The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont

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The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont

by Victoria Griffith (Goodreads Author), Eva Montanari

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 93 ratings · 50 reviews

While the Wright Brothers were gliding over Kitty Hawk, the charming Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont was making his own mark on the history of flight.

Alberto loved floating over Paris in his personal flying machine called a dirigible. He would tie it to a post, climb down, and spend the day shopping or meeting friends for coffee. But he wanted to make his invention even be...more While the Wright Brothers were gliding over Kitty Hawk, the charming Brazilian Alberto Santos-Dumont was making his own mark on the history of flight.

Alberto loved floating over Paris in his personal flying machine called a dirigible. He would tie it to a post, climb down, and spend the day shopping or meeting friends for coffee. But he wanted to make his invention even better. By 1906, Alberto had transformed his balloon into a box with wings! But now there was competition. Another inventor challenged Alberto to see who would be the first in flight. Alberto’s hard work paid off, and his airplane successfully soared into the air, making him the first pilot to lift off and land a completely self-propelled plane.

The book includes an author’s note about Santos-Dumont, a bibliography, an index, and photographs of his flying machines.

Praise for Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont
“At the turn of the last century, all sorts of ambitious and eccentric men were competing furiously to get the first airplane into the sky. One of the most famous of these was a dashing Brazilian who lived in Paris and, to wide admiration, did his errands by airship. Victoria Griffith tells his story…which is illustrated with panache in rich, smudgy oils and pastels by Italian artist Eva Montanari.” –Wall Street Journal

"An excellent read-aloud, this picture book is a must when studying the history of flight and can be used as a resource for research, a book for all your reading needs!" -Library Media Connection

“Montanari’s chalky illustrations are distinguished by a strong sense of motion, and the story’s suspense (rival pilots! harrowing landings!) and surprise cameos (Louis Cartier!) make this an elegant tribute to a hero of early aviation.” –Publishers Weekly

“Strong vertical trim and layout, which one would expect to exploit sweeping skyscapes, are instead cleverly deployed to put viewers among the earthbound spectators, most often glimpsing the aviator in the distance. A bibliography and brief index round out the title, which will be a first choice for aviation enthusiasts.” –The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"A generous spirit and penchant for grand gestures make him [Santos-Dumont] all the more worth knowing—particularly for American audiences unaware that there is any question about who was the first to fly. –Kirkus Reviews

“Montanari captures the look, dress, and formality of the era in her splendid, impressionistic pastel, chalk, and oil paintings. The endnotes add details and facts about the life of this charismatic, adventurous man and mark his place in aviation history.” –School Library Journal

“Even if you’ve never heard of Santos-Dumont, you’ll be delighted to meet this real-life historical figure in Victoria Griffith’s vivid debut picture book. This fine picture book resurrects his story in lively prose and large-scale illustrations rendered in pastels, chalks, oil pastels and oil paint, perfectly capturing the drama of the events. The fuzzy lines lend a feeling of history to the illustrations, and gestures and humorous touches, such as a dog holding the dirigible’s tether or Alberto racing horse-drawn carriages, make Alberto Santos-Dumont and his times come alive.” –BookPage(less)

Hardcover, 32 pages

Published September 1st 2011 by Harry N. Abrams

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Sep 23, 2011 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars

The American publishing industry is good at a lot of things. They produce some pretty delightful fare for children on a variety of different topics. If you want vampires or stories of cute puppies or twists on fairy tales then you are in luck. If, however, you’re looking for something about people who are famous in countries other than America, I have bad news. We’re not that great at highlighting other nations’ heroes. Oh, you’ll see such a biography once in a rare while but unless they’re a wo...more

5 likes · like · see review

Dec 13, 2011 Jessica Bustard rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5/5 stars (You really should be able to give half stars... take note Goodreads!)

*I received a copy of this book as a part of the First Reads program*

The art

The cover art is beautiful and intriguing, my son wanted to read it as soon as he saw the airplane. Throughout the book the same level illustration continues and the pictures are very well done. I was worried my 4 year old wouldn't enjoy it as it didn't have the cartoon-y aspect that so many children's books have today but he really liked t...more

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May 06, 2012 Dolly rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: parents reading with their children

Shelves: 2012, childrens, aviation, france-french, biography, nonfiction, other-usa, south-central-america

This is a wonderful tale about one of the pioneers of aviation. I'm a bit sad to say that I'd never heard of Alberto Santos-Dumont before now and I am an aviator. So this book not only introduced our girls to one of the first airplane enthusiasts, but I learned a lot as well. I liked the illustrations, but I did not love them. They did, however, evoke a nostalgic sense of that time in history.

