He’s back
Dashing to the San Juan Islands
The little airplane that could is Dash, a little red airplane that authors Robert DeLaurentis and Susan Gilbert created to share aviation with children through their series of books illustrated by Eddie Croft. Dash travels to Alaska to deliver supplies to scientists there and on the way back has an upset stomach from some not so good avgas. He stops in the San Juan Islands and lands at DeLaurentis International Airport (sound familiar?) on Whidbey Island where mechanic Fred fixes his belly and gives him some good avgas. Then the two fly over the San Juans, seeing orcas, bears, moose, and mountain goats. Fred shows Dash the Olympic and Cascade mountains and Dash lands back at DeLaurentis International Airport, tummy all better and ready to fly home to tell his mother about his adventure—and a bald eagle is his escort! Dashing to the San Juan Islands is the third book in “The Little Airplane That Could” series and introduces DeLaurentis International Airport (see “Delivering on a Dream,” p. 74). —Julie Summers Walker
Big things
Piper Saves Christmas
It’s Christmas and all of Santa’s reindeer are sick. Piper is a little yellow airplane on skis who hopes to be as important as her brother Big Jim who is a cargo plane and Papa, her father, who puts out forest fires. When Santa calls for help, Big Jim is too big and Papa says he is too old to go, so Piper flies to the North Pole because her skis can land in the snow. Santa and the elves hook the sleigh filled with toys to Piper’s tail and, after leaping off the short runway, they fly through the night delivering presents. On this magical night Piper proves that with persistence and determination you don’t have to be big to do big things. Written by commercial pilot Mark Bernegger and illustrated by Sherri Marteney. —JSW
A girl on a wing
What Grandma Did
Author Erin Miller and illustrator Randal Harmon learned about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) from their grandmother, Elaine Danforth Harmon, who was a World War II pilot. Miller wrote both What Grandma Did for children and Final Flight Final Fight: My Grandmother, the WASP, and Arlington National Cemetery about her campaign to honor her grandmother’s final wish to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. In 2015, the Department of the Army denied WASP Harmon’s final request. Miller launched a successful grassroots social media and direct lobbying campaign to get the decision reversed. In What Grandma Did, Miller tells her grandmother’s story in rhyme and with Harmon provides illustrations for children. The story of one of the true-life pilots who broke barriers for women in the United States armed forces teaches history, leadership, and courage. —JSW
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