Explore flight!
The featured books are The Adventures of Sparrowboy by Brian Pinkney and Flying Machine by Andrew Nahum. In The Adventures of Sparrowboy, a newspaper delivery boy named Henry has an encounter with a sparrow who transfers his power of flight to Henry. Like his favorite comic strip hero, Falconman, Henry uses his new power to defend the defenseless. When he realizes that the sparrow’s gift has left the bird defenseless, he gives back his power of flight. Flying Machine, an Eyewitness Book, offers detailed, full-color photographs and illustrations to explain man’s fascination with flight and efforts throughout history to achieve human flight. Readers also get the facts on the physics of flight and information about aviation pioneers.
Get the books
The featured books were chosen for their quality and availability in most school and public libraries. For other book suggestions, check out the bookmark in the PDF.
The Adventures of Sparrowboy
Age Level:
3-6 Genre:
Fiction 
Flying Machine
Age Level:
9-12 Genre:
Nonfiction What’s in the reading adventure pack?
- Parent information sheet with an introductory note that teachers can personalize, instructions about how to use the packet, and tips for sharing fiction and nonfiction books with children
- Two books: one fiction and one nonfiction, selected by Reading Rockets for high quality and wide availability in school libraries
- Creativity Activity: a hands-on craft project
- Imagination Activity: encourages imaginative play, writing, or drawing
- Get Real Activity: focuses on real-world experiences for parent and child
- Bookmark: lists the featured titles and alternative titles
- Parent survey
While designed as a school-to-home project, reading adventure packs are also great for summer programs, after-school programs, and home-schoolers.
Interested in more reading adventures?
Browse our full library of Reading Adventure Packs. And for additional information, read the article, Reading Adventure Packs: A School-to-Home Project.
Reprints
You are welcome to print copies or republish materials for non-commercial use as long as credit is given to Reading Rockets and the author(s). For commercial use, please contact [email protected].