Flight School

by Lita Judge (Author) Lita Judge (Illustrator)

Flight School
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
Series: Flight School
A persevering penguin is determined to fly in this adorably inspiring picturebook from the creator of "Red Hat" and "Red Sled." Full color.
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$8.99

Kirkus

A small round penguin with lofty aspirations finds success of a sort in a sweet...appreciation of the resourcefulness of teachers.... Judge's edge-to-edge watercolor-and-pencil art is lively and amusing. Her various sea and shore birds...and their fledglings are just a little scruffy, and they are exaggeratedly, expressively funny in their anthropomorphic roles as teachers and students.

Publishers Weekly

Some are born to run; little Penguin believes he was "hatched to fly." That's why he's come all the way from the South Pole (via a bright red motorboat) to attend a tropical shoreline flight school run for birds by birds. "I have the soul of an eagle," he announces to the skeptical staff. Penguin soon discovers that zoology is destiny, no matter how nifty his red aviator goggles or how eager his new friends are to help get him aloft, which they manage to do, albeit momentarily, thanks to some engineering worthy of MacGyver. Up until the very final pages--in which Penguin returns to the flight school accompanied by a much larger friend whose aerodynamic potential is similarly problematic--the action has the tight comic pacing of a classic cartoon, one with heart to match Penguin's own. Judge (Red Hat), working in watercolor and pencil, takes her hero into the sun-bleached sky and into the drink (oops) with aplomb, while her finely delineated feathered cast does its endearing best to ignore the obvious. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

K-Gr 2—Little Penguin, who has the self-proclaimed "soul of an eagle," wants to fly. Steering his motorboat into a dockside flight school for birds, he announces to the other feathery students and teacher that "[he] was hatched to fly." Teacher and Flamingo are unconvinced, but they allow Little Penguin to take lessons anyway. Outfitted with goofy red googles, Little Penguin certainly has the will, if not the talent. Even after practicing for weeks and enthusiastically jumping off the dock with a loud "Geronimo!" he still flops deep into the ocean instead of soaring above. Brokenhearted, he sets sail for home. But then Flamingo has an idea. Tying feathers and a fishing line onto Little Penguin, Flamingo helps lift him skyward while Little Penguin does his best to "Flip, flap, flip, flap, flap." Soon, he soars as he had always dreamed of doing. Alas, it doesn't last. Unfortunately, even with the soul of an eagle, "he still has the body of a little round penguin." Nevertheless, his dream achieved, Little Penguin leaves flight school one happy little bird. So happy, in fact, that he soon returns with another friend with his own dreams of flying-an ostrich with the "soul of a swallow." Judge successfully balances the humor in the storytelling, the drawings, and the situations. Rendered in watercolor and pencil and situated on a bright yellow background, the illustrations perfectly fit this delightful and charming book.—Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes




Lita Judge
Lita Judge is the award-winning author and illustrator of many children's books, including Flight School, Penguin Flies Home, Red Sled, Red Hat, Good Morning to Me!, Born in the Wild, Even the Smallest Will Grow, When You Need Wings, and her illustrated young adult novel, Mary's Monster. She lives with her husband, two cats, and a parrot in New Hampshire. You can visit her online at LitaJudge.com.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9781534444812
Lexile Measure
420
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date
July 02, 2019
Series
Flight School
BISAC categories
JUV002040 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Birds
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV039090 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | New Experience
Library of Congress categories
Penguins
Flight
Ladybug Picture Book Award
Nominee 2015 - 2015
Texas 2x2 Reading List
Recommended 2015 - 2015

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