Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator
Grade 3–6—Although this biography of the famous aviator who has fascinated Americans for decades has no new information to offer, it is nicely formatted and has attractive illustrations. The work is shaped like a picture book but has a lot of text, some with hundreds of words per page. Tanaka focuses on Earhart's flying and spends only a little time on other aspects of her life. The writing is interesting and flows well. A list of sources for all the quotes used appears in the back matter, and the bibliography and index are substantial. The book is illustrated primarily with the same set of historical photographs found in other Earhart biographies. However, seven full-page paintings by Craig add vitality to this offering. These realistic pictures are carefully researched and visually dramatic. They match the feeling of the historical photos and the tone of the narrative. This is a good choice for those needing a profile of the famous flier. DK'sAmelia Earhart: A Photographic Story of a Life(2007) is also well written, delves deeper into the woman's personal life, and is a good choice for those wanting a longer biography.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UTCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.