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Albert in the Air
Pet tortoise Albert often wonders about life outside his garden home. Where do his flying friends go when they disappear beyond the fences, gates and walls that keep Albert safe? A chance to explore takes Albert on an adventure he'll never forget, encountering first-hand the highs and lows of the world beyond.
Kindle Edition
Published September 14, 2022
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About the author
Ian Brown
192 books44 followersA Canadian journalist and author.
He is currently the host of Human Edge and The View from Here on TVOntario, and has hosted programming for CBC Radio One, including Later the Same Day, Talking Books, and Sunday Morning.
He has also worked as a business writer at Maclean's and the Financial Post, a feature reporter for The Globe and Mail, and a freelance journalist for other magazines including Saturday Night.
Brown is also the editor of What I Meant to Say: The Private Lives of Men a 2006 collection of twenty-nine essays by prominent Canadian writers, including Greg Hollingshead, David MacFarlane, Don Gillmor, Bert Archer, and Brown himself, who asked his contributors to write on subjects that they'd like to discuss with women but had never been able to.
Brown has also published three books, Freewheeling (1989) about the Billes family, owners of Canadian Tire, and Man Overboard. He is an occasional contributor to the American public radio program This American Life. The Boy in the Moon, a book-length version of Brown's series of Globe and Mail features dealing with his son Walker's rare genetic disorder, Cardiofaciocutaneous Syndrome (CFC), was published in the fall of 2009.
In January 2010, Ian Brown won British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction for his book The Boy in the Moon: A Father's Search for His Disabled Son. The award is Canada's richest non-fiction prize and offers the winner a $40,000 prize. In February, 2010, the book won the Charles Taylor Prize, a $25,000 prize which recognizes excellence in literary non-fiction.
Brown is married to Globe and Mail film critic Johanna Schneller.
He is currently the host of Human Edge and The View from Here on TVOntario, and has hosted programming for CBC Radio One, including Later the Same Day, Talking Books, and Sunday Morning.
He has also worked as a business writer at Maclean's and the Financial Post, a feature reporter for The Globe and Mail, and a freelance journalist for other magazines including Saturday Night.
Brown is also the editor of What I Meant to Say: The Private Lives of Men a 2006 collection of twenty-nine essays by prominent Canadian writers, including Greg Hollingshead, David MacFarlane, Don Gillmor, Bert Archer, and Brown himself, who asked his contributors to write on subjects that they'd like to discuss with women but had never been able to.
Brown has also published three books, Freewheeling (1989) about the Billes family, owners of Canadian Tire, and Man Overboard. He is an occasional contributor to the American public radio program This American Life. The Boy in the Moon, a book-length version of Brown's series of Globe and Mail features dealing with his son Walker's rare genetic disorder, Cardiofaciocutaneous Syndrome (CFC), was published in the fall of 2009.
In January 2010, Ian Brown won British Columbia's National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction for his book The Boy in the Moon: A Father's Search for His Disabled Son. The award is Canada's richest non-fiction prize and offers the winner a $40,000 prize. In February, 2010, the book won the Charles Taylor Prize, a $25,000 prize which recognizes excellence in literary non-fiction.
Brown is married to Globe and Mail film critic Johanna Schneller.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 30, 2022
This is such a fun and brilliant story featuring the real life Albert the Tortoise! Albert is fascinated with all his flying friends, the birds and the insects, and wonders where they all go when they fly off and out of the garden, and he wishes that he could fly too. Later that day Albert decides to dig in the garden soil to hide under it to cool down, but he soon finds he’s dug himself through under the fence and into the neighbours garden. He decides to take a walk and Albert soon finds himself tangled in some balloons and flying through the air! But after seeing what the outside world is like, is Albert really so happy to have left his garden home? The paperback is filled with thick matt pages of some really lovely illustrations and text.
When Albert finds he’s dug himself through to the neighbouring garden he soon finds an open gate and travels outside. The world outside is very different to Albert’s garden though and this is reflected so well in the illustrations. I love what happens in this story and how different and busy the world outside of the garden is. The illustrations are so amazing and so detailed with so much happening in these pages and I love spotting all the detail. What happens to Albert on his journey outside of the garden is so fun and interesting and I love how he ends up flying in the air after accidently getting attached to some balloons.