At first I read the author's note at the end to myself, but I thought it was so informative and interes...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 24, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: firstreads, children-s, nonfiction

I was immediately captivated by the charming pastels that illustrate this book. They give the sense of a misty, breezy long-ago, a time when friends met each other in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower for espresso, a less crowded time because the streets were mostly free of the infernal automobile.

Both story and artwork are quirky and intriguing, about the inventions of wristwatches and airplanes - a nice coming together for both kids and parents, the one seeming so mundane (even old-fashioned - w...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, picture-book, first-reads

You probably know that the Wright Brothers were the inventors of the airplane...but were they really? Alberto Santos-Dumont, a Brazilian man living in Paris, was the inventor of the first self-propelled plane to take off and land of its own power! But more than that, he's an interesting character who is perfect for a picture book! He regularly runs routine errands in his personal flying machine, the dirigible. He also finds himself in the haberdashery quite frequently because the dirigible has a...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 17, 2012 Aalabamadill rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, novels-worth-reading-again

Received a free copy of this book, signed from the author, with a request to reveiw.
This is a lovely childrens book. Thoughtfully written, explains that what "everyone knows is true" is sometimes not. A good message for children to learn and absorb. The illustrations are lovely, with plenty of detail to discuss with your little one as you read it together. It tells the sometimes forgotten story of a fascinating man who loved to fly and competed for the title of first man to fly. Mr Albert Santo...more

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Apr 07, 2013 TaraLynn rated it 5 of 5 stars

* I received a free signed copy of this book from the author through goodreads giveaways*

This book is so informative! I found myself wondering how I never knew or heard the story of Alberto Santos-Dumont! It is very well written and I enjoyed the background history provided in the author's note section at the end of the book. The author, Victoria Griffith has done a fabulous job of promoting Alberto Santos-Dumont's story. Through his friendship with the legendary jeweler, Louis Cartier, the inve...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Mymcbooks rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Review: This is an excellent story about Alberto Santos-Dumont who designed, built and flew one of the first practical dirigibles. It was great to know that Alberto went everywhere in his controllable balloon. The author tells how Alberto needed a watch that would help him mark the time that he is in the air as he was unable to do so while his hands were on the controls.

Alberto complained to his good friend Louis Cartier who was an inventor of the pocket watches and jewelry. He told him abou...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Tia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-with-boys, auto-or-biography, history

This is a wonderful book for children. The writing is interesting and the pictures are wonderful. This will be especially enjoyed by those interested in history, science, and of course flight. There are many little known facts contained here. I enjoyed reading the author's notes. It is sad that Santos-Dumont did not get the credit he richly deserved. This would make a wonderful book for a child to do a report on Santos-Dumont. This is a great one to read with your children. Even adults can learn...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Joseph rated it 4 of 5 stars

Received book won at Goodreads in mail today and gave it a quick read. I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading it to my two youngest grand children. They will learn who Alberto was, as well as his place in history: something most Americans are not fimiliar with.The side story about the wrist watch was something I did not know. My one problem with the book was with the illustrations. They are pretty dullwhich may keep a child from picking up this book on their own. My experience with my k...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Isabel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, arc-copy

My mom's book!

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Dec 17, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens-non-fiction, childrens, autobiographies-biographies-memoirs

The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont held the attention of both my niece and nephew, which really surprised me. I thought the text would be too lengthy to hold my nephew's attention, but this story is surprisingly engaging, and he made it to the end.

My niece has enough education under her belt now, that she was able to stop me halfway through the book and say, "wait a minute. Did this guy live at the same time as those brothers? Who were they again?" That question, which is answ...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Taidgh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

*I received a copy of this book as a part of the First Reads programme*

I'm a big fan of illustrated books and I know illustrated non-fiction isn't widely published, so when I saw this book I was quite excited. It's a sturdy hardcover with a dust jacket. It's also well bound. Important if you have children that want to pick it up and read it on their own. You don't have to take extra care with it.

The illustrations are wonderful and are on the front and back cover, and pretty much fill every pag...more *I received a copy of this book as a part of the First Reads programme*

I'm a big fan of illustrated books and I know illustrated non-fiction isn't widely published, so when I saw this book I was quite excited. It's a sturdy hardcover with a dust jacket. It's also well bound. Important if you have children that want to pick it up and read it on their own. You don't have to take extra care with it.

The illustrations are wonderful and are on the front and back cover, and pretty much fill every page in the book. The glossy paper helps draw out the predominant colours - blues and greens. Also the lines portray movement and excitement. The illustrations aren't cartoons they're vivid paint-like, pastel sketches(I could be wrong here) which complement the story.

