From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-From the "Stomp, stomp, tromp" of passengers' feet on the Jetway while boarding to the "Hello" of a waiting grandma at journey's end, this picture book focuses on the sounds and sights of an airplane trip. The rhythmic text briefly describes mechanical noises, such as the "Thrum" of the engines and the "Whirrrr" of moving flaps, as well as the familiar cacophony of the cabin, including the "Ding" of the seat-belt sign and the "Ker-oosh" of a flushing toilet. Unfortunately, the rhymes are sometimes awkward and strained ("The wheels bump along again/as the airplane taxis in"). Also, the concepts mentioned are not always clearly explained. For example, part of the landing process is described by a couplet that might baffle youngsters: "Reversers help the plane to slow/by changing where the thrust will go." An interesting spread at the end of the book features a broad diagram of an airplane and provides more information. The computer-generated illustrations are colorful and filled with motion, but the characters seem a bit stiff. Consider this one only if you are looking to supplement such standbys as Fred Rogers's Going on an Airplane (Putnam, 1989; o.p.).
Joy Fleishhacker, formerly at School Library JournalCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
PreS-Gr. 2. Plane trips are composed of one strange sound after another, and many young children who haven't flown before will appreciate this brief overview by a pilot that tells what happens during a plane trip and the accompanying sounds. The rhyming text is reassuring and mostly simple, although Downs includes a few technical terms that may puzzle some: "Roar! Roar!! Reversers help the plane to slow by changing where the thrust will go." Gordon's vibrant, computer-generated illustrations help expand the words into a story by showing a little boy flying with his parents; the images of the airplane at night are particularly atmospheric and striking. The last spread offers one-paragraph explanations of some other possible flight experiences, such as pain in the ears, queasiness, and possible exposure to Muzak. An effective effort that will no doubt provide comfort to young first-time flyers.
Todd MorningCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
