Author(s): Diane Bull

Children Non Fiction

In the cramped, open cockpit of a Gypsy Moth plane, exposed to torrential monsoons, the stinging sand of blinding sandstorms and the freezing, thin air of high altitudes, Jean Batten smashed records in flights across the world in the 1930s. With no parachute or radio, and only an inreliable compass, she made forced landings in deserts and boggy fields, faced engine failure over the ocean and battles storms. Jean Batten, who dared to follow her dreams, became a symbol of adventure, courage and glamour, and one of the world's finest aviators. This book traces her exciting life from her birth in Rotorua, through her years as an aviation star, the idol of the press and the public, to her mysterious disappearance and death in poverty. Blackline Masters, with an audio CD of the text, are also available to provide listening, reading vocabulary and research tasks for class and independent learning.