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U.S. Landmark Books #10
The Wright Brothers
Follow the inspiring story of two brothers who believed that men could fly. Refusing to give up their dream, Wilbur and Orville Wright, two self-taught bicycle mechanics, built- and successfully flew- the world's first airplane.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1950
About the author
Quentin Reynolds
94 books16 followersBorn in the Bronx, New York, on April 11, 1902, to a school principal and his wife, Quentin James Reynolds grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from Manual Training High School. He enrolled at Brown University and excelled in football, boxing, and swimming. In fact, after earning his Ph.D. he spent a year on a professional football team. Going from job to job, Reynolds couldn't find a career he enjoyed. His father suggested law school, and by the time he earned his degree, Reynolds had finally figured out what he wanted to do.
Journalism, not law, appealed to Reynolds, and he worked as a reporter and then a sports columnist. In 1933 he was sent as a feature writer to report on Germany and the rise of Hitler. At that time, Reynolds was writing for the International News Service. The Germans didn't approve of Reynolds's slant against the Third Reich and national socialism; however, from the article Reynolds gained employment at Collier's Weekly for whom he eventually penned 384 articles and short stories over a fifteen year span, eventually rising to the position of associate editor. A prolific writer, Reynolds's fame came during an assignment to cover the erupting World War II.
Reynolds spent time in France and then fled to England. While there he came to appreciate and respect the British. In account after account he portrayed the strong will and determination of a nation fighting for its very survival. He penned seven books about the war, broadcasted for the British Broadcasting Company, narrated two film documentaries, and lectured in the United States. Reynolds's popularity soared as people learned of his bravery and the risks he took to get the story.
Unfortunately for Reynolds, not everyone found him admirable. A Hearst columnist disputed his claims and suggested Reynolds was cowardly. After five years in the court system, Reynolds won over $175,000 in the libel judgement. This wasn't his only time he was brought to the public's attention for questionable acts. In 1952 Reynolds had penned a book about a Canadian spy, only to later find out that he had been duped and misled into believing a false tale. The publisher in turn changed the book from nonfiction to fiction.
When Reynolds traveled to Manila, Philippines, to research the president for a biography, he became ill with abdominal cancer. He passed away on March 17, 1965 at the age of sixty-two.
Journalism, not law, appealed to Reynolds, and he worked as a reporter and then a sports columnist. In 1933 he was sent as a feature writer to report on Germany and the rise of Hitler. At that time, Reynolds was writing for the International News Service. The Germans didn't approve of Reynolds's slant against the Third Reich and national socialism; however, from the article Reynolds gained employment at Collier's Weekly for whom he eventually penned 384 articles and short stories over a fifteen year span, eventually rising to the position of associate editor. A prolific writer, Reynolds's fame came during an assignment to cover the erupting World War II.
Reynolds spent time in France and then fled to England. While there he came to appreciate and respect the British. In account after account he portrayed the strong will and determination of a nation fighting for its very survival. He penned seven books about the war, broadcasted for the British Broadcasting Company, narrated two film documentaries, and lectured in the United States. Reynolds's popularity soared as people learned of his bravery and the risks he took to get the story.
Unfortunately for Reynolds, not everyone found him admirable. A Hearst columnist disputed his claims and suggested Reynolds was cowardly. After five years in the court system, Reynolds won over $175,000 in the libel judgement. This wasn't his only time he was brought to the public's attention for questionable acts. In 1952 Reynolds had penned a book about a Canadian spy, only to later find out that he had been duped and misled into believing a false tale. The publisher in turn changed the book from nonfiction to fiction.
When Reynolds traveled to Manila, Philippines, to research the president for a biography, he became ill with abdominal cancer. He passed away on March 17, 1965 at the age of sixty-two.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
April 12, 2018
I read this to my 4th grade class and they loved it! It was inspiring to hear about the creativity, courage, and perseverance of the Wright brothers from childhood to adulthood.
November 5, 2020
Such an awesome retelling ofThe Wright Brothers! Great read aloud! Gripping story with intimate details! My boys ages 6-13 all loved it!
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November 13, 2024In the book, “The Wright Brothers” by Quentin Reynolds, Orville and Wilbur Wright grow up in Dayton Ohio with their little sister Kate and their parents. I liked the fact that Orville and Wilbur’s mother had a big influence on their lives. She would often sit down at the table and help sketch out plans for a sled or whatever the brothers were building at the time. They believed they could build whatever they set their minds too, this probably helped them in the future to build a plane! They were laughed at and thought to be crazy, but their curiosity made all that invisible because they were determined to fly!
