Illustrated by Anneli Bray Barrington Stoke ISBN 9781781129456 £6.99
People have been fascinated by the idea of flying for hundreds of years, but with the development of Balloons at the end of the 18th century it became a possibility for some. At the beginning of the 20th century a young girl called Dolly Shepherd found herself working at Alexandra Palace and was invited to take part in an aerial display, hanging below a hot air balloon. She agreed and as they say ‘the rest is history’. She went on to become a well-known aeronaut, until in 1912 she heard an inner voice telling her not to go up again; she never did another balloon flight.
This is a brilliantly exciting story of a pioneering young woman, who was not afraid to challenge the norms of the day. The author has given us an accurate account of her life but has also provided a superb story that is accessible and full of adventure. The publisher is well known for giving us books that are written by first class authors, that do not write down to the audience and can be enjoyed by a wide range. The information suggests a reading age of 8 years, with an interest level of 8-12 years.
Margaret Pemberton
