PRAISE FOR THE AVION MY UNCLE FLEW

“I can’t think of many, if any, stories with such an engaging blend of suspense, thrills, mystery, humor—and, yes, I have to say: charm. Plus, giving the reader, bit by bit, a remarkably good working knowledge of French without tears. More significant, I think it shows that young people can learn a lot more and a lot sooner than one might imagine. Don’t be timid about giving kids a chance to learn quickly about a great many things.” —Lloyd Alexander, French linguist and author of the Newbery Medal winner The High King

“Full of vitality and suspense … The most ingenious feature of the book is the fascinating way in which Johnny learned to speak French. This is a wholly new idea in a story, worth of special notice.” —The Horn Book

“[The Avion My Uncle Flew] is one of the few instances when the most transitory form of fiction—the mystery-adventure-spy story—makes a permanent contribution not only to boys’ books but to understanding how a boy’s mind works and how, on occasion, he can change it.” —New York Herald Tribune

“Seldom do we find so happy a combination of charm of style, local color, humor and thumping good adventure as is set forth in this tale.… Highly recommended.” —Library Journal

“A real find: a fresh and lively book, original in conception and vigorously written—sure-fire entertainment.” —The New Yorker

“A compelling and original story … [a] book with vigor, strong action and a delightfully Gallic air.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Over and above the fascinating story, [The Avion My Uncle Flew] contains an element new to children’s fiction. You will probably say, as I did, ‘Why didn’t someone think of this before?’ Well, no one did—until now.” —The New York Times Book Review