couch near books whose spines contain the names Lilienthal and Chanute (contemporary flight engineers and experimenters). This book would be useful in combination with straightforward accounts to flesh out a more complete and convincing picture of these personalities. In this centennial year, the voice of another Wright sibling is welcome.
Harriett Fargnoli, Great Neck Library, NY
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 3-5, somewhat younger for reading aloud. Katherine Wright, three years younger than Orville, tells the story of her brothers' fascination with flight. She details the toy flying machine they played with in childhood, the years of building bicycles, and Orville and Wilber's experimentation with manned flight, and builds to her first flight in the world-famous Kitty Hawk. Told in free verse, the narrative focuses on Will and Orv and their achievements, but underlying all that is Yolen's quiet appreciation of the woman who believed in their dream and minded their house and even their shop while they worked toward achieving it. Says Katherine, "I kept the store. Will and Orv kept the sky." In similarly understated fashion, Burke's beautifully composed, full-page illustrations suit the tone of the text with their quiet dignity. The appended author's note refers to printed and archival sources for the incidents and quotations in the books. Though the phrase "the Wright brothers" has a ring of familiarity, in the future readers may want to amend it to "the Wright siblings," giving Katherine some well-deserved credit for her part in her brothers' efforts. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316971596
• ISBN-13: 978-0316971591
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 0.3 x 12.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #622,840 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother. Active in several organizations, Yolen has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that "throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration--folk culture." Folklore is the "perfect second skin," writes Yolen. "From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world." Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts. All of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. She has earned many awards over the years: the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society's Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy's Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children's Book Award, the Daedalus Award, a number of Parents' Choice Magazine Awards, and many more. Her books and stories have been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille. With a versatility that has led her to be called "America's Hans Christian Andersen," Yolen, the child of two writers, is a gifted and natural storyteller. Perhaps the best explanation for her outstanding accomplishments comes from Jane Yolen herself: "I don't care whether the story is real or fantastical. I tell the story that needs to be told."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, April 14, 2003

By 

Laura Fitzgibbons (Fairway, Kansas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Brothers' Flying Machine: Wilbur, Orville, and Me (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book! The perspective of this story
from Orville & Wilbur's little sister, Katherine, is
unique and charming. The book reads really well out
loud for all ages, and should be a perfect read-by-myself
book for a 3rd,4th or 5th grade reader. And the
beautiful illustrations, by Jim Burke, set a perfect tone and feel throughout the book. I highly recommend this one!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Brothers' Flying Machine, April 10, 2003

By 

Annette Boucher (Manchester, NH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Brothers' Flying Machine: Wilbur, Orville, and Me (Hardcover)

Jane Yolen is again at her best. She has a delightful way of portraying the Wright Brothers' sibling, Katharine as a strong female character in a usually male-dominated milieu. The reader immediately connects with this protagonist and feels pride in the role Katharine plays in her brothers' history-making event.
After seeing illustrator Jim Burke's breathtaking illustrations in his first book for young people: POETRY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE - WALT WHITMAN, I was delighted to see his work appear side by side with the great Jane Yolen. Burke has captured emotions brilliantly. His attention to detail serves to transport the reader vicariously to Katharine's neighborhood of 100 years ago. A truly budding genius.

5.0 out of 5 stars "When the world speaks of the Wrights, it must include our sister", January 4, 2010

By 

Z Hayes (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: My Brothers' Flying Machine: Wilbur, Orville, and Me (Hardcover)

Such were the words of Orville Wright, the other half of the famous Wright brothers. This book is unique because it is told from the perspective of Katharine Wright, younger sister to both Orville and Wilbur, and it turns out Katharine was quite essential in the Wright brother's success. She provided moral support, managed household chores whilst the brothers toiled at their various inventions, and ran their bicycle store whilst the brothers were trying out their flying machine at Kitty Hawk. This book is a wonderful tribute to an unsung hero - the devoted sister who worked behind the scenes, providing unwavering support to her brilliant brothers.

The story of the Wright brothers from Katharine's perspective is lyrically captured by author Jane Yolen in verse. The illustrations are by talented artist Jim Burke, and the paintings are beautifully rendered. The author also explains (at the end) how her work reflects actual research on the subject. It makes for an interesting and enlightening read, and it is also inspiring because it has a strong female role model in the form of Katharine Wright. In a field (aviation) where the most notable female is Amelia Earhart, this makes for a refreshing read. Recommended for ages 4-8.