This slender tale features King-Smith's (Babe, the Gallant Pig; Spider Sparrow) signature talking animals and gentle humor, but falls shy of his usual standards. Mary Bird is eight the summer she discovers that her little brother can fly. On Friday, June 20, "I looked up, and there I saw Billy--his nose, his tummy, and his toes touching the ceiling. He wasn't walking in his sleep, he was floating in it!" With the help of her guinea pig and cat (both of which can talk), Mary deduces that Billy can defy gravity only during a full moon. One August night, Billy--who has no recollection of his feats the morning after--actually makes it out his window, swooping through the night sky. So begins a series of mild adventures--including a cat burglar who gets his comeuppance when an "alien" (Billy) attacks him--until a lunar eclipse grounds Billy for good. King-Smith makes some slapstick jokes about the situation ("Goodness, how time flies," remarks their mother concerning the late hour, "And that's not the only thing that's been flying," says Mary to herself), and younger readers ready to test their wings on a short novel should find the story engaging. But the novel jumps from one of Billy's flights to the next, without much character development or description of daily life. Fans of King-Smith's more substantial fare may wish this one were a bit more meaty. Final artwork not seen by PW. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-Mary is eight and her brother is four when she discovers that he becomes weightless during the full moon. Over the months, she discusses Billy's strange new ability with her cat and her hamster, keeps it secret from her parents, and tries to keep the nighttime flights secret and safe. Billy is occasionally spotted and the local newspaper carries worrisome reports about aliens that fly and look like little boys. One month, Billy captures a cat burglar. Finally, there is a lunar eclipse and his power to fly disappears. This whimsical fantasy has a realistic approach to the impossible-from speaking animals to flying brothers. Unfortunately, since the secret is so effectively kept and Billy is such a mild child (who forgets he can fly when he wakes up in the morning), there isn't a lot of action. Still, King-Smith's fans will enjoy this gentle stepping-stone title and wish they could share the experience.
Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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