‘The Flying Girl’ by L. Frank Baum was originally published under the pseudonym Edith Van Dyne. Specifically aimed at girls, the story follows strong and independent young girl Orissa Kane during the early days of aviation. Her brother Stephen is building his own flying machine with which he hopes to win an aviation competition. When he breaks his leg and cannot compete, Orissa must step in to fly his machine and prove its value. A thrilling read, and a fascinating glimpse of the excitement which surrounded the early days of air transport.
Lyman Frank Baum (1856 – 1919) was a prolific and well-known American writer. He is best known for his famous series of modern fairy tales set in the imaginary land of Oz. The first of the books, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ is widely considered to be the first true American fairy tale and was the basis for the hugely popular 1939 classic musical ‘The Wizard of Oz’ starring Judy Garland. Born and raised in New York, Baum held a range of jobs including as a poultry farmer, clerk, and storekeeper before pursuing his talent for writing at the age of 41. He wrote 14 novels in the Oz series, as well as over 40 other novels and over 80 short stories. He died in California in 1919.