Soaring The Skies is a book from the ‘Superman Science’ series, where ‘Man of Steel’ tells us about the ‘logic’ behind flight and the history of ‘going in the air’. In this exciting new book series, Superman takes the readers on a journey that talks about flight.

Written by Tammy Enz, flight is traced through time in this book, with Superman by the side. With the help of illustrations from the 1990s Superman: The Animated Series, the book tells a whole lot about flight.

Who made the first glider? Who attempted the first flight? How do jet engines fly? When was the first helicopter developed? What is the difference between a hand glider and a wing suiter and why were jetpacks shelved by the US military? These are some of the questions that are answered in an easy-to-understand way.

The way the reader is engaged throughout the 32-page book is fascinating, with a mix of comic and actual pictures. The book explains how gravity can be defied and the science behind it. One would be astonished to know that animals as small as frogs, squirrels, and snakes, can also glide, while big planes can carry huge cargo from one place to another.

There is a special chapter about drones, which have been in operation only recently. If you think drones are the first unmanned aerial vehicles, the book corrects you. The first unmanned aerial vehicle was launched in the 1860s, decades before the first flight by Wright Brothers, who are known as aviation pioneers.

Going in space was something beyond human imagination just a century back, but rockets and spaceships have emulated the flight of Superman and have gone to faraway places in the last 50 years. The book – with the help of detailed graphics – is helpful in breaking down potentially complicated concepts.

Divided into four parts, the book covers early attempts at flight as well as ‘Flight history’ of animals, humans, and even underwater creatures. The migration of birds and insects is described as well as informing the reader about those animals that can glide at will.

The glossary at the end of the book explains the difficult words, while references of books and websites persuade the reader to learn more about flight. The engineering concepts of young minds like yours can be moulded into the first gear by reading this book and you might feel ‘Super’ after going through it.

Published in Dawn, Young World, October 15th, 2022