The Twenty-One Balloons ANNOTATION
Tells what happens to a bored old mathematician when he takes a trip across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
When Professor William Waterman Sherman leaves San Francisco in a hot-air balloon, he intends to fly across the Pacific Ocean. Instead, through a twist of fate, he lands on Krakatoa, a legendary island of unimaginable wealth, eccentric inhabitants, and fantastic balloon inventions. Once Professor Sherman learns the secrets of Krakatoa, he must remain there forever-unless he can find a means of escape.
FROM THE CRITICS
Children's Literature - Kristin Harris
This Newbery Medal winner was written in 1947 and definitely has the look and feel of another era. Professor Sherman wants to retire from teaching math and travel by balloon for a whole year. His balloon, the Globe, rose quickly and is carried from San Francisco out over the ocean. Sea gulls fighting over food on the top of his balloon punctured it, and Professor Sherman plummets to the legendary island of Krakatoa. How he ended in the Atlantic in a 20-balloon contraption after Krakatoa exploded is what kept a nation transfixed until he could tell his story-but only to the Western American Explorers Club. Numerous drawings by the author accompany the story to help kids visualize the wide range of exotic inventions that are an integral part of life on Krakatoa.
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