WINGWALKER

By Rosemary Wells

Illustrated by Brian Selznick

Hyperion Books 
for Children, 2002

Grades 3-5

Wingwalker takes place in the 1930's in Oklahoma and Minnesota during the Dust Bowl days. The story is told through the voice of a young boy who reluctantly goes on an airplane ride not to disappoint his father. He is terrified and vows he will never go higher than his attic ever again. When his parents loose their jobs, his father ironically answers an ad to become a wingwalker. He must stand on the wing of an airplane while it circles its way over the crowd. The family joins the air show carnival and moves from Oklahoma to Minnesota. This brings the boy many opportunities to meet people who enrich his life and help him walk on his own wings.

About the Author

Rosemary Wells was born in New York City and lived on the shores of New Jersey. She is a versatile author and illustrator, creating books for both children and young adults, whose career has spanned over 30 years. Many of her stories were inspired by everyday experiences with her daughters. She doesn't remember when she wasn't drawing and has always enjoyed the encouragement and attention her creativity has brought her. She lives with her husband, Tom, in New York.

Activities

• Compare an air show, a carnival, and a fair. What is the same, what is different and what would you like the best about each?

• Research what barnstorming was and its historic role.

• Movies sometimes show stunts that are tricks of the camera. Discuss the technical things the camera can do and give examples of this.

• Who and what are the Blue Angels? What is their history?

More, more, more...

• Gaffney, Timothy R. Air Show Pilots and Airplanes. Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2001.

• Harman, Chuck. Nothing Can Possibly Go Wrong. Studio Five/Fourteen, 2000.

• Savage, Jeff. Stunt Planes. Capstone Press, 2003.

• Schimmelpfennig, Wolfgang. Making and Flying Stunt Kites and One-Liners. Sterling Publications, 1996.

• Van Steenwyk, Elizabeth. Air Shows: From Barnstormers to Blue Angels. Franklin Watts, 1999.

Websites

Rosemary Wells

Edwards Air Force Base

Science Fun with Airplanes

• www.yesmag.bc.ca/projects/flyer.html

• unite.ukans.edu/explorer/explorer-db/rsrc/
  783750895-447DED81.2.PDF

• glencoe.com/sec/computered/col/chapter8/
  aerodynamics/skyharbor.html

Barnstorming