Title – The Boy Who Wanted to Fly – J.R.D Tata
Author and Illustrator – Lavanya Karthik
Publisher – Duckbill, An Imprint of Penguin Random House
Type – Paperback
No. of Pages: 48
Recommended Age Group: 6-9 years (publisher’s recommendation is 7 years+)
I am posting this review on behalf of my 11-year-old son, Bhavik.
The book begins by providing a brief account of JRD Tata’s early life and his journey to establish himself in the world. Jeh, as he was known during his childhood, had parents from different backgrounds – his mother was French and his father was Indian. As a result, his early years were divided between Paris and Bombay (now Mumbai). He was ridiculed for his Indian identity at his French school and mocked for his French accent at his school in Bombay.
One summer day, Jeh witnessed the remarkable aviator Adolphe Pegoud performing breathtaking manoeuvres in his aircraft. This experience left him awed, fuelling his determination to fly when he grew up. During the tumultuous period of war in Europe, he would secretly observe the Zeppelins soaring through the sky from the terrace. He confided in his mother, expressing his aspiration to become a pilot and drop bombs on the enemy countries. However, as he matured, his perspective on flying transformed, leading him to pursue aviation for a different purpose.
This book serves as a source of inspiration for those who require an extra push to persevere. It presents a captivating memoir, engaging readers of all ages. The facts at the end are also very interesting to know and learn about.
The book wonderfully narrates JRD Tata’s journey to the skies, using simple language and beautiful illustrations that appeal even to young readers like my six-year-old sister. It will serve as an excellent introduction to biographies for little readers as well. This was my first book from the Dreamers series, and it has left me eager to read the other books in the series.
You can find the rest of the books from the Dreamers series here. There is a new boxset of 10!
Dreamers: Delightfully Illustrated Short Biographies | Boxset of 10 inspirational Indian men and women who changed the world | Perfect for 7+ years
NEW RELEASE: The Boy Who Built a Secret Garden: Nek Chand .
We have other reviews of books in the Dreamer Series which might interest you:
The Girl Who Loved to Run – P.T. Usha
The Boy Who Made Magic – P.C. Sorcar
The Girl Who Was A Forest – Janaki Ammal
The Boys Who Created Malgudi – R. K. Narayan and R. K. Laxman
The Girl Who Loved To Sing – Teejan Bai
The Boy Who Loved Birds – Salim Ali
If you enjoyed this review and wish to order the book from Amazon (kbc affiliate link),
CLICK & BUY NOW!Disclaimer: Tanvi and her son Bhavik are part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and they received this book as a review copy from the publisher.
