FRIENDLY FLIERS

Vehicle-loving author Coyle turns his attention skyward in this guide to flying conveyances.

Following the format of previous volumes in the Finn’s Fun Trucks series, a racially diverse crew, apparently three men and two women in this case, presents five different types of aircraft and explains the features and uses of each. Featured types of transport are a jumbo jet, glider, seaplane, helicopter, and “spaceplane” (space shuttle). Each vehicle is named by its pilot via dialogue balloon on verso and illustrated on the facing page, with three key features identified. That page then folds open to show the craft in action: “A helicopter can fly straight up and down. / This makes flying possible when there isn’t enough room for a plane to take off or land.” The book concludes with the five pilots asking, “Can you guess all the places our crew can fly?” The facing picture of all five vehicles folds open to show them all at work, with the answer: “EVERYWHERE!” The crew is depicted in a pleasantly cartoonish form, and the aircraft are rendered realistically, with appropriate detail. The foldout pages invite children’s participation and should help to keep even the squirmiest young readers engaged. The simultaneously published Space Squad volume encourages children to look even further upward and outward.

An informative book that should fire young imaginations and foster an interest in the ways we take to the skies.