TINY JUMPER: How Tiny Broadwick Created the Parachute Rip Cord, by Candy Dahl and Maithili Joshi, little bee books, Oct. 10, 2023, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
Learn about the first woman to parachute from an airplane in Tiny Jumper: How Tiny Broadwick Created the Parachute Rip Cord, by Candy Dahl and Maithili Joshi.
“The crack of a pistol shattered the silence-
Tiny’s signal to jump.
Her hands trembled as she cut her parachute away from the balloon.”
Tiny Broadwick, a teeny, uneducated mill girl, had big dreams of soaring above the earth, out of poverty, and above expectations. She became the first woman to parachute from an airplane, and her idea for the rip cord paved the way for pilots to safely escape in-flight emergencies.
This biography tells the story of Tiny Broadwick, the first woman to ever parachute from a plane and the inventor of the parachute rip cord, and how her determination, courage, adventurousness, and joy in doing what she loved lifted her up to stand as tall as a pioneer in flight. —Synopsis provided by little bee books
As my 9-year-old moves into harder middle-grade novels, many of her favorite picture books are starting to get set aside. The exception to this is biographies. She loves them and will pick them up no matter the age range. There’s just something about a real-life story that captures a kid’s attention, and Tiny Jumper is no exception.
Tiny Broadwick’s story is one that children — especially girls — will find thrilling. Tiny’s bravery and her sheer determination are an inspiration.
In Tiny Jumper, author Candy Dahl mixes engaging narration with Tiny’s own words, further enhancing the experience. And illustrator Maithili Joshi’s dynamic illustrations bring all Tiny’s adventures to life. An author’s note at the end provides more in-depth information and includes three photographs of Tiny in her element.
Tiny Jumper is an adventurous picture book biography that’s sure to spark excite readers.
About the creators:
Candy Dahl is a former teacher/librarian. She received her MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She loves discovering little known historical events and using them to launch her books. Her novel Emma and the Civil Warrior was one of three finalists for the Children’s Book of the Year of the Southeastern Booksellers Association and for the Juvenile Fiction Book of the Independent Publishers Association. Candy lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, David, and their Aussie-doodle, Rocky. To learn more, visit candydahlbooks.com.
Maithili Joshi is an illustrator and designer based in New York. She was born in Pune, India, and spent a brief few years of her childhood in the United Kingdom, where she was first introduced to the fascinating illustrations in children’s books. She’s been drawn to the art of bookmaking ever since and now makes her own. Find more of her work at maithiliart.com.
*In 1907, Tiny’s first State Fair visit, she saw Charles Broadwick parachute from a hot air balloon and instantly knew that was how she could “rise up,” away from her life of mill work and poverty. She begged Broadwick to make her one of the aeronauts in his touring company. And he did!
*The next year at the 1908 State Fair, Tiny jumped for the very first time with a parachute from a hot air balloon.
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