Fantastic Flight, by Barbara Bockman, with artwork by Jack Foster

Barbara Bockman has written a delightful new book, Fantastic Flight.  A potential week of homesickness and tears for Jessica becomes instead a very special one; thanks to her doting Grandparents.  Jessica misses her Mommy and Daddy, but Grandpa has just the thing to cheer her up, a fantastic day trip around their island home.  First, they ride an open-air jitney to Aunt Martha's Back Porch for a Banana Mango Shake.  Then they do what every child secretly wants to do -- take an amazing balloon ride!  Once airborne, they meet a Monarch butterfly, complete with a tiny suitcase and map to Mexico.  Next, they see a hard-working pelican advertising Aunt Martha’s Back Porch cafe.  Then an unfriendly cormorant bursts their balloon.  They rest on Cloud 9 before tumbling down the water slide at the amusement park!  With such a fantastic adventure, Jessica isn't homesick anymore and looks forward with delight to the rest of her visit with her dear grandparents.

Jack Foster's whimsical artwork is perfectly suited to this charming story.  He is adept at expressing just the right emotion on the characters' faces.  He gives children something wonderful to see on every page as they travel through Jessica's fantastic flight.

Fantastic Flight is a playful childhood adventure.  Children will happily turn each page to find out what Grandma and Grandpa do next to make Jessica's visit fun.  The incorporation of the wildlife adds interesting discussion points; such as do Monarch butterflies really need a map to find Mexico?  This book is sure to be a repeat request at story-time and bedtime.  I thank Barbara Bockman for giving children a book which helps to expand their imaginations

 

Fantastic Flight is available from Guardian Angel Publishing.