For the child fascinated by how things work, or who dreams of achieving the impossible. This graphic novel brings the Wright brothers' incredible journey to life.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is feeling discouraged by a difficult project or is fascinated by how things are invented. This dynamic graphic novel recounts the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright, two bicycle mechanics who dared to solve the problem of flight. It demystifies the process of invention, showing that success is built on a mountain of small failures, careful observation, and relentless perseverance. For ages 8 to 12, it brilliantly illustrates themes of resilience, teamwork, and creative problem-solving, making it an inspiring choice for any child who needs to see that 'impossible' is just a problem waiting to be solved.
The death of the brothers' mother from tuberculosis is mentioned briefly early in the book as a historical fact. The death of a mentor, Octave Chanute, is also noted later on. Both are handled directly and factually, without dwelling on grief. The book's approach is secular and historical.
Ideal Reader
The ideal reader is a 9 to 12-year-old who is a tinkerer, a builder, or a fan of 'how it works' style content. They might love LEGOs or Minecraft and be drawn to STEM subjects. It's also perfect for a reluctant reader in this age range who enjoys graphic novels and nonfiction but finds dense prose intimidating. This book is for the child who is beginning to take on complex, multi-step projects.
Parent Prep
No significant prep is needed. A parent might want to preview the brief mention of their mother's death on page 15, but it's handled gently. The book does a good job explaining technical concepts like 'wing-warping' visually, but a curious child might have more questions, so being ready to look up more information together could be a fun extension activity. A parent has just seen their child get intensely frustrated and want to quit a school project, a model kit, or a complex puzzle. The child has said something like, "This is too hard!" or "I'll never figure this out!" The parent wants to show them that failure and revision are normal parts of the creative process.
Age Experience
A younger reader (8-9) will primarily enjoy the visual story of building and crashing planes, grasping the core message of 'try, try again'. An older reader (10-12) will appreciate the nuances of the scientific method, the business challenges, the importance of documenting their work, and the specific engineering problems the brothers had to solve. They will see it not just as an adventure, but as a case study in innovation.
What Makes It Special
Among many Wright brothers biographies, this book's graphic novel format is its standout feature. It makes the complex engineering and iterative design process accessible and visually engaging. Unlike books that focus only on the final glorious flight, this one dedicates the majority of its pages to the unglamorous, essential work of research, failure, and refinement. It truly celebrates the process, not just the result.
Read plot summary
This graphic novel biography follows Orville and Wilbur Wright from their childhood inspirations to their historic first flight at Kitty Hawk. The narrative focuses on their methodical, scientific approach to invention. It details their work in their bicycle shop, their observation of birds, their iterative designs of gliders, their invention of the wind tunnel to correct flawed data, and their development of a lightweight engine. The story highlights the constant cycle of building, testing, crashing, and refining that ultimately led to their success, while also touching upon their rivalry with other inventors.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
On page 63, the Wrights' 1901 glider fails to perform as expected. How did this 'failure' lead them to build their own wind tunnel and make a major breakthrough?
2
Wilbur and Orville were partners, but they didn't always agree. Can you find a scene where their teamwork was especially important? What different strengths did each brother bring to the project?
3
The brothers spent a lot of time observing birds to understand how to control a flying machine (pages 28-29). What is something in nature that you find fascinating? How could you use observation to create something new or solve a problem?
4
Toward the end of the book, other inventors try to claim they were the first to fly. Why was it so important for the brothers to have kept such careful notes and photographs of all their experiments?
