SOAR, ELINOR! by Tami Lewis Brown, illustrated by Franςois Roca is the amazing story of pilot Elinor Smith’s daredevil 1928 flight beneath all four bridges crossing New York’s East River: the Brooklyn, the Manhattan, the Williamsburg, and the Queensboro.
“On Sunday, October 21st, 1928, Elinor slipped on her lucky sneakers and a red leather jacket… She was just seventeen.
“As she prepared for takeoff from Roosevelt Field, someone tapped on the cockpit. It was the world-famous pilot Charles Lindbergh… ‘Good luck, kid.’ ”
With careful planning and a nimble plane, Elinor weaved, dipped, and squeezed beneath all four bridges to become the first pilot ever to accomplish such a feat!
Elinor went on to distinguish herself in other ways throughout her flying career. Her determination and spunk have been beautifully captured in Brown’s brilliant text.
SOAR, ELINOR! is a tribute to one woman’s amazing accomplishments and the heights to which anyone with a dream, determination, and grit can aspire.
From Tami Lewis Brown:
My father was a pilot who loved flying small planes. He was also my greatest cheerleader, encouraging me to shoot for the stars no matter the odds. When I heard about Elinor Smith – especially how her father and mother encouraged her to dream big and ignore those who said it couldn’t be done – I knew I had to share Elinor’s story with the world. Now my dream is that some girl or boy will read my book and shoot for their own star. Who knows… it might even be you!
When I was a kid, we lived on a farm in Prospect, Kentucky. My sister and I rode horses every single day. We had lots of dogs and cats, and a duck named Sweet Feed. What was it like being surrounded by so many animals? Lots of fun but lots of work, too. We fed the horses before we went to school and as soon as we got home we cleaned their stalls, even before starting our homework. Kentucky is a Southern state but winters were freezing cold. Every morning and every night we hammered through thick ice to make sure the horses had plenty water to drink
After our farm chores, reading felt like a treat. But learning to read wasn’t easy for me. In first grade I struggled to decode words. My mom and I worked with flashcards and she helped me read simple books every night. Finally one day it all made sense. I could read on my own and I never turned back! We went to the public library almost every week where I checked out as many books as I could carry. When I read From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler I knew I would live in a big city when I grew up – and I do!
What kind of student were you?
I was curious about everything when I was a kid, so most of the time I loved school. I had great teachers (Except in third grade. That year my teacher was REALLY MEAN!) Unfortunately my best subject was daydreaming. I imagined all sorts of things, all day long. But I was lucky because most of my teachers (except that mean one in third grade!) knew there was a lot going on inside my head. One of the best things about being a writer is I get paid to daydream. Good thing I had lots of practice when I was a kid!
Did you ever do something brave when you were young?
During summers when I was a kid my mom shooed us outside in the morning and told us not to come back until dinnertime. My sister and I got into lots of adventures on our own. Our neighborhood had a “haunted house,” really an abandoned farmhouse, and I got the reputation for being brave by exploring it on my own. That was more foolish than brave because the floors weren’t very strong.
One truly brave thing I did was challenge a bully who had called my sister names. He was WAY bigger than me and beat me to a pulp, but I knew I’d done the right thing. And he didn’t bother me or my sister again. Actually I think he was a little afraid of a scrawny girl who was crazy enough to fight him.
Did you play an instrument? Which one(s)?
My father was a gifted musician who could play almost any instrument, so I really wanted to learn to play the piano. I took years of lessons but my dad’s musical gene passed me by. My teacher never even invited me to be in the recital! But my daughter inherited her grandfather’s musical ability though. She’s a great pianist, even when she doesn’t practice.
What were your favorite things to do when you were young?
I grew up on a horse farm in Kentucky where my family raised Morgan horses. Sometimes my dad bought horses with bad habits like bucking or running away. My sister and I trained them, spending lots of time talking to them and gaining their trust. It was so much fun to ride every single day! And we had a great time competing in horse shows. We won lots of ribbons. But it was sad, too. As soon as those bad horses “learned their manners,” my dad sold them and bought a new “bad” horse or two for us to tame.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be?
Before I was a writer I was a lawyer – I don’t want to do that again! But when I was in law school, my husband and I explored opening our own ice cream shop. I’d love to invent my own ice cream flavors and try all the samples! My first new flavor would be Caramel Peach. Doesn’t it sound delicious?
Do you listen to music while you write, or do you like silence?
I love listening to music while I write. My friend M. T. Anderson gave me a CD of 1920s music I listened to when I was writing SOAR, ELINOR! It helped put me back in Elinor’s place and time. There’s a link to a 1920’s radio station you can listen to on my website –http://www.tamilewisbrown.com/on_the_fly/
How long does it take you to write your books?
Nobody can believe how long it takes me to write a book! First drafts can be pretty fast – three or four months. But I revised the text for SOAR, ELINOR! for two years, polishing, researching, learning new facts, taking out others, and polishing again. That was nothing compared to THE MAP OF ME, a middle grade novel that will be published next August. I started work on it in 2005 and finished it this spring! I’m a slow writer but that’s okay. I’m learning with each new draft and I end up with a story I really want to tell.
Do you have any children or pets and have you ever used them in a book?
I have two children – Julia and Will. Will flew with me in an antique Waco biplane when I researched SOAR, ELINOR! We did loops and spins. It was GREAT. There’s a character like Julia in the book I’m just beginning to write now. That character is brave and stubborn and has a tricky right eyebrow she can raise by itself. Just like my daughter. But don’t tell her! I have a dog, Murphy and two cats, Smokey and Marie. They haven’t appeared in any of my books, but they keep begging.
Quick Picks:
Favorite stationary item?
I love love love love love stationary. Especially envelopes with my address printed on the back. And fountain pens (does a pen count as a stationary item?) I write with a yellow fountain pen filled with purple ink. It makes me feel quirky.
P & J or Mac and Cheese?
How can I choose between my two FAVORITE foods? In a pinch I choose PB&J- as long as the bread is soft and there’s cherry jelly.
Favorite or least favorite vegetable?
I really love vegetables. Especially spinach. When I was in elementary school I ate everyone else’s spinach at lunch one day. This was not a wise digestive decision.
Love revision or hate it?
I love revision almost as much as I love PB&J sandwiches. I could revise a manuscript FOREVER. My editor has to pry the final draft out of my hands.
Early Bird Writer or Night Owl?
I don’t like waking up early but that’s when I do my best writing. When I’m on deadline, I get up at 4 a.m. to write. There’s something about writing in a silent house in the dark as the sun begins to rise that gets my creative juices flowing.
I couldn’t be more thrilled that you’re reading my new picture book biography SOAR, ELINOR!
My kindergarten class picture (everyone else was looking at the camera!)
When I was a kid everyone in my family flew airplanes- my dad, my mom, even my little sister. Eventually I became a pilot, too. So when I learned about girl pilot Elinor Smith I couldn’t wait to share her story. But Elinor’s love of flying wasn’t the real reason I wanted to spread the word. When she said she wanted to be a professional pilot, people told her to forget it. Girls belonged at home, not in the air. Elinor didn’t listen – and soon became one of the best pilots in the world, breaking all sorts of records as a teenager.
I didn’t always know I wanted to be a writer but maybe I should have because when I was a kid my favorite hobby was daydreaming. Some of my teacher’s appreciated the fact that I had a lot going on inside my head. But some didn’t. They thought I should pay more attention in class! These days I’m lucky to have an editor who’s glad I like to daydream.
The other thing I loved to do was read – anything from a cereal box to a Dr. Seuss book to a middle grade novel. My all time favorites were From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and everything written by Roald Dahl. I was lucky to have fantastic school librarians and a good public library in my neighborhood. Now I look forward to seeing my book on those library shelves. Check it out!
Happy Reading!
Tami
Download a copy of “Your Friend, Tami Lewis Brown” HERE.
“In 1917, some girls dressed their dolls. They played house and hopscotch, jump rope and jacks.
But one little little girl wanted more. Elinor Smith wanted to soar.”
And soar, she did. As a result of Tami Lewis Brown’s masterful craftsmanship, children who read this inspirational book will feel that they have what it takes to soar to new heights, too.
Download this dynamic Teacher’s Guide to keep Elinor’s fascinating story lifting your students’ wings! SOAR ELINOR! Teacher’s Guide.
Download a Women’s History Activity Kit for Soar, Elinor!HERE.
Each of this week’s selections tells the story of one or more people – some young, some old, boys, girls, women, men – who’ve made a difference in the world. Each one has taken the talents he or she has been given, the obstacles s/he has had to overcome, and his or her own voice – be it quiet and reserved, or loud and strong – to turn adversity and hardship into accomplishment, straw into gold.
But there are many books telling of many voices and the many ways one can be heard. Which are some of your favorites about people who find or use their voices to make a difference?
Young Ron McNair had a dream. Something he’d been thinking about for a long time. Ron was used to going to his South Carolina Lake City Public Library to read books, but this day he had something important to do.
Even though Ron was the library’s best customer, he wasn’t allowed to borrow books. The clerk told him he could look, but “Only white people can check out books from the library.”
But this day would be different. This day, Ron jumped up on the counter to let the desk clerk know he was serious. In the past, he’d let someone else check out the books for him. This day, Ron wouldn’t budge until Mrs. Scott, the librarian, handed him his very own library card.
The cover reveals Ron hopefully gazing off into the distance while, behind him, images of the plane he will one day fly and the library he will soon desegregate, occupy the background. Tate uses bright yellows, greens, and blues to good effect and the stylized larger-than-life heads of people are particularly effective.
This fictionalized account of a real incident in Ron McNair’s life was just the beginning of a dream-come-true. Years later, Ron flew planes and became an astronaut. He became a hero, once again, when he lost his life in 1986, alongside the other astronauts aboard the space shuttle Challenger.
“No one was surprised that Marian loved to sing.” After all, everyone in her family did, too. But “her voice was distinct – strong and velvety and able to climb more than twenty-four notes.
“Everyone wanted to hear Marian sing.”
Over her lifetime, Marian endured much hardship and humiliation in pursuit of her dreams. Through it all, she remained steadfast and strong, buoyed by the comfort of her family, faith and the music that lived in her heart.
Rachel Carson, Wilma Rudolph, Golda Mabovitch (Meir), and Wanda Gág are but a few of the young girls whose inspirational stories of curiosity, bravery, and selflessness find their way onto the pages of this book. Ann Paul’s stunning poetry paired with Steirnagle’s luminous oil paintings remind readers that no matter who or where we find ourselves, each of us is capable of making a difference and doing something small but remarkable in the world.
*** Though out-of-print, this book is worth tracking down!
Wilma Rudolph was no ordinary baby, no ordinary child. Though sick throughout her early years with scarlet fever and polio, Wilma went on to accomplish remarkable things.
The first American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympics (1960), Wilma continued to do amazing things long after she retired from her career as a runner.
Krull’s moving text – with illustrations by Diaz in acrylic, watercolor, and gouache juxtaposed against a background of photographic images – is inspired.
Wilma found her voice on the track field, and later started a company called Wilma Unlimited and a nonprofit foundation to encourage and inspire young athletes.
Cody Mack is in big trouble He’s an unruly boy and his parents don’t know what to do. The reports on his bad behavior are enough to fill two binders, and Principal Small has no choice but to take drastic measures. With the blessing of his parents, Cody is placed in the care of Dr. Archibald Farley, Headmaster of Splurch Academy and world-famous specialist in disruptive boys. Splurch is like no other school Cody has ever seen and he and his friends must try to get out of there alive before it’s too late!
Check out the official Splurch Academy website HERE and a fun gameboard in the Tool Box HERE.
Got a pair of dice? If so, download the plot point reading comprehension board game attached below. Slither and stalk through the ghoulish corridors of the world’s creepiest school for boys ever founded. At Splurch Academy, there are monsters at every turn.
Monsters? Or teachers? Hard to tell…
Here’s a big ReaderKidZ warning for you. Watch out for the Rebellio-Rodent Recipronater! Take care or you might become the next victim!
Download this .pdf and print on white card stock to play the Ratbrain Fiasco board game…only if you dare.
Mission Statement
To provide teachers, librarians, and parents with the resources and inspiration to foster a love of reading in kids, K-5.
