The Center of Cartoon Studies, producer of the critically lauded graphic biographies of Harry Houdini, Satchel Paige and Henry David Thoreau, adheres to the same winning formula with this charmer about famed aviator Amelia Earhart. Readers meet the fictionalized Grace Goodland, a young Newfoundland girl striving to be a reporter, who finds herself enamored with the nonconformist Earhart and tells the story from her earnest viewpoint. Grace keeps a keen eye on Earhart as she and her pilot face daily struggles to depart from the treacherous harbor for their 1928 Atlantic crossing. When Earhart finally completes her transatlantic voyage, she telegrams Grace, giving the girl her first real “scoop.” Following a similar format as its predecessors, this volume contains panel notes at its conclusion, adding deeper layers of history to the already rich narrative. An introduction from astronaut Eileen Collins also adds to the title’s charisma. Coupled with the rich prose, Towle’s detailed art truly makes this stellar book a visual feast. Like Earhart herself, this book ought to soar exuberantly into the hearts of its readers. (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)
