Kirkus Reviews

This is a true tale of a boy who befriended the aviation pioneers and who was the second person to fly in their original glider. No one believes Tom, a Kitty Hawk resident and reputed storyteller, when he claims to have met two men from Ohio who are planning to fly through the air. The scoffing does not subside when Tom truthfully states that he flew the glider. Over the years, the Wright brothers make trips to Kitty Hawk, each time refining their machine, until the successful 1903 flight—and Tom is always there to witness it. This entry in the I Can Read Chapter Book series seems just right for new readers: Tom's presence makes the historical incident more accessible. The tale, with its limited vocabulary, doesn't allow for much character development, but has enough inherent drama to overcome the format. Bolognese's pictures add an old-fashioned touch, with a refreshingly simple palette that warmly evokes the era. (Fiction. 8-10)"

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--This easy reader tells the delightful story of young Tom Tate, a boy who assisted the Wright Brothers with experiments for their historic flying machine. The author's note identifies Tom as a real person and supplies basic facts of his life, but the story focuses only on "Will and Orv's" visits to Kittyhawk. The fictionalized dialogue is fairly realistic and the story line progresses at an even pace. Bolognese has carefully researched the watercolor illustrations, which are consistent with photographs of the events. Children will identify with the spirit of this boy who enthusiastically volunteered to try out the glider when there wasn't enough wind to lift the grown men. A fine addition.--Sharon R. Pearce, San Antonio Public Library, TX

Horn Book (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1997)

Young Tom Tate of Kitty Hawk has a penchant for 'making up stories,' but what he tells his friends one day in 1900 is true: he has just met two men who 'say they are going to fly through the air like birds.' Shea's lively evocation of Tom and the inherent fascination with the Wright brothers' story easily hold the reader's attention. Bolognese's loose-lined watercolors convey the setting as well as the moments both of tension and freedom.

ALA Booklist (Fri Nov 01 00:00:00 CST 1996)

From the I Can Read Chapter Book series, this fictionalized story from aviation history tells of Tom Tate, a boy from Kitty Hawk who befriended Orville and Wilbur Wright and took the second solo flight on their first glider. The tale does not end with Tom's flight, for he continues to watch his friends' experiments until, in 1903, he is there to see Orv take the first machine-powered flight. In addition to showing a slice of history, this intriguing book offers a good story and an inkling of the inventors' trial-and-error methods. The many well-composed illustrations, tinted with delicate watercolors, feature strong line drawings that show the characters' emotions through their faces and body language. A good introduction to the Wright brothers, from a child's point of view. (Reviewed November 15, 1996)