Flying Jack

By Kathye Fetsko Petrie

This is the story of Jack, who wanted to fly from the day he was a toddler. When, as a boy, people asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up, Jack would answer, "A pilot!" But by the time he got... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1563979713
• ISBN13: 9781563979712
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.3" x 0.5" x 8.8"
• Age Range: 5 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

A Dream Fulfilled

I'm always telling my writing students to have patience. The path to publishing is fraught with pits and turns, and in the end, many writers find the act of publishing their work anticlimactic. Reaching your dream proceeds with small steps of learning, trial, and accomplishment. Strife and bad fortune may take place, but your desire never wanes if it is a worthy and true goal. Flying Jack is a children's tale of an almost pilot and his struggling author and creator. It's difficult to separate this book from its author, since the protagonist reaches his dream in what seems like moments before the author reaches hers. "Jack was just about born longing to fly" opens this rich tale by first-time author Petrie. Jack grows up living and breathing airplanes, while the author surreptitiously weaves in the facts of flight history. Eventually Jack joins the navy but is routed into sea duty over his plans for piloting. This pattern is repeated throughout Jack's life, and every time he attempts to get airborne, life or circumstance gets in the way. While Jack is driven by his passion, his love and duty to his family take precedence. It's one of many important lessons for kids, knowing that some young readers have parents they don't see from one end of the week to the next. Jack wants to fly but tends to his family instead, and in the end, it is this legacy that brings his dream to fruition. Coincidentally, the author was diverted by love and family, yet maintained her faith and vision for being an author, and is no doubt being rewarded in turn as her excellent first book hits the shelves. Flying Jack was worth the wait. Like Jack, this book is battle-hardened. I threw it before the local second grade class, and it spawned discussions ranging from flight to equal rights for women and the races. That's right. It got them thinking wonderful individual notions, which is the mark, if not the very point, of any good book. Flying Jack includes a glossary of flying terms and facts that will guide parents and teachers alike through discussion points. This title is appropriate for grade school children and big kids with dreams everywhere.

Flying Jack

This is a fabulous book, the story tells of lifelong dreams, flying and a love for family! It also brings a sweet tear of happiness.

Fantastic, Very Touching Story

My five year old child is a hugh flying/airplane fanatic. He gets it from his father so this book is very appropriate for our family. But beyond the airplane-related aspects of this story, it is a very touching story of the relationships between parents and children. I cannot read this story to my son without getting teary-eyed! This one is going to be a classic in our house and I can't wait for more books by this author. I highly recommend this book.

Great job

This is a wonderful book that I think would be great for many children in the proper age group, particularly those with an interest in flying. The story is quite moving in its own way, the illustrations are eye-catching, and the introduction from Reeve Lindbergh -- someone from a family that knows something about aviation -- is nicely done. Hopefully, we'll get to see much more from this promising author in the months and years to come.