A Dream of Flight: Alberto Santos-Dumont’s Race Around the Eiffel Tower by Rob Polivka and Jef Polivka - OPTIONAL

A Dream of Flight: Alberto Santos-Dumont’s Race Around the Eiffel Tower by Rob Polivka and Jef Polivka, illustrated by Rob Polivka. PICTURE BOOK/NON-FICTION. Farrar Straus Giroux (Macmillan), 2019. $19. 9780374306618

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Alberto grew up in Brazil, but moved to Paris where he continued to explore his desire from younger years to fly, before human flight was even possible. He designed an airship and, after many failed attempts and hard work back at the drawing board, Alberto completed a successful trip. 

I found the illustrations and the writing lack-luster, pared down to the basic colors and the basic skeleton of the story. It is an interesting story, but I felt like I needed more context about flight developments of the time. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher