Module 3: The Glorious Flight

Summary: The historical recount of Louis Bleriot's aeronautical achievements. The story follows Louis Bleriot's several attempts with different experimental aircraft and ends with the first successful flight over the English Channel.

Citation: Provensen, A., Provensen, M., & Viking Press. (1983). The glorious flight: Across the Channel with Louis Blériot, July 25, 1909. New York: Viking Press.

Impression: I love learning about other nations that experimented with flight. Often times we learn about the infamous Wright Brothers but we don't hear about the other aeronauts from around the world. This is a wonderful book for children who want to learn about the origins of flight as well as historical biographies.

Review:

Alice and Martin Provensen (The Horn Book Magazine)
The Provensens' sublime picture book (winner of the 1984 Caldecott Medal) about French aviation pioneer Bleriot, the first man to fly across the English Channel, is once again available in hardcover. With breathtaking perspectives, gorgeous colors, engaging characters, and a tres droll text, the book not only transports readers to turn-of-the-twentieth-century France but also conveys the experience of flight with immediacy.
Provensen, A. & Provensen, M. (2010, November/December) [Review of the book The glorious flight by A. & M. Provensen] The Horn Book Magazine, 86.6, 126.

Uses:  This book could be used at an elementary school to inspire students about experimentation and creativity. It could be read before a science fair or used to teach about aviation history.