This historical book is a good summary of the Wright brother’s lives, although I found it dry at times, overall, it wasn’t terrible.
This historical book is a good summary of the Wright brother’s lives, although I found it dry at times, overall, it wasn’t terrible.
September 12, 2023
Will definitely be checking out more biographies in this series. My 11 y.o. son loved this read-aloud.
October 16, 2025
Loved this telling of the Wright brothers. As a Dayton Ohio native it was a fun read with my kids. Can’t wait to drive them by some Dayton landmarks at Christmas.
May 29, 2023
I think what I like the most about reading through this series is getting the inside scoop, as it were, in an abbreviated, concise manner, on the major events in American history that most of us, at least, kind of know, but often in just a general sense. This volume, as with many of the others, provides a solid introduction for the events which changed the world, as inexplicable as they often are. These short, easily-accessible treatises also usually do an admirable job of humanizing the figures they address, reminding readers that these were actually people, not just abstract figures or names to be memorized, in a way in which many other books, including school textbooks, just don't.
This series also demonstrates that it's rarely a single factor which leads to groundbreaking advances that usher in a new era. In this case, the Wright brothers were probably more heavily influenced by their mother rather than their father, who traveled extensively, in terms of their mechanical and scientific prowess, which was certainly unusual at the time. Susan Catherine Koener, who was reportedly something of a prodigy herself, like her sons, had in early childhood developed an almost unheard-of aptitude for mathematics and science, and likewise spent time in her father's workshop experimenting with tools and crafting experiments of her own. She later attended Hartville College in Indiana, a United Brethren institution, although it was highly unusual for a woman to attend university in the mid-nineteenth century. She continued studies in science and mathematics, and there met the boys' father, Milton Wright, at age 22. They were eventually married when she was 28 and he was 31. Susan had seven children, five of whom survived.
As the book notes, Susan was a skilled craftswoman herself, and tutored her children, as well as creating toys for them and appliances for herself. The boys continued to consult her when they needed mechanical advice, as in the construction of their sled, which is described in the book. Susan reportedly died after a years-long battle with tuberculosis in her 50s. After her death, Orville himself noted the great influence their mother had on their early life, stating that they were "lucky enough to grow up in a home where there was always much encouragement to children to pursue intellectual interests and to investigate whatever aroused their curiosity."
That curiosity for flight first manifested with bird-watching in early childhood, which graduated to kite construction. The brothers also worked on their family home on Hawthorn Street in Dayton, reportedly constructing an elaborate wrap-around porch in the 1890s. They became skilled craftsmen and inventors even in childhood, launching a carting business after building a wagon out of spare parts and offering hauling services to neighboring farms. They next launched a printing business, in 1889, after they built their own printing press and began a weekly newspaper, eventually expanding, as the book notes, to commercial printing. Upon becoming somewhat bored with that venture, the brothers then launched a bicycle construction business, capitalizing on its newly-realized popularity, and began building their own brand in 1896.
The proceeds from their highly successful bicycle venture was what allowed the boys to engage in their interest in flight. They had reportedly seen newspaper articles about gliders created by various European figures, including Otto Lilientha in Germany, an aviation pioneer who developed the modern curved wing design. Along with Octave Chanute, a French-American civil engineer who is often called the Father of Aviation, Lilientha's initial attempts with various glider models, first in 1891, are credited with the beginnings of human flight. Surviving photographs show a glider highly reminiscent of the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, as both were based on the mechanics of bird wings - in Lilientha's case, the white stork, in particular.
As with many other aviation pioneers, his life was relatively short-lived, however, as he suffered a fatal cervical fracture in a hang glider crash in 1896 at the age of 48. Lilientha reportedly lost control of his glider, which fell from an altitude of about 50 feet. Surviving for almost 36 hours after the crash (although accounts differ), his last words, which are inscribed on his monument, were reportedly "Opfer müssen gebracht werden!" or "Sacrifices must be made!" These haunting words ring as true today as they did then, and acknowledge the very real danger in developing flight technology - advances in a variety of scientific fields are often accompanied by a toll in human lives, not infrequently those of their developers.
