Elinor Smith was six when she first went for a ride in a rickety "flying machine," and she was just sixteen when she earned her aviation license in 1928. But not everyone thought that girls should fly. When male pilots and newspapermen mocked her, Elinor decided to perform an aerial maneuver they thought was impossible: flying under all four bridges that span New York City's East River. Gorgeous sweeping illustrations by François Roca show how Elinor pulled off this risky feat skillfully and with style. Gr 3-6–Everyone has heard of Amelia Earhart, but she was not the only young woman fascinated by flight in the early 1900s. Elinor Smith began talking flying lessons in 1921 when she was only 10 years old. At 16, she was the youngest person in the U.S., man or woman, to earn a pilot's license. The climax of this picture-book biography is when Smith achieved acclaim as the first person to fly a plane under all four of New York City's bridges. Unlike the stories of Amelia Earhart and Harriet Quimby, this book has a happy ending. Smith lived to a ripe old age, and, according to an endnote, much of the book is based on interviews the author had with her before she passed away in March 2010. Brown's narration is fluent, engaging, and full of dialogue. The page-long endnote explains her research and sources. Realistic oil illustrations are similar in style to those in Muhammad Ali, Champion of the World (Random, 2007). Roca uses minimal background detail and skillfully arranges scenes to focus attention on the emotions and faces of the characters while still maintaining historical and geographical accuracy. This is an excellent introduction to a lesser-known but fascinating adventurer.–Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UTα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Inspiration soars from every page of this introduction to Elinor Smith, a Long Islander who took her first flight in 1917 at age six, became a licensed pilot at 16, was voted “Best Woman Pilot in America” over the likes of Amelia Earhart, went on to be a test pilot, and at 89, to “fly” NASA’s space shuttle simulator. Presenting Smith as a capable young enthusiast steadfastly ignoring gender expectations to follow her dream, Brown centers the dramatic main narrative on the aviator’s daring 1928 flight beneath four of New York’s East River bridges, then tallies some of her many other accomplishments in an afterword. Smith displays star quality in Roca’s accomplished full-bleed paintings, too—a picture of slender, confident competence as graceful as the brightly colored, sturdy-looking biplanes she flies. Based on interviews with Smith herself (who died earlier this year) and archival material, Brown’s debut makes a worthy companion to Julie Cummins’ Women Daredevils (2008) and other celebrations of women who refused to do as they were told. Grades 2-4. --John Peters “François Roca's oil paintings capture [Elinor's] sunny determination as well as the lure of the wide skies and the open cockpit.” ― The Washington Post “Look out, Amelia Earhart. This underdog story features a lesser-known female pilot who gained eminence in the 1920s. At age 16, Elinor Smith became the youngest pilot in the U.S. But when newspapers belittled her accomplishment, she took a dare to fly under one of New York City's bridges–upping the ante by flying under four of them. . . It's a stirring tale of determination and moxie.” ― Publishers Weekly, STARRED review “Brown's prose is crystalline, lively and reads well aloud. Roca captures the air and sky beautifully…” ― Kirkus Reviews “This is an excellent introduction to a lesser-known but fascinating adventurer.” ― School Library Journal “Inspiration soars from every page.” ― Booklist Tami Lewis Brown is the author of the novel The Map of Me and the picture book Soar, Elinor! , illustrated by François Roca. She holds an M.F.A. in writing for children from Vermont College and lives in Washington, D.C. FRANÇOIS ROCA has illustrated many picture books, including Twenty-One Elephants and Still Standing by April Jones Prince and Muhammad Ali: Champion of the World by Jonah Winter. He lives and works outside Paris, France.