Are the flaps durable enough for young children?

The flaps are made of sturdy cardstock, but they are not indestructible board-book material. Children under 5 will benefit from co-reading so flaps aren't yanked too hard.

Is this book suitable for a child who isn't reading fluently yet?

Yes. The detailed illustrations and interactive flaps make it highly engaging to look through independently even before a child can read all the explanatory text labels.

Which specific aircraft are featured in the book?

The book covers eight historical and modern flying machines, including early pioneer gliders, a luxury flying boat, helicopters, and a rocket space plane.

How does this compare to Stephen Biesty's larger cross-section books?

It uses the same detailed cross-section art style but is tailored for a slightly younger audience, using interactive flaps and shorter text blocks to explain mechanical concepts.

Flying Machines – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Flying Machines

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

bookJuvenile Nonfiction

93%

WISE Score

Stephen Biesty's signature cutaway drawings bring eight historic aircraft to life with forty flaps revealing engines, cockpits, and hidden spaces.

Flying Machines

book

Juvenile Nonfiction

93%

WISE Score

Stephen Biesty's signature cutaway drawings bring eight historic aircraft to life with forty flaps revealing engines, cockpits, and hidden spaces.

Jump to

Where to Read

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Screenwise Verdict

If your kid loves taking things apart or staring at diagrams of vehicles, Stephen Biesty is the gold standard. Flying Machines pairs his iconic cross-section artwork with over forty lift-the-flap features, letting readers inspect cockpit controls, motor housings, and historic cabins.

It is dense in the best way possible. While younger kids will need a reading buddy to keep the delicate paper hinges intact, the visual detail offers hours of independent exploration for any young aviation fan.

Age Fit

Best for kids ages 5 to 9 who are curious about how things work. Younger preschoolers can enjoy it with an adult handling the paper flaps.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

An educational, historically grounded non-fiction book about aviation history and mechanical engineering with zero objectionable themes.

Imaginative

Detailed cutaway illustrations and lift-the-flap mechanical views invite kids to explore how complex machines are put together.

Safe

Completely safe physical print book. Paper flaps require standard care around younger siblings who might tear them.

Enriching

Teaches real physics, aviation history, and mechanical engineering through engaging visual diagrams and accessible facts.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Cross-section detail: Stephen Biesty's legendary illustrations let kids peek directly inside cockpits, engines, and aircraft fuselages.
Hands-on mechanics: Over forty flaps turn passive reading into an active exploration of how machines function.
Broad aviation history: Covers pioneering early gliders, luxury flying boats, helicopters, and space planes without drowning in technical jargon.

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What to Watch For

Delicate paper flaps: The flaps are cardstock rather than heavy board, meaning eager preschoolers can tear them if left unsupervised.
Diagram-heavy pacing: This is a visual reference book to explore rather than a continuous bedtime narrative.

Conversation Starters

"If you could design your own flying machine, what special room or machine would you hide inside?"
"Which aircraft cabin looks like it would be the most comfortable for a long flight across the ocean?"
"What do you think was the trickiest problem early aviators had to figure out before planes could fly safely?"

Deep Dive

The Gold Standard of Cutaways

Stephen Biesty defined an entire subgenre of kids' non-fiction illustration with his cross-section books, and this lift-the-flap collaboration with science writer Ian Graham brings that visual magic to young readers. Instead of flat exterior photos, Flying Machines gives kids a look inside eight historic aircraft—from early experimental gliders to a luxury flying boat and a rocket space plane.

Why Flaps Work for Non-Fiction

Flaps in picture books often get dismissed as toddler novelties, but here they serve a real mechanical purpose: showing what sits underneath the outer skin of an aircraft. Peeling back a panel reveals engine pistons, hidden pilot seats, or cargo bays, connecting visual art with spatial mechanics.

Co-Reading with Younger Kids

The main friction point is durability. The flaps are standard paperboard rather than thick board-book cardboard. If you have a rough 4-year-old, reading together is essential to prevent torn hinges. For kindergarteners through 3rd graders, it is a standout addition to a non-fiction shelf.

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