ALA Booklist (Wed Jul 05 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Though Clara Poole's impulsive love of high places leads to tragedy when her mother is killed by lightning during a rescue attempt, it serves her well after she's unwillingly swept into an around-the-world balloon race that puts her aboard the Amelia with rude, long-retired pilot Greta Gildersleeve and a crew of three unusually intelligent monkeys. In the course of stressful challenges nging from storms and media events to sabotage at turn her from a frightened and reluctant newbie to a seasoned, resilient adventurer, she navigates through the heavy clouds of her own grief and by race's end has helped her devastated dad begin to heal from his. Tyng surrounds his plucky preteen protagonist with a sturdy and colorful supporting cast, lays out a series of thrilling exploits and dramatic turns as the 10-stage race sails over six continents, and provides both a clever climactic twist and a clear lead-in to sequels at the close. Echoes of Jules Verne and Roald Dahl add even more lift to this soaring debut.

Horn Book (Thu Sep 07 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Twelve-year-old Clara Abigail Poole causes quite a scene when she hurtles across the skies of western Michigan in a plastic lawn chair attached to hundreds of balloons. After she crash-lands and is grounded by her father, Clara's stunt captures the attention of one Harold Habberdish, who arrives from Paris with a proposal: join "the most ambitious and breathtaking adventure race ever conceived," a hot-air balloon race around the world. Against her father's wishes, Clara runs away from home -- and from the guilt she feels for the accident that killed her mother -- and flies to Paris to join the race. Because she is so young and inexperienced, she is partnered with seasoned aeronaut Greta Gildersleeve and her monkey copilots. What ensues is a madcap tale with oddball characters, intrigue, and new friendships made. Tyng's prose is appropriately light and action verb-driven, complete with sound effects ("Thwack! Pop! Poppity-pop!"). Beyond all the excitement, though, this is, at its heart, a father-daughter story and one about the long road -- or flight -- toward acceptance and forgiveness. Told with a light touch -- lighter than air, you might say. Dean Schneider

Kirkus Reviews

When her science experiment goes awry, Clara receives international attention-and an invitation to join a race that circles the globe.After her mother's death, 12-year-old Clara Poole tried to become the "safe version" of herself to please her cautious father. Then, while floating above the ground at the end-of-school-year fair in a plastic lawn chair lifted by hundreds of balloons, Clara has a thought: She could descend to earth-or she could go higher. Cutting her tether, Clara soars away over Michigan. When she lands, Clara is greeted by reporters, grounded by her father, and invited to join the World Organization of Balloon Aeronauts on their 100th air race. Consisting of 10 stages, including an endurance trial over the Sahara and a hunt for flags among the rocky cliffs of Mount Kailash in Tibet, the race is notoriously dangerous and completely thrilling. Partnered with a seasoned aeronaut and three monkey co-pilots, Clara learns the temperamental art of ballooning while navigating new friendships and scheming competitors. Invented elements, like the use of a flusterboard to travel between balloons, exist alongside references to genuine landmarks, creating a fantastical world that feels wholly possible. Most main characters, including Clara, are assumed White. Aeronaut teams represent their countries; Clara forms notable friendships with the Hoshis from Japan and the Jollys from India.An engrossing and inventive flight through the skies. (Adventure. 8-12)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Twelve-year-old Michigan daredevil Clara Poole loves heights and climbing, but her overly protective father has kept a tight rein on her ever since Clara’s mother was killed by lightning a year ago. But after tying balloons to a lawn chair results in accidental flight and brings Clara unexpected fame, the World Organization of Balloon Aeronauts’ invites her to participate in their 100th-anniversary hot air balloon race as their celebrity Face of the Race. Though her father forbids it, Clara forges his signature and runs away. Upon joining the race, she’s partnered with veteran champion Greta Gildersleeve and her trio of monkey pilots. Clara makes similarly adrenaline-seeking friends and enemies among fellow juvenile competitors, including aristocratic Ophelia Chins-Ratton, effervescent Hatsu Hoshi, and good-natured Harbinder Jolly, who each encourage her adventurous pursuits. Throughout the race’s increasingly risky stages, Clara embraces her newfound calling as a balloon pilot, while navigating natural hazards and ruthless sabotage from a rival. Occasionally outlandish but with plenty of heart and charm, Tyng’s fast-paced debut conjures excitement via a high-octane premise that’s tempered by laugh-out-loud humor and populated by idiosyncratic characters. Aeronaut teams represent their home countries; Hatsu cues as Japanese, Harbinder reads as Indian, and Clara and others read as white. Ages 8–12. (July)