THE FIRST AIR VOYAGE IN THE UNITED STATES

A charming book biography, subtitled ``The Story of Jean- Pierre Blanchard,'' about an early aeronaut and his 1793 balloon trip across New Jersey, as he might have narrated it. His first- person account parallels events shown in one or more pictures per spread, in which characters in 18th-century dress against 18th- century backdrops cheer Blanchard on, comment on his travails, or provide additional information in speech bubbles. Most of their chatter appears in French (with minor misspellings) and German, but the phrases are simple and there's a glossary in the back. Pale colors predominate, contrasting in many scenes with the bold stripes of the balloon. In few pages and relatively few words, Wallner (Beatrix Potter, 1995, etc.) conveys plenty of information about Blanchard and his preferred means of transport. (notes, glossary) (Picture book/biography. 6-10)