Alis the Aviator

by Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail, Kalpna Patel (Illustrator)

Overview

Come along on an aviation journey with Alis! This spunky female guide will take you through an ABC of planes in this picture book featuring gorgeous cut-paper art.

An A to Z of planes past and present, this book has stunning cut-paper art and a cute-as-a-button guide named Alis. Named for Dr. Alis B. Kennedy, likely one of the first Indigenous women to obtain a commercial pilot licence with land and sea ratings in Canada, Alis will take you on an aviation tour from the Avro Arrow to the Zeppelin and everything in between.

Meticulously researched and uniquely crafted, this is a one-of-a-kind book that will delight aviation fans big and little.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781774883648
Publisher:	Tundra Book Group
Publication date:	10/24/2023
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.16(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

DANIELLE METCALFE-CHENAIL is a history-obsessed author who has researched and written aviation and reconciliation stories in Edmonton, the North and Houston, Texas. Her first book for children, Alis the Aviator, was called "a plane fan's new best friend" by School Library Journal. Danielle now lives by the sea in Nova Scotia/Mi'kma'ki (Canada) with her family.

KALPNA PATEL is an artist, jeweler and crafter living in Toronto, Ontario. About a third of her life is spent around books — reading books, selling books and cutting books up and making stuff with them. She creates window displays for independent businesses, is an event decorator and organizer for City of Craft and works part time at a bookstore, all while making jewelery and creating art installations around the city. Alis the Aviator is Kalpna's first book for children.

Editorial Reviews

One of CBC Books' Best Canadian Picture Books of 2019

PRAISE FOR Alis the Aviator:

“This is an alphabet book with a difference! . . . A delight to any child interested in identifying planes.” —Resource Links

“A plane fan’s new best friend.” —School Library Journal

“Patel’s cut paper illustrations are bright and attractive.” —CM Magazine

“The artwork in this book is bright and cheerful and surprisingly three dimensional.” —What’s Up, Yukon

"If you have a child who loves planes, this is absolutely a book to add to your bookshelf. Alis the Aviator is a perfect combination of aviation vocabulary and facts, the ABC’s, and unique collage illustration." —Canadian Picture Book Blog

"This very accurate historical approach to learning the ABC’s will surely delight any aviation fan of any age!" —Midwest Book Review

“This unique ABC book goes way beyond the traditional "A is for Apple" and introduces readers to aviation terms.” —Michelle Nott

From the Publisher

06/01/2019

PreS-Gr 2—This book may be a plane fan's new best friend; or at the very least, a useful dictionary of new planes (and a hot air balloon) for them to research and/or imitate. Paper cutout illustrations accompany 26 different models, topped off with a glossary that gives more detail about each aircraft. That said, sometimes the illustrations seem to stray from focusing on the airplanes and the single-sentence stanzas are often bland, opaque, or both, making it unclear as to what the text is referencing. A narrator would need to have a good knowledge of planes beforehand to accurately explain the meaning behind the descriptions to inquisitive readers. The art style, while wonderfully detailed (plane serial numbers are prominently displayed) and undeniably attractive, is somewhat questionable. It seems a bit more realism would have better suited the subject matter. The best marriage of the art style and subject matter is the Renegade model plane, shown in paper pieces and then put together on the next page, a testament to its "build at home" legacy. VERDICT Although the intentions of the book are admirable, the execution leaves something to be desired—namely, a more natural combination of poetic writing coupled with information.—Sean Dorsey, Suffolk Public Library, VA

School Library Journal