Fly High, John Glenn: The Story of an American Hero

A passion for flight is the through-line in this straightforward picture book biography of astronaut John Glenn. Krull narrates the key events of Glenn’s life, from his childhood in “small-town Ohio” and lifelong partnership with his childhood sweetheart, Annie, to his storied career as a pilot—fighting in WWII, testing military planes, and voyaging in NASA’s Friendship 7, becoming “the first American to orbit Earth, majestically circling it three times.” Krull’s narrative spends the most time on his first historic space flight (Glenn returned at age 77, becoming the oldest person to fly in space), carefully relating extensive preparation details (“He was also tested mentally, with 566 questions to determine his steadiness”) and the dramatic details of the mission: “Then, suddenly, the radio cut out for five long minutes. Everyone feared the worst.” Quarello’s detailed, painterly illustrations complement the text’s meticulous, laudatory tone. Ages 4–8. [em](Feb.) [/em]