Alis the Aviator

PreS-Gr 2–This book may be a plane fan’s new best friend; or at the very least, a useful dictionary of new planes (and a hot air balloon) for them to research and/or imitate. Paper cutout illustrations accompany 26 different models, topped off with a glossary that gives more detail about each aircraft. That said, sometimes the illustrations seem to stray from focusing on the airplanes and the single-sentence stanzas are often bland, opaque, or both, making it unclear as to what the text is referencing. A narrator would need to have a good knowledge of planes beforehand to accurately explain the meaning behind the descriptions to inquisitive readers. The art style, while wonderfully detailed (plane serial numbers are prominently displayed) and undeniably attractive, is somewhat questionable. It seems a bit more realism would have better suited the subject matter. The best marriage of the art style and subject matter is the Renegade model plane, shown in paper pieces and then put together on the next page, a testament to its “build at home” legacy.