GOOD-BYE, CHARLES LINDBERGH

If little stories combine to make up history, then this small tale contributes to the legacy of Charles Lindbergh. Borden (The Little Ships, 1997, etc.) captures the memories of Harold Gilpin (now 80 years old), who, as a child, met the famed aviator. Lindbergh had landed his plane in a Mississippi farmer's field to avoid fans; Harold (Gil Wickstrom in this version) stumbled upon the plane while out riding. The neighbors offered to put Lindbergh up, but he preferred to spend the night in his tent, hoping to avoid publicity. The next morning, Gil and his sister took breakfast to Lindbergh. The lyric style and muted pastel drawings heighten the book's nostalgic mood, for it is far more atmosphere than story; as in the tales that grandparents pass on to their loved ones, this one has the tenor of a personal remembrance that also brings history to life. (Picture book. 5-9)