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Flyer
This series of short novels was designed to engage a broad spectrum of struggling readers. No longer will upper-elementary students have to read material junior to their maturity and interests. Characters are age appropriate and come from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Science fiction, sports, paranormal, realistic life, historical fiction, and fantasy are just a few of the many genres. Books are no higher than a 1.5 reading level, with illustrations on every spread that support visual literacy and draw kids into the text. When Eric Peters learns that a once famous World War II pilot has a P-51 Mustang stored at the local airstrip, he knows he must see it. So he goes to the nursing home to introduce himself to the now ninety-five-year-old pilot, Leo Foster. Now too old to see his dream of restoring the Mustang to flying shape, Mr. Foster encourages Eric to find someone who can fulfill his wish. But Eric's dad balks at having his son anywhere near danger. Will Eric be able to convince him otherwise?
- GenresFiction
68 pages, Paperback
First published December 12, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 15, 2018
Summary of story:
Eric has a deformed leg and can't play sports. His father is a sports guy and has him help out with all his coaching, but he can't play. Eric wants just to fly. His father shows no interest or concern with this passion. Eric feels bad about this situation. He ends up meeting an elderly man who owns a P-51 Mustang. The man shows him the plane. It's a mess, and Eric decides to help him fix it up. Through some intrigue, he finds a mechanic to refurbish it. In the process, the elderly man dies and leaves the plane to Eric. Eric's father, though not enamored of flying procures flying lessons for him. In the process of doing this, Eric learns that his father was not uninterested in his passion, just worried that if he flies he might get hurt. Eric realizes that what he thought was neglect was actually worry. By the end, he's flying into the future.
So I'm reading children's, young adult, and "for struggling readers" books and loving it. This is where I return to my youth and pick up where you left off. Who ever said, "Making up for lost time." Well, wrongo boyo. No making up for lost time. Actually, time is an illusion anyway. But we don't make up for lost time. We never progress what we don't learn. So 8 or 80, you're right where you leave or left off.
So I was a struggling reader all my life. I won't go into all detail here, but reading comprehension was the bane of my report card. I think by 5th grade, everyone cashed in on me and figured I'd be a math guy like my father. Well, you have to know me to know me, you know?
So I'm enjoying this series by Saddleback Press which I found out Watertown, NY's awesome Flower Library.
This particular book, Flyer, hit home hard. I will quickly list the ways:
1. It's about planes. I went through a period of wanting to be a pilot around the time of Top Gun (1986). Yes, I liked the movie and really liked the character Maverick. Maverick is almost identical to a version of my name, Mavery. But I digress.
2. The plane in question in the book is a P-51 Mustang. It is probably my favorite looking plane from the WWII era.
3. The story is about a boy who doesn't relate well to his father but wants his approval. The boy wants to fly; his father likes sports. This isn't literally analogous to my own life, but symbolically.
4. The coolest part: Years ago, when I attempted to be a fiction writer, I wrote a story called "The Young Builder of Planes." It's about a boy who attempts to build model airplanes like his brother who builds better, more advanced model planes. The boy, as of yet, builds only small, snap-tight ones (no glue). Anyway, in the story, the boy attempts a real plane. I don't recall what type, but it is a WWII plane and very possibly the Mustang. He works on it carefully but one day destroys the whole thing in a fit of anger and frustration. He promptly forgets about plane building. Later, flash forward, he finds himself an adult and suddenly rekindles his interest in model plane building. He works, slowly and carefully, and finally builds a plane. In the story, he tells his brother and dad, "I finally built my plane." Now if you think that's cool, wait, it gets better. I sent this story to my dad and brother. Remember, I was attempting to be a serious fiction writer. Btw, this story was fairly autobiographical while loosely being fiction. My brother, a natural reader and writer his whole life, replied, "It was all right." I don't believe my dad responded at all. So went my fiction writing career.
Now I laugh at this. Sometimes we surprise ourselves if we bide our time long enough. If you don't understand this joke, you can take a review of my life at some point and you might understand.
Anywho, the story is good. Hit home for me. And reading these short books are giving me something that I lost or never had when I was 8 years old. Not yet, 80, I'm 44 picking up where I left off.
Eric has a deformed leg and can't play sports. His father is a sports guy and has him help out with all his coaching, but he can't play. Eric wants just to fly. His father shows no interest or concern with this passion. Eric feels bad about this situation. He ends up meeting an elderly man who owns a P-51 Mustang. The man shows him the plane. It's a mess, and Eric decides to help him fix it up. Through some intrigue, he finds a mechanic to refurbish it. In the process, the elderly man dies and leaves the plane to Eric. Eric's father, though not enamored of flying procures flying lessons for him. In the process of doing this, Eric learns that his father was not uninterested in his passion, just worried that if he flies he might get hurt. Eric realizes that what he thought was neglect was actually worry. By the end, he's flying into the future.
So I'm reading children's, young adult, and "for struggling readers" books and loving it. This is where I return to my youth and pick up where you left off. Who ever said, "Making up for lost time." Well, wrongo boyo. No making up for lost time. Actually, time is an illusion anyway. But we don't make up for lost time. We never progress what we don't learn. So 8 or 80, you're right where you leave or left off.
So I was a struggling reader all my life. I won't go into all detail here, but reading comprehension was the bane of my report card. I think by 5th grade, everyone cashed in on me and figured I'd be a math guy like my father. Well, you have to know me to know me, you know?
So I'm enjoying this series by Saddleback Press which I found out Watertown, NY's awesome Flower Library.
This particular book, Flyer, hit home hard. I will quickly list the ways:
1. It's about planes. I went through a period of wanting to be a pilot around the time of Top Gun (1986). Yes, I liked the movie and really liked the character Maverick. Maverick is almost identical to a version of my name, Mavery. But I digress.
2. The plane in question in the book is a P-51 Mustang. It is probably my favorite looking plane from the WWII era.
3. The story is about a boy who doesn't relate well to his father but wants his approval. The boy wants to fly; his father likes sports. This isn't literally analogous to my own life, but symbolically.
4. The coolest part: Years ago, when I attempted to be a fiction writer, I wrote a story called "The Young Builder of Planes." It's about a boy who attempts to build model airplanes like his brother who builds better, more advanced model planes. The boy, as of yet, builds only small, snap-tight ones (no glue). Anyway, in the story, the boy attempts a real plane. I don't recall what type, but it is a WWII plane and very possibly the Mustang. He works on it carefully but one day destroys the whole thing in a fit of anger and frustration. He promptly forgets about plane building. Later, flash forward, he finds himself an adult and suddenly rekindles his interest in model plane building. He works, slowly and carefully, and finally builds a plane. In the story, he tells his brother and dad, "I finally built my plane." Now if you think that's cool, wait, it gets better. I sent this story to my dad and brother. Remember, I was attempting to be a serious fiction writer. Btw, this story was fairly autobiographical while loosely being fiction. My brother, a natural reader and writer his whole life, replied, "It was all right." I don't believe my dad responded at all. So went my fiction writing career.
Now I laugh at this. Sometimes we surprise ourselves if we bide our time long enough. If you don't understand this joke, you can take a review of my life at some point and you might understand.
Anywho, the story is good. Hit home for me. And reading these short books are giving me something that I lost or never had when I was 8 years old. Not yet, 80, I'm 44 picking up where I left off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2020
This is a heartwarming story about a 12 year old trying to please his father even though it means pretending to enjoy baseball when he really does not. He does not want to disappoint his father, but he also wants to pursue his interest in flying. After a school report allows him the freedom to explore pilots and planes from WWII, Eric finds himself seeking out a pilot in his own neighborhood who is a WWII veteran and who is still alive. Friendships develop and also some surprising twists, but in the end you are left with a story full of good life lessons. Again, this is a HI/Low book by Saddleback which engages middle schoolers who may not be fans of reading or perhaps have some struggles with reading.
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March 19, 2022Dimentia/friendship
64 pages- short
64 pages- short
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews