Violet the Pilot
Breen’s newest picture book accompanies a young girl and her trusty canine companion, Orville, on a trial-and-error journey into the world of flight. Violet, whose creativity and love of all things mechanical alienate her from the kids at school, is passionate about flying. Hoping to wow the town and win friends with her talents, she builds a plane and enters an air show, only to be waylaid en route to the competition. In the end, however, she achieves her goal—though it’s not her acrobatics and engineering skills that win her recognition but her quick thinking and valor. Breen makes good use of both comedy and perspective in action-packed pictures that show Violet and Orville looping it up in a variety of wacky flying ships. This will make a great read-aloud; take it on a trip, and youngsters will happily follow along. Grades 1-3. --Rebecca Jensen