The story is about Alberto Santos-Dumas and his eccentric behaviour, meeting with his friend and the story of his passion to fly. I have to agree with Jessica Bustard here. The book starts to wobble a bit as the narrative isn't so clear. I realise that it could be classified as a biography maybe that's why it seems a little unfocused. Is the story about the watch, flying, his love of hats? It could have been just a little clearer and the story telling could have been tightened up a bit. The narrative structure is just not as defined as I liked, or am familiar with when it comes to illustrated books.

I can't decide what age this book is for as I read it with a six year old boy, that I tutor, who loves cars and planes. He liked the drawings, but it was very wordy for him, I had to do some explaining and shortening. The word dirigible was wisely skipped.

I won't get into the facts of the story some people seem to be concerned with the facts, mainly the wrist-watch. There's a nice section at the back of the book with a few photographs and some interesting facts about Alberto Santos-Dumont. Though, I was a little taken back by the fact that he committed suicide. Not something that I disclosed to the six year old boy as his mother would be fuming and it wouldn't be wise to tell him.

To sum it up this book is well made, has a sturdy hardcover, is beautifully illustrated with vivid colours and an interesting story. However, it is not your run of the mill book and cannot be compared with your average illustrated children's book. This is something different (nothing wrong with different) it's not only for children but for adults as well. It introduced me to a story in history that I wasn't familiar with - a good thing. Four stars for me. (less)

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Dec 05, 2011 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-biography, children-history

Like most Americans, I've always believed that the Wright Brothers were the first to really and truly fly. I mean I knew that there there many others who came before these two who helped develop theories and ideas, some experimenters even died in the process. I had never heard of Alberto Santos-Dumont, which after reading this book, I find very unfortunate. Santos-Dumont's story is a very interesting one. I mean riding a dirigible to run errands?! How cool is that! I was also impressed with his...more Like most Americans, I've always believed that the Wright Brothers were the first to really and truly fly. I mean I knew that there there many others who came before these two who helped develop theories and ideas, some experimenters even died in the process. I had never heard of Alberto Santos-Dumont, which after reading this book, I find very unfortunate. Santos-Dumont's story is a very interesting one. I mean riding a dirigible to run errands?! How cool is that! I was also impressed with his unselfishness and generosity in using the money he received from his inventions. Allowing the other inventor to try to fly his plane first is no small gesture. What I found sad was how quickly the world forgot him. Just goes to show how fleeting fame can be.

This is the kind of story that I like best. Instead of just sharing the facts, the author has taken the time to let the reader get to know her character through the stories about him. I appreciated the additional information and actual photographs of Santos-Dumont at the end of the book. There is also a short bibliography and index (as all good nonfiction books should have). The writing flows well and makes this book a good choice for a read-a-loud. The only concern I have is the dialogue. This is a concern with all biographies, children's or adult's. How much is it permissible to invent based on research versus using only words the person had spoken that had been recorded? A question to which there is no one right answer. This could make for a good discussion with children about the subjective nature of most history.

The illustrations by Montanari did not really appeal to me very much on the first run through. But they have grown on me as I've looked back through the book. I think they suit the story. The only real problem I had was the horses, being a horse fan, I found their strangeness somewhat irritating. Otherwise the illustrations provide a nice glimpse of another time and place.

I highly recommend this book both for curricular purposes (inventors/inventions, biographies, etc.) but also for pleasure reading.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received this as part of the Goodreads giveaway - and I thank you for a delightful gift.

This is illustrated throughout & perfect for children & adults alike - my children loved it.

This is a lovely childrens book. It is thoughtfully written, and brings you Alberto Santos-Dumont - the inventor of the first propelled plane that worked.

I had never heard of him, but maybe I wasn't paying attention in history - my husband is an aviation nut so he is making this book his own x

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Apr 10, 2012 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: children, parents, teachers

*I received a copy of this book as a part of the First Reads program*

A delightful story! I appreciate the history and research that went into it, as well as the way it is related to kids. It is beautifully illustrated, which only adds to the appeal. This is a good read for all ages, as everyone will learn something - and kids may even learn something about innovation and thinking 'outside the box'.

I can't wait to share it with my nephews!

1 like · like · see review

Apr 14, 2012 Stephanie Hirsch rated it 4 of 5 stars

**4 1/2 stars

Excellent book, there is a bit of a history lesson in this book, and it goes into more depth at the very end, backing up the story. My 7 year old was truly enthralled about learning who flew an airplane for the first time, she thought it was extremely interesting. Even my older daughter got a kick out of this book. Its a longer story, but well written and the illustrations are beautiful. So glad that I was able to win this book through goodreads, this book will remain on my children...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book as part of the First Reads Program.

