This gorgeous book presents a lyrical account of Amelia Earhart’s 1932 solo transatlantic flight, taking readers from the runway at Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, at 7:12 p.m., through an initially calm and eventually harrowing flight in which weather and equipment failure almost condemn Amelia’s small craft to the dark waters of the Atlantic, to daybreak and a safe landing in a pasture in Ireland. Burleigh’s skillful poetic language offers a gripping account that allows readers to connect with both the risk and reward of Amelia’s journey. For example: “1:00 a.m. The friendly night becomes a graph of fear: / a jagged line between where-I-am and not-quite-sure. / The altimeter needle swirls wildly. It is broken! / (She will never know how high she is).” Minor’s gouache-and-watercolor illustrations, richly textured and realistic, contribute greatly to the overall power and emotional impact of the story. An afterword provides a brief account of Earhart’s life, giving some necessary context to the episode dramatized in the main text. (technical note, bibliography, selected quotes) (Picture book/biography. 5-10)
