(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Tavares. In 1805, Sophie Blanchard became the first woman to fly solo in a hot-air balloon. Her daring exploits are recounted in lively, informative prose, while Tavares's ink and watercolor illustrations depict both the elegant French society that frowned upon Blanchard's high-flying aspirations and the boundless views visible to her from the sky. An author's note sets Blanchard's accomplishments in historical context. Bib.

Reviewer: Debora Pearson

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri. Little-known outside his native France, nineteenth-century entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre made important discoveries by observing living insects: he learned about metamorphosis and instinctual behaviors hard-wired into wasps and termites, and he proved that insects communicate via pheromones. Ferri's watercolor and pencil illustrations in earthy tones help to draw us into Fabre's fascinating world of curious intimacy with nature. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin