by Moe Zilla

Created on: February 24, 2010

Jon Agee is one of my favorite illustrators. He uses dark bold lines to outline simple but realistic scenes - and then fills them with a few appropriate colors, leaving the rest to the magic of his story. In "The Return of Freddy Legrand," he also writes the story of a legendary pilot in who's lost after a crash. His pictures capture the funny adventures of the globe-trotting pilot - and all the people he meets!

First it's a couple on a small farm in France -  and Freddie dazzles them with a description of flying machines. But he helps them with chores in return for their hospitality - while he tries to salvage the wreck of his airplane. It's early in the 20th century, and Freddie was completing a daring trans-Atlantic flight. And when he finally returns to Paris - on a bicycle - he's given a ticker-tape parade!

"Heartened by all the fanfare, Freddy went to work on a new airplane…"

I liked how Freddie remains a mystery - a famous celebrity with an exotic machine. Because it's set in the past, Freddie's quest seems even more heroic. He's shown working on his machine, but also acknowledging his role as a local hero. But there's also a sardonic edge to the story, because Freddie's plane always seems to be crashing!

Freddie announces that he'll fly around the world, and Agee illustrates all the sights that he'll see. There's the pyramids of Egypt, the Great wall of China, the Panama Canal and the Golden Gate bridge. But eventually Freddie crashes into the Alps, where he's stranded and alone and cold. Freddie scratches his head at the edge of a mountain cliff - as his plane's tale sticks out the side of a mountain peak!

It's his work on the humble farm that's taught Freddie how to survive. Now he knows how to milk a wild goat to get milk for his dinner! And eventually it's his first airplane that comes to his rescue - being flown by the farmer and his wife!  "Freddy Legrand Returns" reads the newspapers headline.

"Rescued by Farmers" reads the subhed….

It's a story that introduces young readers to a vague historical fact - there was much excitement around long-distance fliers in the early 20 century. But its also delivers a human message that feels much more special. All the fame that Freddie achieves seems irrelevant and even silly. What's important is the fact that along the way, he's also made friends.

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