Despite the dangers (both brothers were involved in a series of crashes themselves, although thankfully none resulting in serious injury) the Wright brothers began experimenting with gliders in their spare time, often after a long day spent constructing bicycles. I won't include the details here - the book does a fairly admirable job of that - but will just note the boys' continued efforts to perfect gliding from about 1900, until they achieved the first flight in 1903. The first powered flight occurred on Dec. 16, 1903, at a site known known as Kill Devil Hills, located about four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
Prodigious young men with a strong work ethic and insatiable curiosity, the boys were reportedly good friends, despite their age difference (four years), even in childhood. Both were singularly obsessed with their work. Neither married or had children. Wilbur once stated that he "did not have time for both a wife and an airplane!" They were both named for clergymen that their bishop father reportedly admired (the brothers were known as the Bishop's Boys in their youth). As with Thomas Edison and other famous inventors and pioneers, neither even graduated from high school, preferring instead to work on their own projects and to make their own way. This became a serious impediment in their later years on account of their lack of business savvy when they began to encounter competitors, however.
As the book notes, although Orville nearly died from an episode of Typhoid fever as a young man, the same disease would ultimately claim the life of his brother, Wilbur, in 1912, at the age of 45. The latter reportedly had become ill on a business trip to Boston in April of that year - a malady sometimes attributed to eating bad shellfish at a banquet - but after returning to Dayton in early May, 1912, the condition returned, and Wilbur was diagnosed with Typhoid fever. He lingered only a few days before dying on May 30. Their father Milton died at their home in 1917, at the age of 88. Sister Katherine eventually married, in 1926, which reportedly infuriated surviving brother Orville, but she died of pneumonia only a few years later, in 1929. Orville lived another 35 years after his brother's death, dying at age 76, in 1948. He lived long enough to fly with Howard Hughes, however, in 1944, which was his last aircraft flight. Orville reportedly commented that the wingspan of Hughes' Lockheed Constellation aircraft was longer than the distance of his first flight!
That in and of itself is an astonishing statement. As close friend, Colonel Deeds, reportedly stated shortly after his death, Orville, at least, in his lifetime, had seen the progression of transportation technology from the horse and buggy to the dawn of supersonic flight. The Wright brothers' legacy lives on, however, and their immortality is assured. If you want to see the original 1903 Wright Flyer, it's located in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. In fact, pieces of the original even made it all the way to space (!), something which the Wright brothers probably never even dreamed of - pieces of fabric and wood from the 1903 Wright Flyer traveled to the Moon in the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle, and are exhibited at the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
Notwithstanding their renown, is worth noting that flight, a pinnacle of human achievement, was certainly a collaborative effort, resulting from accumulated knowledge and contributions of many pioneers and brilliant minds - at least one of whom paid the ultimate price. These efforts included even behind-the-scenes figures such as the Wright brothers' mother, Susan, herself a brilliant and accomplished, groundbreaking woman who passed her gifts to her sons and fostered their love of learning. Building on the knowledge of others, correspondence with scientists and even weathermen via the National Weather Service, many factors had to be in place for this event to have occurred.
It's clear that someone would have figured it out shortly, if they brothers hadn't, but their advances, particularly the development of a lightweight aluminum engine and spruce propellers (the strength and lightness of which Howard Hughes would utilize decades later with his "Spruce Goose") ushered in a new era as great as that brought by the automobile. The one down side is that almost immediately, interest in a military application became apparent, as aircraft were seen as just another weapon of war. Perhaps an unanticipated consequence of the brothers' efforts, a mere decade later, aircraft would play a decisive role in the skies above Europe during WWI.
This series also demonstrates that it's rarely a single factor which leads to groundbreaking advances that usher in a new era. In this case, the Wright brothers were probably more heavily influenced by their mother rather than their father, who traveled extensively, in terms of their mechanical and scientific prowess, which was certainly unusual at the time. Susan Catherine Koener, who was reportedly something of a prodigy herself, like her sons, had in early childhood developed an almost unheard-of aptitude for mathematics and science, and likewise spent time in her father's workshop experimenting with tools and crafting experiments of her own. She later attended Hartville College in Indiana, a United Brethren institution, although it was highly unusual for a woman to attend university in the mid-nineteenth century. She continued studies in science and mathematics, and there met the boys' father, Milton Wright, at age 22. They were eventually married when she was 28 and he was 31. Susan had seven children, five of whom survived.
