The Wright Brothers (Kids Can Read) - Hardcover

Elizabeth MacLeod has written many children's books, including nine titles in the Snapshots Biography series, numerous titles in the Kids Can Read, Kids Books Of and Kids Can Do It series, Why Do Horses Have Manes?, What Did Dinosaurs Eat?, and Monster Fliers. She lives in Toronto.

Grade 4-6 Although most libraries own several books on the Wright brothers, few of them can rival this one for clarity of text and variety of illustration. In topical spreads, MacLeod briefly covers the early life of these inventors and touches on their first experiments with kites and gliders, and their successes with powered flights. Though the text is not in-depth, the author is able to distill some of the problems the scientists faced into understandable terms for readers. Large-print highlighted quotes by the brothers lend a note of authority. Full-page prints of archival photos are offset with smaller pictures of the men at work, drawings made by the Wrights of early flying machines, and reproductions of related documents. An excellent time line on the lives of the Wright brothers and the history of flight is included. A solid index and list of Web sites add to the book's value. With its wealth of illustrative material, this title will especially appeal to reluctant readers and browsers. -Barbara Buckley, Rockville Centre Public Library, NY
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