The Story of Flight: from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum [Paperback]

Judith Rinard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 7, 2002 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

The dream of being able to fly is as old as human history. This book, based on the outstanding collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C., tells the story of the remarkable people -- dreamers, inventors, and pilots -- who turned that dream into a reality.

Richly illustrated with photographs and illustrations The Story of Flight takes you on an exciting journey through time. Here you'll read about the development of ballooning; the earliest gliders; the Wright brothers' first sustained flights; Charles Lindbergh's solo trip across the Atlantic; Amelia Earhart's courageous flights; the explosion of the airship Hindenburg; the dogfights of World Wars I and II; Chuck Yeager's blast through the sound barrier; the Apollo astronauts' first steps on the moon and the building of the International Space Station.

More than 150 photographs and drawings, most in full color, illustrate and explain the amazing developments in the story of flight.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For older readers, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum offers The Story of Flight by Judith Rinard, an adaptation of her Book of Flight, which was geared to an older audience. This history of aviation covers the Montgolfier brothers' hot air balloon, which floated above Paris for 20 minutes in 1783, through to the space shuttle and beyond. More than 150 color and b&w images, arranged in an appropriately airy design, illustrate the proceedings.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-A concise and accurate overview. Prepared with the support of the staff of the National Air and Space Museum, this volume touches on almost every major aspect of flight. The SR-71 Blackbird featured on the cover is only the beginning of the attractive illustrations that are included. Each chapter presents a large, full-color or archival photo surrounded by four or five smaller pictures. The well-written text, filled with basic information about each topic, occupies about 20 percent of each spread. The captions for the smaller illustrations are full of additional information. Rinard covers the subject from European balloons of the 1780s to the Wright brothers, spy planes, helicopters, space flights to the Moon and the International Space Station, and possible manned flights to Mars. Most of this material can be found in other sources, but not in one attractive, concise volume that also doubles as a brief tour of the Air and Space Museum itself.
Eldon Younce, Harper Elementary School, KS
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (September 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552976947
• ISBN-13: 978-1552976944
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,554,409 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Exellent Resource, October 30, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Story of Flight: from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (Paperback)

This book provides younger students with information in smaller bits than other books I have seen. The many pictures are wonderful, and the variety in aviation related topics is exellent.