Is Your Child Often Looking Up Into the Sky?

Is your little boy or girl often scanning the sky at the first sound of an airplane? Do they watch closely with little hands shading their brow, even squinting into the sun as the aircraft recedes into the horizon? Well, you may have a budding young aerophile on your hands - but then again who, to some measurable degree isn't one? Aviation, in practice, is just barely over one hundred years old, but we have been captivated by the dream of flight since the dawn of time. Forget for a moment the drudgery of airport terminals and super stealth jet fighters and roll the hands of time back a bit - slightly over four and a half decades. There, you'll find an eight year old boy proudly standing beside a crudely constructed wooden bi-wing contraption. Though his wooden 'aircraft', replete with wire spoke landing gear may never get off the ground; the dream that embodies it will one day soar. That eight year old boy is Kermit Weeks. You can
now find him at his Fantasy of Flight aviation experience attraction in Central Florida, still musing on the power of human potential in dreams as a metaphor for flight. Roll the hands of time back a bit further, to 1931 exactly, and you'll find a blunt-nosed, squat-bodied modest yellow monoplane with stubby little wings cheerfully dashing through race courses at before-unheard-of speeds. That little plane is the Granville Brothers Gee Bee Model Z Super Sportster, and though the original was lost forever during a World Speed record attempt in 1931, it has been resurrected as an exact replica that now lives at Kermit Weeks' Fantasy of Flight. This little plane also lives as an exuberant little guy named 'Zee' in the pages of Weeks' debut children's book, All of Life is a School (KWIP publishing). Notable for work on such films as Lord of the Rings and The Narnia Chronicles, Weta workshop founder Richard Taylor, after reading Kermit's story remarked; "Wow!&
nbsp; What a cool book.  Kermit Weeks has written the most beautiful story with delightful illustrations based around some of the funkiest flyers in history.  Haven't we all thought so often that the Gee Bee racers are some of the most charming and delightful airplanes ever invented?" Charming indeed - On his first day of school at the Fantasy of Flight airfield, an overzealous Zee is given an important assignment. His older brother, Jimmy G. flies along to lend support. But when Zee neglects an important part of instructor Roscoe's lesson, Jimmy G. is left to pick up the pieces and reluctantly allows his little brother to stumble over his own naïve pride. This 64 page fully illustrated edition features a cast of bright and lively characters based on similar vintage era aircraft. Throughout the book, Zee and friends are animated in spirited renditions by Project Firefly illustrators Ron Cohee and Robert Stanton of former Disney Animation st
udio fame. In this beautifully illustrated hardcover edition printed on high gloss paper, Kermit Weeks' story is well told. It is sure to delight aerophile and non-aerophile alike.  After all, by reason of our dreams and aspirations, we are that child captivated by the wonder of flight.    

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