A Voyage in the Clouds

Starred review from August 15, 2016
The team behind the The Mighty Lalouche (2013) recounts the first international balloon journey, an expedition across the English Channel undertaken by a British doctor named Jeffries and a French balloonist named Blanchard in 1785. Tension arises even before the balloon leaves the ground as Jeffries discovers that Blanchard is plotting to exclude him from the trip. The two men cold-shoulder each other as the journey gets underway, but when the balloon starts to lose altitude, Blanchard’s heroism turns them into friends and allies. (They’re in their bloomers at the time, and Olshan keeps their rapprochement from getting too sentimental with a hilarious peeing scene.) The baroque ornamentation and carefully lettered speech balloons of Blackall’s spreads recall the work of George Cruikshank; like him, she has a gift for revealing that people dressed in petticoats and tricorne hats are just as human as the rest of us. With humor that’s never snarky, Olshun reminds readers that, sometimes, the challenge adventurers must overcome is not the elements; it’s their own vanity. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Seth Fishman, Gernert Company. Illustrator’s agent: Nancy Gallt, Gallt & Zacker Literary.

This embellished tale is loosely based on a true event: the first international balloon flight, from England to France, in 1785.Pierre Blanchard, a Frenchman with design and flight experience, makes the crossing with his English financial backer, Dr. John Jeffries. The two don't get along well, and their invented squabbling drives much of the dialogue-heavy narrative. Their historical flight suffers a near miss during its two-hour, 47-minute crossing. For dramatic flair, Olshan invents Blanchard's "little nap" and Jeffries' bungled attempt to relieve pressure in the balloon. With the balloon losing elevation, the men shed sandbags, the winglike oars, rudder, anchor, violin, and most of their clothing. They even pee over the sides. (That's apparently a documented fact). The near-sinking engenders a shift, with the two men cooperative and mutually congratulatory, as they disembark--in their underdrawers and clutching their respective pet dogs--to cheering crowds. Blackall's signature watercolors, featuring pale, pink-cheeked, white figures, stylized period clothing, and pastel backgrounds, alternate with inked comics-styled panels conjuring such events as the precipitous near-sinking and the balloon's tree-snagged landing. The men's disagreeable carping, which preoccupies much of the story, ultimately diminishes its child appeal. Subtitle notwithstanding, crafted more to amuse than edify. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-8) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from October 1, 2016

K-Gr 3-One remarkable milestone on the path to flight was the first manned balloon trip, which occurred in 1783. Up to that point, no one had accomplished a trip between countries, so Dr. John Jeffries (English) and Jean-Pierre Blanchard (French) decided to be the first. Jeffries and Blanchard allowed their competitive spirit to come between them until the trip had a few precarious moments; once they faced possible disaster, they quickly began working as a team to successfully cross the English Channel into France. The illustrations vary from traditional to graphic novel-style at points, using panels and dialogue balloons. Olshan establishes suspense as the two encounter problems and danger during their voyage, and children will want to keep reading and learning more about this historic trip. An author's note discusses the true details incorporated in the story and explains the creative license taken. VERDICT A delightful tale that will captivate elementary students with comedy, suspense, and beautiful illustrations.-April Sanders, Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2016
Grades 1-3 Rarely has a story of a historic first been so silly. Olshan and Blackall together tell the somewhat fictionalized tale of American (then English) Dr. John Jeffries and French Jean-Pierre Blanchard's first international journey by balloon, from England to France, in 1785. The two blustery menand their dogs, Henry and Henridon't get along, but when their balloon starts sinking fast, they quickly concoct a plan. And what a plan! When dumping all their extra baggage (including their clothes) still doesn't do the trick, they decide to evacuate (their bladders). Those last few ounces are enough to get them aloft again, though their arrival in France is less than grand. Blackall's signature watercolor illustrations, in a vintage palette and full of old-fashioned details, amp up the levity with humorous comic strips showcasing the balloonists' over-the-top arguments, and depictions of the dogs' anguished reactions to their owners' egos. An author's note sifts fact from fiction, and while the historic journey is notable, kids will likely be more drawn in by the farcical details and clownish bickering.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)