Stealing Air by Trent Reedy

     I've decided to do a cool book challenge/bulletin board display this school year... Read Along Road Trip.  I want to see if I can read a book set in each of the 50 states, and, as I read it, post it on the bulletin board in the shape of that state.  I included the ones I read this summer.  I figured it was fair since I read all of this year's Sequoyah Intermediate Book List.  Plus, this gave me a push to get it going.
     For the state of Iowa I had a book by the author Trent Reedy.  I actually got to meet this author at a Scholastic event in Jenks.  At the time he was promoting his book If You're Reading This, and he explained his writing process.  He enlisted in the National Guards as a means to go to college, and then we had the war in Afghanistan.  He always loved telling stories, but he soon realized his experiences can enrich his writing.  he came back, finished college, and became a writer.  I love meeting authors and hearing their stories - amazing!
     Back to the task at hand, Trent Reedy's book Stealing Air just happens to be set in the state of Iowa - perfect!  Trent grew up in Iowa, so when he started writing this book it seemed like a natural fit and I couldn't agree more.  You need the wide open space if you're in a group of boys trying to build and fly your own airplane!
     This book is not a heavy read, but addresses everyday issues facing middle schoolers.  There's a bully and a crush, unlikely friendships, family drama, and the ending wraps it all up.  Kind of like a sitcom, but better because you're reading.
     It's a good book, but not the greatest.  Get if you have a need for books boys might be interested in.  The main character, Brian, is a huge skateboarder.  That, with the whole building and flying your own plane, could be appealing to some students.