The Flying Girl: How Aida de Acosta Learned to Soar

by Margarita Engle (Author) Sara Palacios (Illustrator)

The Flying Girl: How Aida de Acosta Learned to Soar
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

In this beautiful picture book filled with soaring words and buoyant illustrations, award-winners Margarita Engle and Sara Palacios tell the inspiring true story of Aída de Acosta, the first woman to fly a motorized aircraft.

On a lively street in the lovely city of Paris, a girl named Aída glanced up and was dazzled by the sight of an airship. Oh, how she wished she could soar through the sky like that! The inventor of the airship, Alberto, invited Aída to ride with him, but she didn't want to be a passenger. She wanted to be the pilot.

Aída was just a teenager, and no woman or girl had ever flown before. She didn't let that stop her, though. All she needed was courage and a chance to try.

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School Library Journal

Gr 2-5--Aida de Acosta's fascination with flying and her determination to do so allowed her to accomplish this very task as a young teenager. She studied under Alberto Santos-Dumont and after various lessons, flew an airship during a sunny day in Paris. Unfortunately, when she landed, she was met by an unruly crowd who shouted insults at her (even her mother was opposed). What were they to think of a woman flying; after all, the year was 1903! In the text, however, Santos-Dumont greets her with kind words: "You're a hero, such a brave inspiration for all the girls of the world!" The mixed-media illustrations flow perfectly with the story and provide a calming tone. This introductory biography will guide readers on their way to finding out more about de Acosta and women in aeronautics in general. The author's note provides valuable information about both de Acosta and Santos-Dumont. VERDICT A great resource for STEM classrooms and readers interested in historical figures who paved the way for modern day pioneers.--Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

Writing in upbeat, intermittently rhyming verse, Engle tells the true story of Aida de Acosta, an American woman of Cuban and Spanish descent who piloted an early flying machine. While visiting Paris as a teenager, Acosta is awestruck by eccentric inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont's motorized aircrafts and is determined to pilot one. Despite objections--"Girls, they hollered, should only be allowed/ to learn how to cook, sew, and clean, / but girls, they bellowed, should never/ be taught how to fly/ huge machines"--Acosta successfully flies a dirigible, landing in a polo field near Paris. Palacios's mixed-media artwork features ruby and sapphire jewel tones, including in flocks of red birds that accompany Acosta's journey. Engle delivers a sweetly uplifting story about a girl who "only needed courage and a chance to try." Ages 4-8. Agent: Michelle Humphrey, Martha Kaplan Agency. (Mar.)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Writing in upbeat, intermittently rhyming verse, . . . Engle delivers a sweetly uplifting story about a girl who 'only needed courage and a chance to try.'"—Publishers Weekly
Margarita Engle
Margarita Engle is a Cuban American poet and novelist who has won many awards, including a Newbery Honor and a Pura Belpré Honor. She lives in Northern California. Visit her website at www.margaritaengle.com.
Rafael López is an award-winning illustrator and muralist. He divides his time between San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and San Diego, California. Visit his website at www.rafaellopez-books.com.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781481445023
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date
March 06, 2018
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF057010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Transportation | Aviation
JNF018030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | United States - Hispanic/Latino
Library of Congress categories
History
Biographies
United States
Women
Women air pilots
Airships
Acosta, Aida de
Santos-Dumont, Alberto
Women in aeronautics

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