On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers took their historic first flight, and by 1909 the brothers were full-fledged celebrities. In September of that year, Wilbur and Orville finally showed the world, firsthand, just what they had achieved.
In the United States, Wilbur delighted the crowd with spectacular flying demonstrations in New York City during the city's Hudson-Fulton Celebration. He flew over the harbor, glided past tall buildings, looped the Statue of Liberty, and even traveled up the Hudson River to Grant's Tomb. The people of New York were astonished and thrilled to witness these unbelievable flights. At the same time, Orville held daring public exhibitions in Germany and set amazing new records. He flew the highest ever, and took the longest flight with a passenger. The Wright brothers opened doors that no one knew could be opened!
Louise Borden and Trish Marx document the extraordinary lives and achievements of two of our most celebrated American heroes, Wilbur and Orville Wright, from their humble beginnings to their later success and riches.

About The Authors

Photograph by Robert Flischel

Louise Borden

Louise Borden graduated from Denison University with a degree in history. She taught first graders and preschoolers and later was a part-owner of a bookstore in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition to writing children’s books, she also speaks regularly to young students about the writing process. Her books include Good Luck, Mrs. K!, which won the Christopher Medal, and The A+ Custodian. She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, and you can visit her at LouiseBorden.com.

Trish Marx

Trish Marx is the author of several award-winning books for children, including Touching the Sky: The Flying Adventures of Wilbur and Orville Wright, co-written with Louise Borden, a winner of the Association of Booksellers for Children Choices Award and a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; Everglades Forever: Restoring America's Great Wetland, a selection on the 2004 Book Links Favorites List; and Reaching for the Sun: Kids in Cuba, the recipient of the 2003 Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Award. She lives with her family in New York City.

About The Illustrator

Peter M. Fiore

Peter M. Fiore has illustrated many books for children, including Touching the Sky by Louise Borden and Henry David’s House, edited by Steven Schnur. Mr. Fiore has been interested in art since he was a young boy, and in addition to his book work, he is well known as a fine artist. Mr. Fiore has received many awards and citations for his editorial illustration, including a Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators. Mr. Fiore lives along the Delaware River in Pennsylvania with his family.