School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Though narrow of topic, these introductions combine plenty of big, bright color photos with explanatory texts that, for all their brevity, will give new readers healthy doses of specific information. Hang Gliders, for instance, offers not only a tally of the required gear but also covers techniques for steering, changing speeds, and landing safely. Both the narratives and images feature men and women in roughly equal numbers-and, even more laudably, Space Vehicles highlights a Russian Soyuz and its launch vehicle rather than now-obsolete American spacecraft, though the Hubble Space Telescope does make a cameo. Each volume ends with a labeled diagram, a page of "Fun Facts," and a list of print and Web resources. (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Each of these books takes a cursory look at a particular mode of transportation/flight. The choppy but easy-to-read texts are supported by engaging full- and half-page photographs in an accessible design. Briefly discussing the science and function of each highlighted aircraft, these books do an adequate job of introducing complex subjects to young readers. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Lightning Bolt Books titles: How Do Hang Gliders Work?, How Do Helicopters Work?, How Do Parachutes Work?, How Do Jets Work?, How Do Hot Air Balloons Work?, and How Do Space Vehicles Work?.] (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
How hard is a hot air balloon to understand? It's a balloon, right? It floats upward, right? Au contraire, says this impressively cogent entry into the How Flight Works series. Using playfully arranged text and the big, bright photos that have become trademark to the Lightning Bolt brand, Silverman explains the engines, cords, and vents that make flight possible, as well as how meteorological study compensates for the unnerving fact that balloons cannot be steered. (One page illustrates how hot air balloons float like dandelion seeds on a breezy day.) Info on safety, passenger loads, and balloon storage lead to a final diagram labeling the parts of a passenger balloon and a page of deeper facts, making this an airy, swift but still quite informational package.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
