Introduction

Here you'll find five recommended children's books about inventors Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright and the first airplanes, with a summary of each. The list includes two carefully documented works of historical fiction - a picture book and a chapter book - plus two biographies of the Wright brothers focusing on their lives, with an emphasis on their invention of the airplane in both the text and the many historical photographs, and one biography illustrated with pen and ink sketches. Whether you are looking for a picture book to read to a younger child, an early reading chapter book for a beginning reader, or a biography of the Wright Brothers for middle grade readers, there's a book here for your child.

1. The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane

Russell Freedman's 128 page long biography of Orville and Wilbur Wright is an excellent resource for 9-14 year olds. The book is illustrated with a large number of photographs, many taken by the Wright Brothers. According to Freedman, "They photographed each phase of their experiments, carefully noting the subject, date, place, camera setting, type of negative, and other details for every picture."

The book includes an index and recommended reading list. The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane was awarded the Golden Kite Award in 1991 and designated a Newbery Honor Book in 1992. (Holiday House, 1991: hardcover edition, 1994: paperback edition, 2010: MP3 audiobook edition. Hardcover ISBN: 0823408752, Paperback ISBN: 9780823410828, MP3 Audiobook ISBN: 9781441859006)

2. My Brothers' Flying Machine

Told from the perspective of their younger sister, Katherine, the story of the inventors Orville and Wilbur Wright comes alive in Jane Yolen's writing and in the stylized oil paintings by Jim Burke. This book is an excellent introduction to the story of the Wright Brothers and their airplanes. In the author's note, Jane Yolen discusses her research and points out that "Both brothers credited Katherine with having a hand in their success." Recommended as a read aloud for ages 6 and up and for independent readers in grades 3-5, 8 to10 years old. (Little, Brown and Company, 2003. ISBN: 9780316971596)

3. First Flight: The Story of Tom Tate and the Wright Brothers

This 48-page long, I Can Read Chapter Book is the fictionalized account of 12 year old Tom Tate, who became friends with the Wright Brothers in 1900 when the inventors came to Kitty Hawk, NC, to work on their flying machine. According to the author's notes, Orville and Wilbur Wright "really did send Tom up in their first 'kite' flying machine." The entertaining story by George Shea is complemented by the sketches of Don Bolognese. Recommended for independent readers ages 7-8, grades 2-3. (HarperCollins, 1997, reissued 2003. Paperback ISBN: 0064442152)

4. Airborne: A Photobiography of Wilbur and Orville Wright

AIrborne is one of the books in the National Georgraphic photobiography series. Written by author and editor Mary Collins, the 64-page book features a foreword by the curator of the National Air and Space Museum. The biography of the two brothers is filled with full page, double-page and small historic photographs. There are also detailed drawings, a one-page chronology of the brothers' lives from 1867 to 1948, a page of resources (books, websites, interviews and a video) and an index. Recommended for  ages 10 and older, grades 5 and up.

(National Geographic, 2003: hardcover edition, 2015: paperback edition. Hardcover ISBN: 9780792269571, Paperback ISBN: 9781426322211)

5. Who Were the Wright Brothers?

Who Were the Wright Brothers? by James Buckley is part of the Who Was? series of biographies for kids. The 112-page book for 8 to 12 year olds is illustrated with pen and ink sketches by Tim Foley, with the color cover art by Nancy Harrison. With illustrations on almost every page, short chapters and a total length of just 106 pages, Who Were the Wright Brothers? is a quick and interesting read.

Buckley emphasizes how the brothers' passion for making things and learning, along with their experiences working in the printing business and fixing and making bicycles as owners of The Wright Cycle Exchange all proved helpful when they became interested in aviation. This narrative nonfiction book will particularly appeal to kids who enjoy the story form of learning. The book not only covers the Wright brother's first flight and subsequent flights, it also includes how the brothers were honored in 1969's space flight to the moon.  At the end of the book are a timeline of the Wright Brothers' lives, a timeline of the world and a bibliography of books and websites.

 (Grosset & Dunlap, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), 2014. Paperback ISBN: 9780448479514, eBook ISBN: 9780399540103)