Humphrey, Albert, and the Flying Machine by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by John Manders

Humphrey, Albert, and the Flying Machine is a new take on the story of Sleeping Beauty. Humphrey and Albert are two brothers who have been invited to the birthday party of the local princess. As you might expect, an 8 and a 10 year old boy have a good word to describe a princess's fancy birthday party, boring.

Well excitement occurs for the boys when a witch shows up and casts a sleeping spell on the princess and everyone in attendance at the party. Everyone including the boys sleep for almost 100 years. Though it is never clearly explained, the boys some how wake up first and must find a way of breaking the sleeping curse on the princess and the other party-goers.

In their search for a handsome prince to kiss the princess and wake her up, the boys encounter the scientist and inventor, Daniel Bernoulli. Bernoulli is neither handsome nor a prince, but at least he is not boring.

Lasky concludes her book by telling the true story of Daniel Bernoulli. This made for an interesting mix of fairy tales and science. And the story was silly enough that even the boys that I have read this story to have managed to put up with the kissing silliness.

This is a fun book, with a very original adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty story. Thumbs up.

Keywords: Fairy Tales, Daniel Bernoulli, Science, Inventors, Boring, Flying
Ages: 5 to 10

Lesson Plan Ideas: What other fairy tales could be mixed with science?

Powell's Books - Humphrey, Albert, and the Flying Machine by Lasky/manders