The High-Flying Adventures of Luke and Dancing Duke

Inspired by a true story, a young boy named Luke and his dog Duke were THE most famous and beloved barnstorming duo ever! Every day they would thrill the crowds with amazing death-defying daredevil stunts way up in the sky. Everyone loved seeing Duke dancing on the wing and standing on his hind legs. On this autumn day the wind was blowing very strong; Luke and Duke were uncertain whether to perform given the weather conditions, but not wanting to disappoint everyone, they decided to proceed with the show. As the plane rose skyward, they could see the smiling faces of the crowd cheering and waving. Midway through their act, a strong gust of wind violently shook the plane, the wind grew in intensity, and they were left with only one option: to abandon the plane and parachute to safety. When Luke touched ground, he quickly looked around, but sadly Duke was nowhere to be found. This would begin Luke's frantic search to find Duke.

Ruth Reid was a devoted mother and wife who always had a desire to write. One day while reading the newspaper, she read an article that quickly captured her attention and imagination. This was the spark that led her to writing her very first children's book. She quickly realized that while this story would be very entertaining, it would also be educational, teaching children about a special time in our nation's history when barnstormers filled the sky, performing their aerial stunts.

Robert Reid shared his mother's passion for creative pursuits and recognized the appeal of her story to children. His was a labor of love, and he worked on the original manuscript to bring his mother's vision to reality. She passed away in 2017 and he knows she would have been very proud to see the book completed.