As the book notes, Susan was a skilled craftswoman herself, and tutored her children, as well as creating toys for them and appliances for herself. The boys continued to consult her when they needed mechanical advice, as in the construction of their sled, which is described in the book. Susan reportedly died after a years-long battle with tuberculosis in her 50s. After her death, Orville himself noted the great influence their mother had on their early life, stating that they were "lucky enough to grow up in a home where there was always much encouragement to children to pursue intellectual interests and to investigate whatever aroused their curiosity."
That curiosity for flight first manifested with bird-watching in early childhood, which graduated to kite construction. The brothers also worked on their family home on Hawthorn Street in Dayton, reportedly constructing an elaborate wrap-around porch in the 1890s. They became skilled craftsmen and inventors even in childhood, launching a carting business after building a wagon out of spare parts and offering hauling services to neighboring farms. They next launched a printing business, in 1889, after they built their own printing press and began a weekly newspaper, eventually expanding, as the book notes, to commercial printing. Upon becoming somewhat bored with that venture, the brothers then launched a bicycle construction business, capitalizing on its newly-realized popularity, and began building their own brand in 1896.
The proceeds from their highly successful bicycle venture was what allowed the boys to engage in their interest in flight. They had reportedly seen newspaper articles about gliders created by various European figures, including Otto Lilientha in Germany, an aviation pioneer who developed the modern curved wing design. Along with Octave Chanute, a French-American civil engineer who is often called the Father of Aviation, Lilientha's initial attempts with various glider models, first in 1891, are credited with the beginnings of human flight. Surviving photographs show a glider highly reminiscent of the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, as both were based on the mechanics of bird wings - in Lilientha's case, the white stork, in particular.
As with many other aviation pioneers, his life was relatively short-lived, however, as he suffered a fatal cervical fracture in a hang glider crash in 1896 at the age of 48. Lilientha reportedly lost control of his glider, which fell from an altitude of about 50 feet. Surviving for almost 36 hours after the crash (although accounts differ), his last words, which are inscribed on his monument, were reportedly "Opfer müssen gebracht werden!" or "Sacrifices must be made!" These haunting words ring as true today as they did then, and acknowledge the very real danger in developing flight technology - advances in a variety of scientific fields are often accompanied by a toll in human lives, not infrequently those of their developers.
Despite the dangers (both brothers were involved in a series of crashes themselves, although thankfully none resulting in serious injury) the Wright brothers began experimenting with gliders in their spare time, often after a long day spent constructing bicycles. I won't include the details here - the book does a fairly admirable job of that - but will just note the boys' continued efforts to perfect gliding from about 1900, until they achieved the first flight in 1903. The first powered flight occurred on Dec. 16, 1903, at a site known known as Kill Devil Hills, located about four miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.
Prodigious young men with a strong work ethic and insatiable curiosity, the boys were reportedly good friends, despite their age difference (four years), even in childhood. Both were singularly obsessed with their work. Neither married or had children. Wilbur once stated that he "did not have time for both a wife and an airplane!" They were both named for clergymen that their bishop father reportedly admired (the brothers were known as the Bishop's Boys in their youth). As with Thomas Edison and other famous inventors and pioneers, neither even graduated from high school, preferring instead to work on their own projects and to make their own way. This became a serious impediment in their later years on account of their lack of business savvy when they began to encounter competitors, however.
As the book notes, although Orville nearly died from an episode of Typhoid fever as a young man, the same disease would ultimately claim the life of his brother, Wilbur, in 1912, at the age of 45. The latter reportedly had become ill on a business trip to Boston in April of that year - a malady sometimes attributed to eating bad shellfish at a banquet - but after returning to Dayton in early May, 1912, the condition returned, and Wilbur was diagnosed with Typhoid fever. He lingered only a few days before dying on May 30. Their father Milton died at their home in 1917, at the age of 88. Sister Katherine eventually married, in 1926, which reportedly infuriated surviving brother Orville, but she died of pneumonia only a few years later, in 1929. Orville lived another 35 years after his brother's death, dying at age 76, in 1948. He lived long enough to fly with Howard Hughes, however, in 1944, which was his last aircraft flight. Orville reportedly commented that the wingspan of Hughes' Lockheed Constellation aircraft was longer than the distance of his first flight!
