When two of the most remarkable and respected women of their time – Amelia Earhart and
Eleanor Roosevelt – got together one
night, they made history! It was April 1933, and Amelia and Eleanor decided to ditch a formal dinner at the White House to take a thrilling night flight to Baltimore, Maryland and back. Their friendship was inevitable, for they were “two birds of a feather.” Amelia Earhart was the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States. Amelia spoke out for
womens rights. So did Eleanor. Amelia loved to fly fast. Eleanor loved to drive cars fast (or as fast as cars could go in those days). To give this fictionalized account some authenticity, author Pam Munoz Ryan uses actual dialogue taken from diaries, book transcripts, and newspaper articles. Ryan provides additional facts about these two heroic women in her "Author’s Note" in the back (where she admits that two male pilots from Eastern Air Transport actually went along on their impromptu flight). The extraordinary black-and-white illustrations are as breathtaking as the starry night view from the cockpit of the plane. While this historical and biographical picture book is aimed for children ages 5 – 9, I recommend it for all ages.
As you may know, Amelia Earhart mysteriously disappeared somewhere over the South Pacific in 1937. She had wanted to become the first woman to fly around the entire world. Her dramatic flight attempt is portrayed in the motion picture “Amelia” starring Hilary Swank. (to see trailer, click on link below).
About the Author American Latina author Pam Munoz Ryan is a former teacher who has written many books for children and adults, including
Esperanza Rising about Mexican-American immigrants and
When Marian Sang about African-American opera singer Marian Anderson.