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by Rita Mayer (Author), Chad Thompson (Illustrator)
The Boy Who Loved to Go Fast: A Story of Glenn Hammond Curtiss brings the extraordinary life of Glenn Curtiss (1878-1930) to young children through lyrical verse. Curtiss achieved a remarkable number of accomplishments throughout his life. These include completing the first documented long-distance flight of a powered aircraft in American history; setting theunofficial land speed record on Ormond Beach on a motorcycle with an engine he designed himself; developing the JN-4 "Jenny" airplane, which was later used extensively in training pilots for WWI; creating the "Triad" seaplane, which was adopted by the U.S. Navy; and lastly, engaging in real estate development, including founding several cities. The book shines a light on this unsung hero of aviation and invention in a simple and accessible way that will capture the imagination of young minds. It serves as an easy introduction to Curtiss' many accomplishments and provides readers with inspiration to let curiosity take the lead, dream big, make mistakes, try again, and never stop learning.