That in and of itself is an astonishing statement. As close friend, Colonel Deeds, reportedly stated shortly after his death, Orville, at least, in his lifetime, had seen the progression of transportation technology from the horse and buggy to the dawn of supersonic flight. The Wright brothers' legacy lives on, however, and their immortality is assured. If you want to see the original 1903 Wright Flyer, it's located in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. In fact, pieces of the original even made it all the way to space (!), something which the Wright brothers probably never even dreamed of - pieces of fabric and wood from the 1903 Wright Flyer traveled to the Moon in the Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle, and are exhibited at the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
Notwithstanding their renown, is worth noting that flight, a pinnacle of human achievement, was certainly a collaborative effort, resulting from accumulated knowledge and contributions of many pioneers and brilliant minds - at least one of whom paid the ultimate price. These efforts included even behind-the-scenes figures such as the Wright brothers' mother, Susan, herself a brilliant and accomplished, groundbreaking woman who passed her gifts to her sons and fostered their love of learning. Building on the knowledge of others, correspondence with scientists and even weathermen via the National Weather Service, many factors had to be in place for this event to have occurred.
It's clear that someone would have figured it out shortly, if they brothers hadn't, but their advances, particularly the development of a lightweight aluminum engine and spruce propellers (the strength and lightness of which Howard Hughes would utilize decades later with his "Spruce Goose") ushered in a new era as great as that brought by the automobile. The one down side is that almost immediately, interest in a military application became apparent, as aircraft were seen as just another weapon of war. Perhaps an unanticipated consequence of the brothers' efforts, a mere decade later, aircraft would play a decisive role in the skies above Europe during WWI.
Read
December 5, 2012In this book, the author Quentin Reynolds’ purpose in writing it was to share the story of the Wright brothers and the airplane with the world. Although Quentin did not state his purpose directly in the book, it is clear that was his purpose. The audience for this book is a big range of ages. A 13 year old could read this book, but also an adult could read and really enjoy this book. Due to the big range of audience for this book, more people can read, enjoy, and learn about the Wright brothers. The author’s point of view in writing this book is from a source that knows the life of both Wilbur and Orville Wright.
The main theme in this book is courage. Both the brothers, Wilbur and Orville never gave up on engaging the first airplane flight. They first became interested in making man fly when they would think about how kites would fly. They decided to try and be the first to make man fly and build a flying device. So they set their minds to it, didn’t give up, and finally are credited with the first airplane flight in history. The author is trying to say to the readers that even if it seems impossible, have the courage and never give up on your dreams.
The way this book was written by Quentin Reynolds was mostly a narration on his part. This was very affective because even though it was not told by someone that witnessed it, it is still very affective on getting the point across. He basically tells and narrates the story of the brothers through their life in chronological order. He first starts with their childhood, then education, and then to move on to later life and how they eventually make the first airplane flight.
Overall, I personally liked this book a lot, and I finished reading it fairly quickly. I also liked it because it was interesting and easy to read. One of the few things that I didn’t like about this book was that it was dry and confusing in some parts. If I could change the book I would take some of the dry parts, and complicated parts and either change them, or take them out. This is not similar to any other book I have read.
The main theme in this book is courage. Both the brothers, Wilbur and Orville never gave up on engaging the first airplane flight. They first became interested in making man fly when they would think about how kites would fly. They decided to try and be the first to make man fly and build a flying device. So they set their minds to it, didn’t give up, and finally are credited with the first airplane flight in history. The author is trying to say to the readers that even if it seems impossible, have the courage and never give up on your dreams.
The way this book was written by Quentin Reynolds was mostly a narration on his part. This was very affective because even though it was not told by someone that witnessed it, it is still very affective on getting the point across. He basically tells and narrates the story of the brothers through their life in chronological order. He first starts with their childhood, then education, and then to move on to later life and how they eventually make the first airplane flight.
Overall, I personally liked this book a lot, and I finished reading it fairly quickly. I also liked it because it was interesting and easy to read. One of the few things that I didn’t like about this book was that it was dry and confusing in some parts. If I could change the book I would take some of the dry parts, and complicated parts and either change them, or take them out. This is not similar to any other book I have read.
February 1, 2012
Isaac, my 8 year old and I, just finished reading this book from my Father's childhood collection. Both of us loved it. We both knew much of the Wright Brother's history but were still absolutely engrossed and excited by the story all the way along. The book really focuses on the value of considering everything independently and freely and creating perfect plans before leaping in to build which I found a really valuable message. The book also focuses on the relationships between the incredibly close family members which was also lovely to read. It was already really funny to Isaac to see things the late 1800's referred to as "50 years ago". Highly recommend this book for all ages.
February 4, 2015
I liked it. At the very end of the book, they have dinner with the President.
