#MAIL PILOT REVIEW TV#

It's not just mediocre and undistinguished, like the committee-written likes of the Disney books or TV tie-ins like the Flowertots Stories, it's positively awful, painful and embarrassing to read. To say it bluntly, the text of Sadie the Airmail Pilot is dreadful. It falls apart a bit towards the end and the so called moral is arguable, but it would do - it would do if the book didn't fail rather badly in the text execution stakes. It's got the adventure, it's got a sympathetic character (a she cat that oversleeps and tumbles out of her hammock minutes before departure with no time for breakfast) the peril of nature.

Some readers might also worry about the message that seems to preach bravado and praise pressing on with a task whatever the dangers: I personally think that even little children are rather well aware of the difference between what is essentially a fairy tale and real life and won't necessarily attempt to apply such principles to their lives.Īll in all, though, the story is OK. But (don't laugh) there was a vague reminiscence of Exupery's Southern Mail and a reminder of the romantic, pioneering days of aviation. the Fat Controller and the feudal reverence given to him by the engines) so I don't think they would be bothered, though I couldn't stop feeling that Sadie should perhaps refuse to fly another mission before being fed and having a sleep. But small children have surprisingly authoritarian minds (c.f. I wondered how many children would be able to identify with or even understand the point of 'The winds may blow ice and snow, But still the Air Mail has to go' and the Chief seemed a singularly slave-driving type of bully. Then, there was the story - a story of Air Mail pilots, flying the dare-devil missions from that fantastic city, over that wondrous countryside and specifically, Sadie, the little cat who takes the mail to the remote, wind-beaten weather station at Knuckle Point, risks her life to deliver the mail (including the love letters and the shopping catalogue), survives a crash and then gets rescued by a friendly mammoth called Igor only to be immediately sent on another mission by her rather slave-driving elephant boss.

There was something of Maurice Sendak in the feel of the illustrations but they also reminded me of imagery from old books for children I used to read in Poland, ones that might have belonged to my father even those about faraway lands, incredible futuristic inventions and daredevil characters. I really loved Kellie Strom's artwork: the city as a 21st century one would be imagined by a 1930's author the rich, colourful, exotic jungle almost smelling of tropical scents the rocky, ice-covered mountains even the animal characters (though I am normally not so keen on anthropomorphic animal characters) with lovingly rendered details, from plumage to the pilots' uniforms. Solid hardback edition, quality semi-gloss paper, rich colours and lavish, wonderful illustrations. It's rarely that one meets a picture book in which the contrast between the picture part and the text part is so huge.Īt first glance, Sadie the Airmail Pilot looks really good. In fact, I still am as I am writing this review. I was in a true conundrum about Sadie the Airmail Pilot.

Summary: Wonderful pictures, OK story but dreadful text: Bookbag's heart was torn, but ultimately we can't recommend this book but it is worth borrowing for the artwork.

Mail pilot review