Books in America, My Country American Heroes series

On a moonlit night in the spring of 1862, six slaves stole one of the Confederacy's most crucial gunships from its wharf in the South Carolina port of Charleston, and delivered it to the Federal Navy. This audacious and intricately coordinated escape, masterminded by a 24-year-old sailor named Robert Smalls, astonished the world and exploded the Confederate claim that Southern slaves did not crave freedom or have the ability to take decisive action.

It is early in the twentieth century, and, to most, the idea of human flight is ludicrous--with good reason. There have been many failed flying attempts. Still, the Wright brothers will not let their dreams die. They brave heavy winds and rain, sandstorms, and tough crashes--all in an effort to build the first successful flying machine. In this engaging and dynamic graphic novel format, award-winning author Bob Burleigh has collaborated with Bill Wylie to re-create a gripping tale of trial, error, and, ultimately, triumph.