January 27, 2025
This summary is written by Larkin Culver. This story is called The Wright Brothers about their experiments. The Wright Brothers are brothers and they learn from their mother who passed away, 'If the drawings are right then the build is right.' Their mother made a sled when she was still alive and she drew it out first and then they made it and it was correct. So the Wright Brothers, their mom passed away, and their dad came back from a trip with a robotic helicopter made out of bamboo. The Wright Brothers made a bicycle shop, they started doing bicycle work. They got scraps form the junkyard to build. Then their mom passed away and their dad went on a trip for business. That's when the Wright Brothers started making bicycles. They experimented about if you're horseback riders, if you're low to the ground you go under the wind, so they made a bike that the seat was really low so that they could get under the wind. The Wright Brothers went in a bicycle race, and Will, Orville's brother, he did the bicycle race on the new bike that they made and he lost. They said whoever wins gets a bicycle building kit. Orv got last and then one of the people in the crowd was so happy that he declared another race and the winner would get a gold watch. And then Orv won that one and he got the watch. Then they started building airplanes. They started off making gliders with their sister Kate. They drew it out like their mom said if the drawing is right the thing you're making is right. And the drawing was right, so their glider took off. It was kind of like a big kite. Will and their friend, he had to pull the glider like a kite and it flew. Then they let go and it went for like 10 feet and they made an engine for their glider and they made a rudder so it could turn. They were looking for big places to take off with it and they found Kitty Hawk beach and then they flew it. It glided for a long time, he was up in the air for 15 seconds and then they added an engine onto the airplane so it could now fly and it was now called an airplane. Then they used a cow pasture and there were cows in it and their friend said they could use it but he said 'Don't kill any of my cows' and then they flew around the cow pasture and they flew for a half an hour and then they went and then they invited everybody to see and they flew for an hour. Then the president of the united states asked them if they could make airplanes for them and they said yes. The End.
May 8, 2019
It's been more than sixty years since I read this book, it remains an awe inspiring read. I'm on a mission in 2019 to re-read the Landmark History books of my youth. I'm thoroughly enjoying doing so. 94 books down, 91 to go. The difficulty will be finding all these books. I've pretty much identified all that are available on-line through public domain. I've read all available though my local and state libraries. I have a listing of books that are available for sale on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and such. I'm constantly perusing used book stores. Living just outside the Washington Metroploitan area, my last line of resort will be the Library of Congress.
March 9, 2019
Our whole family loved this one. I read it to my sons (and husband who stuck around in great interest to hear things out). They loved seeing how two brothers (like my sons are) could work so hard as a team since childhood and draw things out and make those things on their own and with encouraging family members. It is really a fun book for young minds to hear. A lot of what went on would never happen today though (people sharing ideas freely without worry or greed). Definitely great for pre-teen boys! I am sure those who enjoy learning about inventors in general would like this one too.
February 20, 2020
My kids loved this book so much, they constantly asked for more! Easy for kids to follow, but fascinating even for me as an adult. Wilbur and Orville Wright are truly one of the bright spots in history. Two men with faith, a strong friendship and love of family, amazing work ethic, and natural curiosity. As a homeschool mom and wife of a pastor, it was also fantastic reading that these two were pastor's kids and homeschooled after Wilbur received a hockey injury as a teenager. Homeschooled pastor's kids who were well adjusted, successful, and happy :) ? That's a story I like!
March 11, 2023
This was a family read aloud for school and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. My young boys were inspired by the fact that these too young brothers could tinker and invent whatever they put their minds to, regardless of formal teaching. The willingness to try new things, resourcefulness, work ethic, ability to learn from failures and persist despite mockery inspired moral character for young and old. A quality read that connects us with historical characters and makes them feel like good friends. 👌🏻
February 27, 2026
Assigned reading for my 11-year for Modern American History studies. She loved this book for its educational purposes and gives it 5-stars. Gotta love that when mom assigns a book.
She enjoyed all the facts surrounding the Wright Brothers and found the book well-rounded from start to finish in terms of what first sparked the Wright Brothers’ interest to build planes, what helped to develop their interest along the way and what resulted from their invention and their contribution to American history.
She enjoyed all the facts surrounding the Wright Brothers and found the book well-rounded from start to finish in terms of what first sparked the Wright Brothers’ interest to build planes, what helped to develop their interest along the way and what resulted from their invention and their contribution to American history.
