Little Plane Learns to Write

by Stephen A. Savage

The best thing about flight school is that Little Plane gets to learn how to sky-write! He adores practicing ARCS! He excels at practicing DIVES! But not everything is easy and fun. Little Plane loathes practicing LOOPITY-LOOPS. They make him dizzy.

Find out what it will take to make Little Plane learn how to write in this little book about big dreams from award-winning author Stephen Savage.

A Neal Porter Book

Genres: Picture Books, Transport, Storytime, Writing, Childrens, Aeroplanes, School

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 6, 2017

About the author

Brooklyn-based Stephen Savage is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of 15 books for children. He is the recipient of a New York Times Best Illustrated Book award, a Sendak Fellowship, and a Geisel Honor.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Plane is eager and willing when he enters flight school, excited to learn to write his message across the big blue sky. But although he excels at ARCS and DIVES, he simply can't master LOOPITY-LOOPS. How will he write, if he can't produces the letter O? Then one night the bright full moon shows him the way, and after some practice, he finally masters that last skill he needs...

Although long aware of Stephen Savage's work - his stories about various vehicles ( Supertruck , Little Tug , etc.) are quite popular at work, as are his Where's Walrus? picture-books - I hadn't picked up any of his titles until Little Plane Learns to Write popped up on my radar. The narrative here is simple but engaging, and will find a receptive audience with young children, particularly those who also struggle, like the flying hero in Little Plane Learns to Write, to master new skills. The artwork, which was created digitally, is colorful and appealing, in a cartoon-like way. Recommended to young plane lovers, and to all young children who are themselves learning to write. The letter O can be a challenge!

[mg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book that is a great pre-curser to an abc book. Good for prewriters because they can practive their own "arcs, dives, and loopity loops" before they are ready to make letters.

I did want like one more conclusion page to the story, though? It felt like it ended a touch early. (Not that kids will notice, I'm sure.)

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cute book about a plane learning how to write in the sky. Great for storytime.

[Katie Dicesare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great message for perseverance for young kiddos with a cool character.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Plane loves attending Flight School and zooming through the air. But as he works on his skywriting, making loops in the air such as are needed to form the letter "O" leaves him feeling dizzy. Try as he might, he just cannot master that figure and leaves it out each time he writes a word. But when the moon comes up, Little Plane follows its shape and slowly, carefully, fashions a perfect O. Young readers will adore having this one read aloud as it offers encouragement for when they, too, will try to learn how to write, and it does so in a charming way. After all, if Little Plane doesn't let his dizziness when going around in circles in the air get him down, neither should budding writers learning their ABC's. The end papers include all the letters of the alphabet with plane with five planes zipping alongside the letters on each page. Learning something new may take a lot of determination and persistence, but youngsters will feel a great sense of accomplishment once they've done so--just like Little Plane does in this colorful book.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Savage, Stephen Little Plane Learns to Write. PICTURE BOOK. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2017. $16.99

Little Plane is at school to learn how to be a skywriter. He practices the arcs and dives needed to make letters but the loopity-loops make him dizzy so his words do not look right. Finally at night he sees the moon, carefully "traces" around it and makes an O! Finally his words look right--Little Plane has learned to write!

My kiddo loves planes so I had high hopes for this book but it really falls flat. Books can be too simple and this one is. The illustrations do not impress and the text is too elementary. The great point of the the story is that readers will recognize the misspelled words as Little Plane is learning to write, but the readers who this story will most appeal to will not have reading/writing skills themselves yet. Kids can still appreciate this story for the cute red plane, but there are many many better books out there.

Pre-K, EL (K-3)--OPTIONAL. Reviewer: TC
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...

[Tompkins County Public Library Youth Services]

If ever there was a book that epitomizes ECRR (Every Child Ready to Read) it’s this one. Not only does the book deliver with the "can-do" spirit for struggling readers, but the illustrations of sky-writing just beg to be traced. In the story, your child hears encouragement, and sees what can come of trying hard to get through something challenging, all the while gaining insight into what writing really is. After reading this book with your young child, get out some blue construction paper and white chalk, write their names in pencil, and have the kids trace the lines with the chalk. Then have them rub their fingers on the chalk lines to make them “smoogie” and cloud-like. Talk about how real planes write. With Savage's clear, bold and sweet illustrations, this book is a winner for preschoolers and early elementary kids. Toddlers may enjoy the illustrations, too, and you can use lots of plane sounds to make it fun for them ; )

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rate this book highly because of its early literacy capabilities. It was the winner of the Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy "write" category. And indeed, when teaching my early literacy classes, that is how I use this book!

