Queen of the Air

This is the story of Katherine Stinson, "The Flying Schoolgirl", who was the fourth U.S. woman to be licensed at age 20, in the year 1912. Katherine was smart and cute and daring. She delighted crowds at airshows across the country and even traveled to Japan where crowds of men, women and children came out to watch her perform. It was in Japan that she was dubbed "Queen of the Air" by a devoted follower. The story follows Katherine as she sets world records, tries to help General Pershing rout Pancho Villa, and drives ambulances at the war front in World War I. The book includes other members of the Stinson family who were involved in the emerging air industry - building planes, training pilots, and leaving a distinct mark on the world of aviation. This work of biographical fiction, aimed at intermediate readers, derives from a pictorial history of the Stinson family by John W. Underwood and from magazine and newspaper reports of the day.