On the subject of female aeronautical pioneers, Amelia Earhart rightfully gets heaps of recognition, but over a century earlier, Sophie Blanchard also made her way in the world as a renowned pilot--of a hot-air balloon! This book takes a deep dive into ballooning history, giving it detailed context and pointing to political and social woes of the 1800s that made the fantastical world of flight an appealing distraction. Blanchard finally comes on the scene after wedding an established balloonist, quickly becoming an indispensable copilot and eventually taking solo trips when few females were given the opportunity. Her career blossomed after her husband's death, and she found herself appointed Napoleon's Aeronaut of the Official Festivals, putting on nightly high-flying pyrotechnic shows in full costume. It's a fascinating and comprehensive early account of ballooning, though it takes more than half of the book to dive into Blanchard's experiences in detail. Still, in this incredibly rich history, full of illuminating antique illustrations and entertaining tidbits, the author's affection for the subject is obvious.

This eye-opening account with more than 50 b&w photographs unveils the "life and times" of Sophie Blanchard (1778--1819), "a shy daughter of peasants" who would become "the world's first professional woman pilot." Recounting both the highs of Blanchard's life--joy in flying solo, and appointment as "Aeronaut of the Official Festivals" by Napoléon--and the lows, including her mentor-husband's death and her own fiery final flight, Noyes dramatically relays information in dialogue-studded text. Inset boxes provide historical, social, and political context, such as natural phenomena and the concepts behind air ballooning. Noyes adopts a dramatic tone to relay a well-rounded portrayal of one of the earliest female fliers, against the absorbing, painstakingly sketched background of the period's balloonmania. Back matter includes an afterword, timeline, and bibliography. Ages 8--12. (Mar.)