Amelia Lost

Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
By Candace Fleming
Schwartz & Wade Books, c2011. Middle grade/Teen Nonfiction

In 1937, Amelia Earhart disappeared while completing one of the last legs of her flight around the world, vaulting her into the status of a legend. Before that, though, she was a little girl who loved an adventure, a teenager dealing with her father's alcoholism, and a young woman who initially thought she might want to be a doctor and then decided she wanted to fly and carefully courted the spotlight to vault herself to the status of a hero.

Here, Fleming gives readers insights into who Amelia Earhart really was, in a biography that clearly demonstrates Amelia's spunk as well as some foibles, such as how her future husband already had a wife when he and Amelia met. It's told in alternating chapters about Amelia's last radio contact and the people who heard her but couldn't find her, and chapters about her life. All in all, I vote this one of the best pieces of young adult nonfiction I've ever read; it's easily accessible to readers, has an inviting format, and is informative and entertaining. I was hooked from the first page and wholeheartedly recommend this book to history buffs, anyone wanting to read about spunky women, and those just looking for a great read. Five stars.