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Cleared for Takeoff: The Ultimate Book of Flight
All of aviation's dangerous, exciting, and most courageous moments are featured within this stunning compendium on flight. Packed with stories of heroic and innovative pioneers, fascinating profiles of remarkable planes from Spitfires to space shuttles, and how-to instructions for making everything from origami helicopters to bottle rockets—all accompanied by sensational photographs, illustrations, and diagrams— Cleared for Takeoff promises to astonish, entertain, and fire the imaginations of everyone with their head in the clouds.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published October 11, 2016
17 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 29, 2020
I read this because my tween asked me to read it after he finished it.
It might look encyclopedic and it makes attempts to be comprehensive, but it is a passion project.
There are several instances of first person narration and while that makes the tone of the book friendly, the choices are based on author preference so you are aware of the filter through which you are learning about flight.
It might look encyclopedic and it makes attempts to be comprehensive, but it is a passion project.
There are several instances of first person narration and while that makes the tone of the book friendly, the choices are based on author preference so you are aware of the filter through which you are learning about flight.
November 20, 2022
LOVE LOVE LOVE this book it was SO MUCH FUN
The author just bounces between any aviation subject that interests him, vaguely in chronological order, which makes it so much fun to read because there's such a variety of topics! For example, it'll go from a story about a cancelled aircraft to an infographic of weird things planes have been named after to the history of flying boats.
Funny + interesting + cool pictures + informative + awesome photos
The author just bounces between any aviation subject that interests him, vaguely in chronological order, which makes it so much fun to read because there's such a variety of topics! For example, it'll go from a story about a cancelled aircraft to an infographic of weird things planes have been named after to the history of flying boats.
Funny + interesting + cool pictures + informative + awesome photos
April 25, 2021
It is very seeable that it was written by aviation fanatics for aviation fanatics. Yes, it is a very nice book for aviation lovers. But then it gets boring and some parts are so unnecessary, for example 20 pages of cancelled projects of planes that were never produced.
May 19, 2022
This is a legit book for #avgeek ! I really love all the details and illustrations. It even have a comic and movie references a lil project to try out and pretty updated military technology:)
December 17, 2022
Some parts are more interesting than other parts, but worth the price I paid secondhand
February 9, 2017
Passion for Flight
Tracing the entire history of flight in one YA nonfiction volume seems like a daunting task, but not when it’s a passion project.
by Brianna Westervelt
“This volume is neither comprehensive nor necessarily useful,” writes Rowland White in the introduction to his expansive and inclusive tome, The Ultimate Book of Flight. “In fact, it’s probably not useful at all because the choices I’ve made are determinedly personal ones. But usefulness was never the point.”
From its boldly designed cover to its staggering collection of facts and stories from the history of aviation, Cleared for Takeoff is not another “book report book” about transportation. Rather, it’s something the young adult nonfiction world needs more of: a passion project.
Beginning with the Wright Brothers, White traces the history of flight throughout the world to the present day, in his easy-going, conversational tone. The sheer amount of information compiled in this one volume is enough to make the reader’s head spin, even with both feet planted firmly on the ground (did you know Charles Lindbergh wasn’t the first person to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic?). That being said, Cleared for Takeoff is not an introduction to the history of flight. It is ideal for readers who are already interested in and have a solid background knowledge of flight, but are always interested in learning more.
Each story within this semi-chronological volume shares and contributes to the overall history of flight. Cleared for Takeoff is equal parts history and engineering, with whimsically titled sections that include “aviation origami,” diagrams of aerobatic maneuvers, warplane insignias, a guide to folding the perfect paper airplane, and much more. The Ultimate Book of Flight includes beautiful illustrations, particularly in the “Great Planes” feature throughout.
The book ends on an oddly negative note, due to the author’s distaste for drones, perhaps because “it’s human endeavor, not the mere fact of flight itself, that’s been key to aviation’s allure.” Drones, however, are unmanned flying objects, thus obliterating humanity’s desire for wings—the passion without which White would not have written Cleared for Takeoff.
Tracing the entire history of flight in one YA nonfiction volume seems like a daunting task, but not when it’s a passion project.
by Brianna Westervelt
“This volume is neither comprehensive nor necessarily useful,” writes Rowland White in the introduction to his expansive and inclusive tome, The Ultimate Book of Flight. “In fact, it’s probably not useful at all because the choices I’ve made are determinedly personal ones. But usefulness was never the point.”
From its boldly designed cover to its staggering collection of facts and stories from the history of aviation, Cleared for Takeoff is not another “book report book” about transportation. Rather, it’s something the young adult nonfiction world needs more of: a passion project.
Beginning with the Wright Brothers, White traces the history of flight throughout the world to the present day, in his easy-going, conversational tone. The sheer amount of information compiled in this one volume is enough to make the reader’s head spin, even with both feet planted firmly on the ground (did you know Charles Lindbergh wasn’t the first person to complete a solo flight across the Atlantic?). That being said, Cleared for Takeoff is not an introduction to the history of flight. It is ideal for readers who are already interested in and have a solid background knowledge of flight, but are always interested in learning more.
Each story within this semi-chronological volume shares and contributes to the overall history of flight. Cleared for Takeoff is equal parts history and engineering, with whimsically titled sections that include “aviation origami,” diagrams of aerobatic maneuvers, warplane insignias, a guide to folding the perfect paper airplane, and much more. The Ultimate Book of Flight includes beautiful illustrations, particularly in the “Great Planes” feature throughout.
The book ends on an oddly negative note, due to the author’s distaste for drones, perhaps because “it’s human endeavor, not the mere fact of flight itself, that’s been key to aviation’s allure.” Drones, however, are unmanned flying objects, thus obliterating humanity’s desire for wings—the passion without which White would not have written Cleared for Takeoff.
November 14, 2016
Cleared for Takeoff is a huge book on the history of airplanes and air traffic from private, commercial, military, and speculative points of view, including how each helped shape world events. Rather than a division of topics by chapters, the contents page lists 110 article titles. Most of these articles fill a double-page spread, though a few pieces are longer. Illustrations, photographs, graphics, and pictures of airplanes dominate the pages of this most interesting compendium on air flight.
Kids interested in flying planes, piloting a military plane, or even shooting off in a rocket ship will find interesting articles in Cleared for Takeoff. The pictures alone make this a stunning book. I’ve never been an aviation “geek,” yet found myself glued to the pages. It is so easy to flip through the book to an unexpected topic and find yourself engrossed . . .
Originally reviewed at Kid Lit Reviews. to read the FULL review and see interior illustrations, go to: http://bit.ly/ClearedForTakeOff
Kids interested in flying planes, piloting a military plane, or even shooting off in a rocket ship will find interesting articles in Cleared for Takeoff. The pictures alone make this a stunning book. I’ve never been an aviation “geek,” yet found myself glued to the pages. It is so easy to flip through the book to an unexpected topic and find yourself engrossed . . .
Originally reviewed at Kid Lit Reviews. to read the FULL review and see interior illustrations, go to: http://bit.ly/ClearedForTakeOff
July 9, 2016
I received an early copy of this book via the publisher for work, with no obligation to leave a personal review.
I hesitate to really call this children's nonfiction; the publisher says it's for ages 11-17, but it's a very specific book that would only appeal to very specific eleven-year-olds.
I learned a lot of fun facts, and I loved White's occasional dry British humor, but much of the book has a textbook feel, and I think it'd work best as a coffee table book (or for someone who's as passionate about flight as White is!). White's way of describing things occasionally felt very adult (seductive curves on a plane, for instance), and while his passion for the topic comes through, this is by no means an easy, accessible, short nonfiction read for all. It's quite dense. Still, Chronicle's books are visual in a lovely way, and there's plenty to enjoy--if you can make it all the way through. Otherwise, it might be best to just read the sections that most interest you.
I hesitate to really call this children's nonfiction; the publisher says it's for ages 11-17, but it's a very specific book that would only appeal to very specific eleven-year-olds.
I learned a lot of fun facts, and I loved White's occasional dry British humor, but much of the book has a textbook feel, and I think it'd work best as a coffee table book (or for someone who's as passionate about flight as White is!). White's way of describing things occasionally felt very adult (seductive curves on a plane, for instance), and while his passion for the topic comes through, this is by no means an easy, accessible, short nonfiction read for all. It's quite dense. Still, Chronicle's books are visual in a lovely way, and there's plenty to enjoy--if you can make it all the way through. Otherwise, it might be best to just read the sections that most interest you.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews