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Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less See less
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Emily Arnold McCully
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Taking Off: Airborne with Mary Wilkins Ellis Hardcover – Picture Book, February 1, 2022

by Emily Arnold McCully (Author)
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 2 ratings
See all formats and editions
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Witness the true story of how Mary Wilkins Ellis’ childhood passion for flying led to an exciting career in the air, written and illustrated by a Caldecott Medalist.


As a child, Mary Wilkins Ellis longed to fly, but she had to wait until she was 16 before she could have her first lesson. She soon became the youngest licensed pilot in her English county, but then all civilian flight was banned when Germany launched its attacks on Britain in 1940. Mary was grounded.

One day she chanced to hear a radio appeal for Britons with pilot’s licenses—even women—to join the Air Transport Auxiliary and ferry brand new fighter planes to Royal Air Force bases. Mary immediately applied, and spent the rest of the war delivering hundreds of different kinds of aircraft—most of which she’d never flown before—forming lifelong bonds with her colleagues, surviving many a close call, and helping to save her country from destruction.

After the war she became a flight instructor, ran an air taxi service, then managed an airfield, the only woman in Europe to do so. In her spare time, she won rallies in her racing car. Mary’s childhood dream became a thrilling lifetime aloft, lasting until she died at 101.

With watercolor and ink illustrations which perfectly capture the exhilaration of flying, Taking Off brings this little-known figure and her can-do spirit to life.

Extensive material in the back of the book includes additional information about Mary Wilkins Ellis and the Airport Transport Auxiliary, as well as sources.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    6 - 8 years
  2. Print length
    40 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    1 - 3
  5. Dimensions
    8.8 x 0.35 x 11.32 inches
  6. Publisher
    Margaret Ferguson Books
  7. Publication date
    February 1, 2022
  8. ISBN-10
    0823449661
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0823449668
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3–6—The personality and details of Mary Wilkins Ellis's story fly off the page in this illustrated biography of her life, from her first ride in an airplane to her work in the Air Transport Auxiliary during the first world war. McCully recounts Ellis's life in a very matter of fact way that will suit the upper elementary readers who can handle longer paragraphs and don't need flourishes in the prose. The gorgeous end papers of various airplanes set the tone; the watercolor and ink illustrations spotlight and punctuate the text that recounts the highs and lows of this intrepid woman. Ellis's story is an important one in history, and back matter gives readers more information if they are seeking it. VERDICT Add to all biography collections looking for more military-era women's history.—Aryssa Damron

Review

"This handsome picture-book biography introduces a courageous woman who followed her dream."—Booklist
 
"McCully’s ink line and watercolor artwork sports an airy translucence that invites viewers to project themselves into the skies. . . ."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The personality and details of Mary Wilkins Ellis’s story fly off the page."—School Library Journal

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Margaret Ferguson Books (February 1, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0823449661
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0823449668
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 6 - 8 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 1 - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.8 x 0.35 x 11.32 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 2 ratings

About the author

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Emily Arnold McCully

Emily Arnold McCully

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Emily Arnold McCully was born in Galesburg, Illinois. She was a dare-devil tree-climber and ball-player who loved to write stories and illustrate them. Her family moved to New York City and then to a suburb, where she attended school. After college at Brown University, she earned a Master's degree at Columbia University in art history. She worked as a freelance illustrator for magazines, advertisements and book publishers until a radio station commissioned a series of posters showing children playing. The first appeared in subway cars, where it was seen by a children's book editor. It launched a long career, first as an illustrator, then as author/illustrator of picture books. McCully won a Caldecott Medal in 1993. She has two grown sons, one grandson and lives in New York City and Columbia County, N.Y., where she grows flowers and vegetables.

Customer reviews

5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5
2 global ratings

Top review from the United States

myrna felder
5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
This beautifully illustrated book tells a
wonderful true story in the charming way
of Emily Arnold McCully’s many delightful
children’s books. Highly recommended!
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