August 18, 2021
When I was 9 or 10, I received one of these Landmark non-fiction books each month, and I devoured them. Reading this one now 60 years later, I’m impressed by the quality and significance of a story well-told, accessible to pre-teens (flows as a story with rising intensity and interest), and inspiring the young to creativity, persistence, and loyalty. Of course, Quentin Reynolds was an acclaimed writer and this account is particularly good.
December 21, 2021
This was so good. We knew nothing about the Wright Brothers. By the end of the book, we were shipping their sister with someone.
Definitely living that Charlotte Mason life:
“The question is not, – how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education – but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”
— Charlotte Mason
Definitely living that Charlotte Mason life:
“The question is not, – how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education – but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”
— Charlotte Mason
November 13, 2023
This book goes through the history of the Wright Brothers in a very interesting way. I wasn't very interested in the Wright Brothers before I read this, but when I read this book all of my opinions changed immediately. I loved this book because it wasn't slow going, but it also wasn't too fast. If you aren't familiar with the Wright Brothers history, but want to be, I highly suggest this book. This book is good for 2nd grade and up. It is also a great read aloud.
January 14, 2024
This was one of my favorite biographies I have read. It is part of my son’s homeschool curriculum, and he insisted I read it after he was done.
I learned so much about the Wright brothers and their journey into the sky. It was a quick read (as it’s meant for ages 9+), but there wasn’t a single dull moment.
Highly entertaining. Highly educational. And centered around brothers of high character that make great role models.
I learned so much about the Wright brothers and their journey into the sky. It was a quick read (as it’s meant for ages 9+), but there wasn’t a single dull moment.
Highly entertaining. Highly educational. And centered around brothers of high character that make great role models.
October 31, 2024
The ending of this book was much more impactful than the beginning. The details of their childhood set out to show us how the boys were influenced heavily by their mother, they never gave up despite what others thought, and they continued to strive to improve upon what they had done. Unfortunately, though, it felt a bit redundant. We glossed over a lot of that, but I read every single word of the last few chapters!
November 4, 2025
This is a fabulous read-aloud or history book for homeschooling. It goes into details of the Wright brother's lives and reads like a novel. My 8 year old is not a strong reader and LOVED LOVED LOVED this book. He keeps calling it "the best story ever". I love that you get to see the creativity and engineering genius of the Wright brothers even in their childhood. As an adult I was thoroughly engaged as well! Highly recommend!!
September 19, 2019
A little heavy on the moralizing, especially since it ends with the Wright Brothers being like "we'll only sell our plane to the American government so it can use it to bomb all the other countries."
But I was reading it simultaneously with David McCullough's version and it was actually very accurate and informative. Worth a read.
But I was reading it simultaneously with David McCullough's version and it was actually very accurate and informative. Worth a read.
November 24, 2020
This far exceeded my expectations. Such an engaging read about Wilbur and Orville Wright as humans and as scientists. I read it with my 10 and 8 year old sons, but I enjoyed it at least as much as they did. Such thorough and readable explanations of the concepts of flight and how the Wright Brothers adapted them to a motorized device. I highly recommend this book.
September 11, 2021
Landmark History book. Better than most. The most fascinating character turned out to be their mother Susan, who was highly skilled herself and had a huge influence on the two brothers. The book isn't great as an overall biography, but does a good job inside its focus, which is the progress of the brothers as mechanics and inventors.
May 10, 2023
This book is delightful. We read it aloud to our children many years ago. It is not only well written—aimed adeptly at a child or child reader—but also conveys lasting examples of aspiration, planning, trail and error, and long hard work. I still reflect on the story of what their mother taught them about building a sled….
October 31, 2019
The Wright brothers are really cool and I'm being the Wright sister for Halloween. They made the very first airplane. And they made a sled that can steer with a weird thingy sticking up. This book had no pictures, but I still really liked it.
November 28, 2020
Story of the Wright brothers, their life and their exploits trying to build a powered plane that could fly.
Good book to use with engineering topic of flight as well as inventors and study of history. Classroom library 3rd through 6th grade.
Good book to use with engineering topic of flight as well as inventors and study of history. Classroom library 3rd through 6th grade.
November 9, 2017
3.5 informing, age-appropriate book to read to elementary children. Growing up in Dayton, OH makes this one a little more special
October 10, 2019
This was a great, well put together book. I really enjoyed reading and learning about the Wright brothers. They had a great mom. And they were great themselves and really pursued their interests.
December 16, 2019
Great little biography.
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