Bill and the Little Red Plane is an educational adventure picture book for children, written by Jonathan Walker and illustrated by Rosaria Costa. Bill loved playing out in the garden behind his house, and he was fascinated by the swifts that would fly past in large flocks. He wondered where they could be going. Suddenly, his attention was grabbed by a little red plane. The pilot actually saw Bill watching him and waved. Then he did something that amazed Bill. The plane began to fly up and back and actually did a loop-de-loop. Then it flew away. Bill ran into the house where his mom was making breakfast. He told his mom and dad about the plane and how it seemed to be going in the same direction as the birds he had been watching. His mom and dad smiled, and then his father announced that they were about to embark upon a mystery tour. Whatever could that be? His dad also suggested bringing a camera. They all piled into the family car, and Bill’s adventure began.

Jonathan Walker’s educational adventure picture book for children, Bill and the Little Red Plane, has to be the most delightful nature and geography lesson I’ve ever been privileged to encounter. When Bill asks Edward, the pilot, to follow the swifts and see where they’re going, Bill and the reader are treated to a marvelous trip that follows the migratory patterns of the swifts from their summer homes in England through parts of Europe and Africa to the African rainforests that are their winter home. Rosaria Costa’s illustrations are marvelous! I especially loved her maps of Bill’s town and the world, as well as the pictures of each country they visit. Many kids are intimidated by geography lessons in school, and this fun and exciting book is a grand alternative that may get young imaginations fired up about the world instead of bogged down by traditional geography texts listing exports. Walker also includes a fun facts page for readers who’d like to learn even more about the fascinating swift. Bill and the Little Red Plane is most highly recommended.

Childhood is a time of great curiosity and Bill and the Little Red Plane by Jonathan Walker is the ideal story to help engage a child’s sense of wonder about the world. Young Bill is playing in the garden one morning when he notices a flock of swifts flying through the sky. Bill wonders where they could possibly be going. Just then, the roar of a plane captures Bill’s attention and he is thrilled to see the pilot perform a loop the loop! In his excitement, Bill tells his parents about these observations over breakfast. Bill’s parents have a surprise for him, but they won’t tell him what it is. While en route to their destination, Bill notices all the places and people around him. They soon arrive at a place Bill has never seen before, but quickly realizes is an airport. The big surprise is that Bill will fly in the little red plane with the pilot, Edward.

The destination is up to Bill and he decides to follow the flock of swifts. This turns into an adventure during which Bill sees the ocean off the English coast, vineyards in France, the scenery of Spain and finally the sands and grasslands of Africa. When the swifts perch on branches in the great rainforest, Edward turns the plane around and returns to England where Bill thanks Edward and is left to wonder about the many things he saw on his travels.

Jonathan Walker has created a delightful tale that portrays the excitement and enthusiasm of a young boy while sharing some facts and images of places across the globe. A page of Swift fun facts also provides solid information. The lovely illustrations by Rosaria Costa complement the story and help the reader visualize what Bill is experiencing. Bill and the Little Red Plane by Jonathan Walker is certainly a story that can be shared over and over with a young child who enjoys learning about the world through not only the words, but the enticing illustrations as well. This book is a wonderful testament to the vastness of this world and the unlimited potential of a child's curiosity. Very well done and the illustrations are a perfect fit - for children but not cartoon-like.

Bill and the Little Red Plane, written by Jonathan Walker and illustrated by Rosaria Costa, is a lovely combination of narrative and art. One morning young Bill is playing outside when he is distracted by a flock of swifts in the sky. As he wonders where they are going, a second distraction appears in the sky. A little red plane seems to be following the dancing swifts. Excitedly, Bill tells his parents about what he saw and is delighted when his father’s surprise adventure takes them to a local airport where the little red plane is housed. Bill and Edward, the pilot, see the ocean and faraway lands from the cockpit of Edward’s plane. As Bill experiences the flight of the swifts, he realizes the enormity of the world.

I fell in love with the illustrations, especially the book cover, and am delighted at the perfection that story and art create. With the world being such an overwhelming place for young readers to contemplate, Walker successfully isolated one theme so creatively. The open–ended conclusion is interesting and will allow young readers the opportunity to ponder even more questions concerning the flight of the swifts. Of course the teacher in me is excited about the fact pages at the end of the story, making this the perfect addition to any reading curriculum. Bill and the Little Red Plane is suitable for read-aloud activities as well as early self-readers. The vocabulary and language are challenging enough to stretch the reader/listener’s intellect and engaging to boot.