©James Bennett Dream by SV Bosak

1897-1937
American aviator, member of the Club of Dreamers (Dream by Susan V. Bosak).

Earhart started out working as a nurse, but became one of the first and most famous female aviators.

When she was young, she loved watching airplane stunt shows and started flying as a hobby. She was the first woman to cross the Atlantic ocean piloting her own plane.

She did many things that "only men" were supposed to do, but she was also very fashionable and even designed her own clothing line "for women who want to live actively."

In June 1937, she embarked on the first around-the-world flight at the equator. On July 2, after completing nearly two-thirds of her flight, Earhart vanished. To this day, her plane hasn't been found.

Said Amelia Earhart:

"Decide whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying."

"Preparation, I have often said, is rightly two-thirds of any venture."

"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. The soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things."

"Hooray for the last grand adventure!
I wish I had won but it was worthwhile anyway." (from a letter to be opened after her death)

"Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others."

Recommended Reading:

A Picture Book of Amelia Earhart by David Adler and Jeff Fisher (illus). Holiday House, 1999. The life of this famous pilot from her days as a schoolgirl engaging in activities typically enjoyed by boys to her fatal trip around the world.

Amelia and Eleanor Go For a Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan and Brian Selznick (illus). Scholastic, 1999. On a clear April evening in 1933, two outspoken and strong-minded friends by the name of Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt slipped away from a formal dinner party at the White House for a little high-flying fun.

Flying Ace: The Story of Amelia Earhart by Angela Bull. DK Publishing, 2000. Beginning with a fictionalized account of Earhart's childhood interest in flying, the rest of this book is straight narrative accompanied by many photos, maps, and watercolors. Sidebars with photos and captions expand on the main text or give a glimpse into the historical time.

Lost Star: The Story of Amelia Earhart by Patricia G. Lauber. Scholastic, 1990. A look at Earhart's early life and the details of her last flight around the world.

Who Was Amelia Earhart? by Kate Boehm Jerome and David Cain (illus). Grosset & Dunlap, 2002. Examines the life of an aviation pioneer.