Flying runs in my family. When I was in 8th grade, my class visited the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and I had the privilege of seeing my great-grandpa’s airplane hanging among other notable examples of key developments in the history of flight.
So when I saw Kirsten W. Larson’s new picture book biography on the life and legacy of Emma Lilian Todd, I had to check it out! Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane is a beautiful tribute to Todd, a female figure in aviation whose name was previously unfamiliar to me, and there is much to love about this book.
I love that the world is being introduced to more and more women who made a difference in STEM fields through history. Growing up, I would have been enchanted by these women, and I am thankful that today’s children will know their names.
I love that Wood, Wire, Wings gives a small glimpse of what life was like for women just a century ago. Larson expertly incorporates Todd’s own words into the book, and I was fascinated by Todd’s determination to prove that a woman could invent a flying machine that was as-good-as or even-better-than one made by a man.
I love the backmatter notes and pictures showcasing notable moments in aviation history. We’ve come a long way in the past 100 years!
I love Tracy Subisak’s illustrations. Loose, colorful and free, they harmonize beautifully with the text.
I love that this is (another!) encouragement to persevere in the face of failure. If I have any complaint about picture book biographies featuring inventors, it’s that they begin to feel familiar in a way—I have yet to read about an inventor whose work was not filled with failures prior to their successes. And so, in a positive way, this story reinforces that theme and is the jumping off point for today’s suggested activity…
How to Use It:
Step 1: Collect picture book biographies featuring notable inventors, scientists, and engineers. Be sure to include Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton and Don Tate in your list.
Step 2: Read them! If you are working with a class, you could break into groups and assign one book to each group. Alternatively, you could read one book a day for a week, or read two books aloud to your children or students.
Step 3: Compare and contrast. How are the people in these books the same? How are they different? How were their lives similar? Different? What common threads do you see in their stories?
Step 4: Connect. Ask questions like: What does this remind you of in your own life? Have you read any other books or heard any other stories that seem similar to this one in some way?
Step 5: Extend. Ask questions like: If (inventor’s name) wrote you a letter, what do you think it might say? If (engineer’s name) gave you advice, what do you think he/she might tell you? If (scientist) could see the world today, what do you think might surprise him or her? What might excite them? Worry them? If you could say anything to (inventor’s name), what would you tell them? Ask them?
After reading this book, I’m feeling ready to invent something. Or maybe jump in an open-air plane and feel the wind in my hair! I wonder if you’ll feel the same way.
Your turn! What picture book biographies featuring STEM figures are your favorite? Why? What do you think about Wood, Wire, Wings?
P.S. Celebrate life!