"An evocative and insightful look at the history of flight written from the perspective of the history-makers themselves." --Dr. Richard P. Hallion, Verville Fellow, Smithsonian Institution Presenting the lives of more than twenty aviation luminaries from throughout history, this middle reader is a captivating celebration of man's aspirations for the skies. From the story of the Wright brothers to that of Alan Shepard, Jr., the author, himself an experienced pilot, introduces young readers to the history of modern flight and the inspiring figures who followed their dreams to navigate over vast oceans, set altitude and speed records, pioneer stunt techniques, and eventually rocket into the great abyss of space. Both children and adult readers learn about Roscoe Turner, air racer and showman, who started by flying stunts in the movie Hell's Angels and went on to clock an average speed of 283.4 miles per hour, a new record of his time. Igor Sikorsky from Russia made his first helicopter at age twelve with a rubber band, but by the time he was an adult, he had created the Sikorsky XR-4, the army's first practical helicopter.