Flying High
Kindergarten-Grade 2—Walter is a giraffe who wishes he could fly. He finds himself a book, and begins to build an airplane for himself. When Sonny the turtle meanders over and asks if he, too, can go flying, Walter tells his friend he's too slow and cowardly and hurts his feelings. The big day finally arrives, and the giraffe takes off, swooping and sweeping up in the sky among the birds. He ignores repeated warnings that a storm is approaching, and suddenly finds himself in the middle of a thunderstorm. When his plane is hit by lightning and crashes into the lake, it is Sonny who swims out and saves him. Walter realizes that a turtle wanting to fly and be brave isn't so far-fetched after all, and that Sonny makes an excellent copilot. The colorful cartoon illustrations convey the fast pace of the tale and do a suitable job of moving things along to a satisfying conclusion.—Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Half Hollow Hills Community Library, Dix Hills, NYEND