There are some fun facts about the real life Albert the Tortoise as well as tortoises in general at the back of the book which are fun to read. Things work out well in the end and I love how there are things happening back in the garden as well as on Albert’s adventure in the city. The final ending is really good, a bit silly and so heart-warming too. This is definitely my favourite book in the series so far, not only for the detailed illustrations which I really loved looking (including the funny one of Albert flying as a superhero at the start) but I also love the heart-warming ending with all of his friends too! Overall it’s such a lovely children’s picture book and another brilliant one in the series. I hope there will still be more books in this series as I have loved this one so much!
-Thanks to Graffeg for a free copy
When Albert finds he’s dug himself through to the neighbouring garden he soon finds an open gate and travels outside. The world outside is very different to Albert’s garden though and this is reflected so well in the illustrations. I love what happens in this story and how different and busy the world outside of the garden is. The illustrations are so amazing and so detailed with so much happening in these pages and I love spotting all the detail. What happens to Albert on his journey outside of the garden is so fun and interesting and I love how he ends up flying in the air after accidently getting attached to some balloons.
There are some fun facts about the real life Albert the Tortoise as well as tortoises in general at the back of the book which are fun to read. Things work out well in the end and I love how there are things happening back in the garden as well as on Albert’s adventure in the city. The final ending is really good, a bit silly and so heart-warming too. This is definitely my favourite book in the series so far, not only for the detailed illustrations which I really loved looking (including the funny one of Albert flying as a superhero at the start) but I also love the heart-warming ending with all of his friends too! Overall it’s such a lovely children’s picture book and another brilliant one in the series. I hope there will still be more books in this series as I have loved this one so much!
-Thanks to Graffeg for a free copy
October 31, 2022
My favourite story about Albert the tortoise ❤️
In this story all about Albert’s adventure, are fascinating facts about the real tortoise called Albert, who inspired this story, a modern-day mini-dinosaur living life on the veg. I have read and loved every Albert the Tortoise adventure book.
You know what they say be careful for what you wish for.
Albert wishes he could fly like his friends.
When Albert finds himself in a strange place he is caught by some balloons that take him flying up high just like his friends. But Albert is not so sure of everything when he is up in the air flying. His best friends help Albert the tortoise down to earth where he is much more happier.
Albert in the Air is an excellent picture story book, to go with the other collection of books all about Albert. Each colourful book about Albert the tortoise is very colourful with fabulous illustrations.
The other books in the collection of Albert the Tortoise
Albert Upside Down
Albert and the Wind
Albert Supersize
Albert in the Air
In this story all about Albert’s adventure, are fascinating facts about the real tortoise called Albert, who inspired this story, a modern-day mini-dinosaur living life on the veg. I have read and loved every Albert the Tortoise adventure book.
You know what they say be careful for what you wish for.
Albert wishes he could fly like his friends.
When Albert finds himself in a strange place he is caught by some balloons that take him flying up high just like his friends. But Albert is not so sure of everything when he is up in the air flying. His best friends help Albert the tortoise down to earth where he is much more happier.
Albert in the Air is an excellent picture story book, to go with the other collection of books all about Albert. Each colourful book about Albert the tortoise is very colourful with fabulous illustrations.
The other books in the collection of Albert the Tortoise
Albert Upside Down
Albert and the Wind
Albert Supersize
Albert in the Air
November 12, 2022
This is book four in the Albert series and it has all the freshness and hilarity of the others. With expert storytelling, Ian Brown builds drama and excitement that whisks us along with Albert on his great escape. It is a short and sweet adventure, but it is fabulous in every way. Albert is a great character, stumbling from surprises to mishaps, bringing a taste of philosophy and reflection along the way. The bright, characterful illustrations by artist, designer and animator, Eoin Clarke are filled with expression and those little details that grab the attention and demand laughter. And, as per usual, there are more tortoise facts and figures on the back page inspiring curiosity and fascination. In no time at all, you too will be an expert on these modern day dinosaurs. You will never get tired of reading about Albert. Quirky, hilarious, full of friendship…these books just keep on giving.
February 15, 2025
Another lovely book by this writer/illustrator combo. The artwork is the star of the show for me again - good characterisation, nice detail, and a great sense of scale, both at Albert's ground level and when soaring in the sky. The story is quite simple. I also appreciated the final page, with some facts and trivia about tortoises that I think older children would appreciate too.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews