Taking Off

Taking Off by Valerie Tripp, 193 pages

“Maryellen has big plans for her birthday, and she's glad when her old pal Davy shows up to help. If only Wayne the Pain would buzz off - but he's stuck to Davy like glue. Maybe her sister Joan was right when she said that girls can't be friends with boys in fourth grade. Then, on a family vacation, Maryellen finds out that Joan's not so sure about her own plans. One thing's clear: If Maryellen's going to invent a flying machine, become famous, and get Joan's wedding off the ground, she'll need all the help - and all the friends - she can get!”  This was a typically sweet American Girls story.  Girls who like the genre will enjoy it.  I didn’t feel like there was as much history in this one as there are in some, but the story touches on some historic events that may be of interest to kids who like historical fiction