Flying Cars: The True Story - Hardcover

Glass, Andrew

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0618984828 ISBN 13: 9780618984824

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2015

Synopsis

Humans have always wanted to fly. As soon as there were planes and cars, many people saw a combination as the next step for personal transportation, and visionary engineers and inventors did their best to make the flying car (or the roadable plane) a reality. This book is a breezy account of hybrid vehicles and their creators, and of the intense drive that kept bringing inventors back to the drawing board despite repeated failures and the dictates of common sense. Illustrated with archival photos, this entertaining survey takes readers back as far as Icarus and forward into the present day, with a look toward the future. Includes author's note, source notes, bibliography, index. 

About this title

About the Author:

Andrew Glass has written several books for children and has illustrated many. He lives in New York City with his wife.

From School Library Journal:

Gr 5–8—Despite the promises of movies such as Back to the Future II, most of us do not ride in flying cars as of 2015. Glass explains why not in this intriguing work of history. Readers learn about many intriguing airplane-car hybrids, such as the Airphibian, invented by Robert Fulton, who flew his vehicle at 110 miles per hour, landed it, single-handedly converted it into a car in under five minutes, then "drove the convertible proudly into Manhattan at a breezy 55 miles per hour." These stories of invention are undeniably appealing, although Glass's storytelling sometimes obscures the history, and extraneous details occasionally distract from the book's focus. The author does not explicitly define the difference between a flying car and a plane with wheels. This distinction only becomes clear after a few chapters, and readers may be put off by lengthy technical descriptions. While a brief glossary follows the text, terms like carburetor, piston, gondola, and horsepower are not defined. VERDICT This flawed but fascinating book is best suited to larger collections and communities with strong interest in cars or aviation.—Rachel Anne Mencke, St. Matthew's Parish School, Pacific Palisades, CA

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0618984828
• ISBN 13: 9780618984824
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 128