This is a riveting account of the women pilots who competed in the 1926 Air Derby, the women's version of a men's cross-country flying race that organizers originally hesitated to offer to women, fearing they weren't up for the challenge.
Nonsense! Of course they were.
It features the well-known Amelia Earhart, but also women pilots such as:
- Marvel Crosson
- Louise Thaden
- Pancho Barnes
- Florence Lowe
- Bobbi Trout
- Ruth Elder
- Gladys O'Donnell
- Vera Dawn Walker
- May Haizlip
- Phoebe Omlie
- Ruth Nichols
As they speed across the US, from California to Lake Erie, they have to deal with sabotage, exhaustion, carbon monoxide poisoning, getting lost when maps fly out of their hands, too many chicken dinners and constant dismissal of their efforts for no better reason than they're women.
It's a riveting read, and the winner... oooh, I won't spoil the ending. Yes, it's history, but it's probably not who you think, so enjoy the read and learn about the amazing women who pioneered aviation in America!
Teachers Note:
There is a four-page teaching guide offered for free by the publisher, with questions aligned to Common Core standards. It offers two (2) before reading activities (that involve research), 12 comprehension questions and a writing prompt, and five (5) after reading activities.