The story really entertained my four year old. She would ask questions about the dirigible, air planes, etc. While I know the author was trying to show how popular Santos-Dumont was, I felt it was unnecessary to include the relationship with Cartier (althogh it was interesting). Overall, the book entertained and was informative.

I LOVED the artwork. It was exquisite.

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Apr 10, 2012 Trudi rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won this through Goodreads and it's a really nice children's book. The illustrations are well-done, very soft and pastel-like and the story was alright, until I read the back pages. I had no clue who Alberto Santos-Dumont was before this book. I also did not know that this book was historical fiction! What a great bit of history for a child to learn and for me as well! Thank you for the book and for signing it!! :)

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Aug 05, 2012 Jessika rated it 5 of 5 stars

In the words of my 11 year old....I really liked how the story was written and the illustrations were very well done.I liked how there seemed to be alot of truth and history written.

Needless to say, I was happy when I won this book, but even happier on the day it arrived. My 11 year old is not known to just pick up a book and read, which is just what he did. Thank you for this wonderful new household treasure.

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Aug 01, 2012 Debasish Ray Mohapatra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, children-s-literacy, biography-autobiography

This book is about an inventor AlbertoSantos-Dumont with some noble thoughts that one day his invention will bring piece to this world and human society. This Brazilian man living in Paris, had an ambition to fly in sky faster than anyone else. So he put all his efforts to build a new machine which can fly faster than his previous one 'Dirigible' .After three years all his efforts came with flying color as he invented the first self propelled plane in human history as well as got victory over h...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Les Anderson rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a very well presented and researched book with great illustrations as well. Although it is intended for a young age group I enjoyed reading it as well and learned something new in the process of doing so. Now it is going to be passed on to my grandsons and will be a welcome addition to their library.
Thank you, Victoria, for making this available to me and I look forward to your next book.

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Feb 13, 2012 Janice Durante rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, children-s-books, nonfiction

Discover the overlooked Brazilian inventor who was the first to lift off and land a completely self-propelled plane. Alberto’s remarkable 1906 flight, which occurred near Paris, is depicted with cheerful movement and intriguing perspectives in the pastel-and-oil paintings of Eva Montanari. Griffith's well-paced picture-book biography is just the ticket for children with a taste for reality.

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Apr 05, 2013 Etienne02breton rated it 5 of 5 stars

I borrow this book from a friend of mine you think I should read it, and I did. Very so, because this is a really good book, more like a child book but still the story is real good and it takes real fact about the invention of the airplanes. The graphic are also pretty so the kids should enjoy them. So good story, a bit of history for educate the kid and pretty drawing. Good one!

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Dec 07, 2012 Nadia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received this book as part of the Goodreads First Reads program. I knew as soon as I took it out of the package that I had a new favorite children's book. The illustrations are beautiful, the story is informative and entertaining, and the article in the back is great for adults as well as children. I had a lot of fun with this book.

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Aug 07, 2012 Jessica Dumitru rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I got this book through First Reads giveaways.

My boyfriend loves planes and has seemed to pass that love down to our daughter. So I was so pleased to win thus book. It is a great, quick, informative read. I loved the details of his life and what he hoped the planes would bring to the world. I love this book!

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Mar 27, 2012 Christine rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book aloud to my kids. It was so interesting and educational. I never knew about Alberto Santos-Dumont. The kids liked the illustrations and my daughter said it looked like he drank a lot of coffee.LOL. An all around great book.

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Sep 27, 2011 katsok rated it 4 of 5 stars

Excellent story about Alberto Santos-Dumont that taught me a thing or two. And I followed Elizabeth Bird's advice and am paring it with The Glorious Flight to note how different authors portray the same character. Great lessons in the classroom.

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Jan 14, 2012 Paul Hankins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: january-2012, picture-book-celebration-of-imagina, picture-book-non-fiction-historical, picture-books-stunning-art-illust

The interesting story not only of Alberto Santos-Dumont, but a little watchmaker named Cartier as well. Beautiful illustrations tell the story of first attempts and first flights. Could pair well with Westerfield's Leviathan series.

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Feb 17, 2012 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: inqury-themes, ira-book-awards, picture-books, multicultural

Nicely wrtten biography with impressionistic illustrations of another aviation pioneer few of us know any thing about -- the Brazilian Albertos Santos-Dumont who was experimenting with flight around the same time as the Wright Brothers. It is a great book to expand our parochial view of history. 2012 IRA Nominee for Primary Nonfiction.

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About Victoria Griffith

After some disastrous stints as a banker and a waitress, I decided to become a writer. For many years, I was a journalist. I had lots of fun cooking lunch for Julia Child, hanging out with Yanomami Indians in Brazil and following the space program. Now, I write about and for kids - either through my blog, about travels with kids, or through my books.

More about Victoria Griffith...

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