Love is in the Air by Dee Romito and Vivian Mineker - OPTIONAL

Love is in the Air : the Story of Aviation Pioneer Nancy Harkness Love by Dee Romito, illlustrated by Vivian Mineker. PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY Aladdin (Simon & Schuster), 2023. $19. 9781534484191

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL:  AVERAGE 

Nancy Harkness Love fell in love with flight. At 16 years old, she decided she would learn to fly, and in high school, she got her pilot's license. Despite criticism and discrimination, Nancy was determined to fly. During World War II, she became the leader of the women pilots squadron. Nancy paved the way for more women to become pilots. The end pages include photos and a note about Nancy and other female pilots of the time. 

I enjoyed learning about Nancy, her determination, and courage. At 40 pages, I thought it was a bit lengthy. This would probably be better suited for middle grade audiences and older; young children may lose interest  Some aircraft names and other specific vocabulary are explained in the text, and some are left to context clues. While this didn't detract from the story and may not bother readers, it bothered me (for example, a barnstormer pilot and Milton Academy are mentioned without definitions). Nancy is white. 

Rachel, Elementary School Librarian