.png)
By Pam Muñoz Ryan and Brian Selznick
Recommended grades 4+
Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride is an extraordinary picture book from Newbery Honoree Pam Muñoz Ryan and Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick about two heroines, national treasures, and close friends, Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt. This book beautifully captures the essence of friendship, courage, and the thrill of defying expectations.
Upon reading this book, the readers will be struck by the simplicity yet profound significance of the bond between Amelia and Eleanor. Despite their contrasting backgrounds and upbringings, these two women established a connection grounded in mutual respect, admiration, and a shared passion for adventure. The book vividly depicts their spontaneous nighttime flight over Washington D.C., not merely as a whimsical escapade, but as a symbolic journey of freedom and empowerment. Through eloquent writing and captivating illustrations, Ryan and Selznick breathe life into the thrilling experience of flying under the cloak of darkness, with the city lights below resembling twinkling stars in the sky. In this act of bold defiance, Earhart and Roosevelt challenge societal norms and expectations, embracing the boundless freedom of the open sky as they soar above the world beneath them. Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride conveys the power of friendship and solidarity in the face of adversity. In an era marked by societal norms and gender expectations, Earhart and Roosevelt defied convention with their escapade, demonstrating the importance of supporting and uplifting one another in pursuit of shared dreams.
Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride is a tale of friendship, courage, and the boundless spirit of exploration. Upper elementary students will be pulled in by its rich narrative and evocative illustrations. The book celebrates the enduring legacy of two extraordinary women who dared to defy expectations and chart their course through life.