It's the story of Little Plane who is learning his "arc, dives, and loopity loops." (which think about it, most writing of letters can involve these three things). However, he is having some struggles. (and what child cannot relate to the hardships that come with writing!) But his friend, the moon, helps him get better.

It is a rudimentary book; it is very basic. It also does appear to end abruptly. BUT the ways you can use this book definitely outweighs using this book as a storytime tool.

[Ali Book&Seaglasshunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids love Stephen Savage books. Yes, they are pretty simplistic. But every parent knows that most kids in the toddler and preschoolers age group love simple. Like all those times your kid was happier with the cardboard box than the fancy toy inside. That’s how Stephen Savage books strike me. Simple at first glance but with lots of opportunity for creativity and easy to enjoy. In this one Little Place goes to his first day at flight school. He’s learning to write in the sky but one type of maneuver gives him trouble. He has to face his fears and frustrations to overcome the obstacle-this lesson is pretty clear and effectively delivered in this short story. I think this book dewberry a spot in early childhood classrooms!

[Aolund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protagonist Little Plane, a would-be sky writer, struggles to make a "loopity-loop" but eventually succeeds through practice and determination. A good introduction to writing concepts which would be appropriate for kids learning how to write (who will identify with Little Plane's struggles) as well as younger listeners who could be invited different shapes in air/sand

Themes: Writing, Transportation

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Plane uses the moon as a guide to learn to write his loopty-loops. Children who are learning to write will empathize with his struggle and maybe find a way to get their loopty-loops to work well, too.

[Becky Ransberger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice read for children who are having trouble learning to write or having trouble in school. A little plane is learning to write and has trouble making letters that require loopty loops but he learns that practice makes perfect.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story that tells the story of little plane and his attempts at learning to sky write. Children who are learning to write themselves will be inspired by this "you can do it!" tale of encouragement.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Plane is excited about school. He practices his dives and arcs, but the loop-de-loops make him dizzy. Little Plane tries to write, but without loops he can't spell a lot of words. Then one night he practices looping around the moon without getting dizzy. Now Little Plane can write.

[Angela De Groot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Plane loves flight school until sky writing classes start and he can't do a loopity-loop without getting dizzy. How will he sky-write properly if he can't make the letter 'O'? Maybe with lots of practice and with a little help from the moon, Little Plane will get it right.

[Niki Marion · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet, but I feel like this book has a very small window when this is going to resonate with a kiddo learning to write. Nevertheless, it's encouraging and Stephen Savage's digital illustrations are ever-great. I especially like how he spreads the alphabet out over the two sets of endpapers.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't love this the first time I read it, but I saw a presentation at CLEL where they recommended it for storytime, and I'm going to try it in toddler. We can use scarves to trace the shapes they practice, and it'll be a fun motor skills exercise.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little plan is learning how to swoop through the sky in differnt maneuvers but can he ever learn how to do a loop. liked this concept but found the kids didn't get it as much as I would have liked. preschool or elementary

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little plane gets dizzy when making loopity-loops so thinks he can't sky write. Then he slowly traces the moon and learns that he can write anything he wants.
Use for GRIT/perseverance and trying new things.

[Cornelius Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Plane is ready to learn how to write at flight school. Learning how to do arcs, dives, and loopity-loops. Little Plane was excited to start, but the loopity-loops made him dizzy. Will Little Plane learn how do his loopity-loops without getting dizzy?

[Mister David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Small-sized picture book with story using a plane as a metaphor for a child learning to write. All the characters are adult planes or child planes. The main character "Little Plane" learns how to write in the sky. Bright and glossy illustrations.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Plane attends flight school, and has to learn how to do arcs, dives and loopity-loops in order to learn how to write. Some things come easy , and some not so easy as Little Plane must practice to pass the class.

[Nathan Clement · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet. Little Plane perseveres.

[Casandria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little airplane learns to make loopity-loops so he can spell words in the sky. Very cute
ABCs
airplanes
shapes
writing

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bright and engaging pictures. Children will identify with Little Plane's frustration with one aspect of writing and encouraged by the creative way he overcomes his struggle.

[Sue Mosher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and cute.

[Gps · Rating 3 out of 5]

acceptable story and illustrations, but just not enough substance to this story, or enough interest to drive the story line.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read-aloud for 2-4 y/o.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An encouraging story of persistence and determination.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when literacy messages are built right in! Stephen Savage books are just so good at that!