Plane Song (A Trophy picture book) [Paperback]

Diane Siebert (Author), Vincent Nasta (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 1995 | Series: A Trophy picture book

The sky's the limit as all kinds of airplanes zoom across the heavens. From jumbo jets and spy planes to bombers and fire-fighting planes, each flying machine is controlled by a pilot with a special mission to compltet. Get ready for takeoff!

1994 Teachers' Choices (IRA)
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 1994 (NSTA/CBC)
A Reading Rainbow Selection

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

PW expressed reservations about Siebert's poem but praised Nasta's "dramatic, meticulously researched oil paintings, almost photographic in their sweeping views of cloud-filled skies and verdant countrysides." Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-- As in Train Song (1990) and Truck Song (1984, both HarperCollins), Siebert has produced an excellent descriptive poem about a mode of transportation, this time about "birds that human hands have built." Using words that rise and fall in the rhythm of flight, the poet conjures up images of different aircraft. Nasta's stunning illustrations realize these images beautifully in oil paintings of planes soaring through the clouds, highlighted against the changing colors of the sky. For anyone fascinated with flight, this will be a book to treasure; read it aloud to savor it best. Siebert and Nasta have captured well the feelings of exhilaration and excitement that lure humankind to the skies.
- Judy Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library , LA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperTrophy (May 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064433676
• ISBN-13: 978-0064433679
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,366,612 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Transportation > Aviation > General

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Uniquely Enchanting, August 13, 2004

By 

Allison (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Plane Song (Hardcover)

If you have a budding airplane lover, or simply a toddler or preschooler who loves bright illustrations and a lilting rhyme, you can't go wrong with this book. I have seen many books about airplanes because my 3 1/2 year old seek out everything we can find on the subject. This book is exceptional.

The illustrator is a liscensed pilot and does an excellent job of capturing the magic of airplanes in flight. The style is realistic, but not photographic. There is a delightful variety of colors, perspectives, and lighting, and the intricate detail in some of the illustrations invites you to take a good long "drink" with your eyes.

What knocked me over with this book, however, is the fantastic poetry. This is no amateurish rhyme. The words flow easily off your tongue as you read aloud to your child. The text is arranged on the page without punctuation (no capitalization either except for the words Mach and Navy), which adds to the readability and the artistry of the page. Each page is devoted to a particular type of plane, although they are described by what they do, rather than by their specific names (e.g. "sly planes, spy planes" on the page showing a SR-71 Blackbird).

The information that has been unobtrusively incorporated into the rhyme avoids simple classification of airplanes by name. In fact the names of the planes aren't part of the text. Instead, the focus is on what different planes do and all the different places you will find them. This isn't done in a dumbed down way. My son already knows the names of many of the planes illustrated and delights in identifying them. We didn't need another catalog of planes, so this book fills an empty niche in our library.

This book is unique among those I've seen so far in that it beautifully introduces youngsters to airplanes and draws them into the magic of flight while satisfying "veteran" plane loving kids with references to what they already know. I can't say enough about it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Plane Song Soars!, April 4, 2000

By 

Candie Moonshower "Candie Moonshower" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Plane Song (A Trophy picture book) (Paperback)

After having enjoyed sharing Train Song, by Diane Siebert, with both my toddler and my husband, I looked forward to reading Plane Song. Siebert delivers again with Plane Song! Words take flight in fanciful form, illustrating through language the poetry of planes in flight. The beautiful paintings by Vincent Nasta stir the imagination of readers young and old. Because of the perspective of each painting, the reader feels as if they are flying, too. From jet planes to bombers, fire-fighters to bush planes, crop dusters to "rag bags," the lyrical sound of Siebert's words read aloud invites readers to "spread their wings in flight." Plane Song is an excellent choice for young readers or plane fanciers.

5.0 out of 5 stars Planes, August 20, 2011

By 

V. Penna - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Plane Song (Hardcover)

Vincent Nasta was my art teacher in highschool. He was kind, smart, talented and very funny. I am a successful artist today because of the encouragement he have me in highschool, as well as the practical painting and photoshop skills he taught. In 2008 he died while flying a plane in an airshow [...]. I purchased this book after returning home from his wake, and when it arrived, I held it to my chest while crying uncontrollably for several hours. I liked to do this a few times a day for the entire mourning period. The shape of the book and its relative thinness made hugging it very easy, but unfortunatly I have barely gotten to enjoy the artwork as I haven't wanted to ruin the pages with the tears of an infinite sadness, since they are amazing paintings of planes.