The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History by Ben Thompson

A new series about advances in technology begins with the indomitable spirit of the Wright Brothers.

The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History (Epic Fails #1) by Ben Thompson and Eric Slader, with illustrations by Tim Foley.  Roaring Brook Press, 2018, 128 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10

Recommended for: ages 8-12

“If at first you don’t succeed . . . you’re not the only one.  In fact, you’re in pretty good company.”  The authors begin this  new nonfiction series with a reminder that almost all great technological breakthroughs begin with failure (just how many filaments did Thomas Edison try for the light bulb?).  Our story begins with two very discouraged brothers at Kitty Hawk, then backtracks to trace the history of human flight—i.e. uniform human failure, with the exception of lighter-than-air ballooning.  Mechanized flight remained out of reach until the early 20^th century, when rumors of success in Europe drifted excitedly across the ocean.  Wilbur and Orville knew they were on to something with their reinvented rudder and wing arrangement, and even though none of the supposed triumphs from overseas proved out, they also knew it was only a matter of time until someone hit on the solution before they did.  That lent urgency to their quest, and more than one trip to a desolate stretch of sand with a devilish wind.

Ben Thompson, the author of the Guts and Glory series about warfare, writes with a light, jokey tone that manages to be not too obnoxious.  He and co-author Slader place the brothers in the context of their supportive family: pastor father, industrious mother, loyal sister whose faith never flagged.  Without such backup, Wilbur and Orville may not have been as resolute as they had to be.  Their success was a family triumph as well as an individual one, and Nose-Diving into History is one of the more comprehensive and entertaining Wright-brothers histories, especially for the younger middle-grade age group.  (The second title in this series is also available: The Race to Space: Countdown to Liftoff.)

Also by Ben Thompson: Guts and Glory: The American Civil War, Guts and Glory: The American Revolution

Cautions: None

Overall Rating: 4 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 4
• Artistic value: 4