Victorious Paints the Great Balloon — David Francis Birchman

Gr 4-6-- A Thurberesque fantasy based on the Montgolfier balloon flight. Victorious, heir to the fading Rattan fortune, leaves the impoverished village of Aix La Zag to become a traveling artist. He arrives in Paris with a duck, sheep, and chicken that he has received in payment for his art. The animals are promptly drafted as France's first aeronauts, and Victorious is given one evening to paint the balloon to make it impressive enough for a royal performance. When the balloon returns to Aix La Zag, the villagers mistake it for a dragon, destroy it, and build a thriving tourist economy on the event. The quirky story is complemented by a mock heroic writing style with delightfully alliterative language, making it a good choice for a short read-aloud. --Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL