Taking Off, Eric Kraft, St. Martin's, Jul 2006, $23.95, ISBN: 0312318847 Peter Leroy is stunned to learn that Babbington, his Long Island hometown, is being turned into a theme park built around his famous teenage cross country flight from there to Corosso, New Mexico. Upset that the media will sniff out the truth of his flight at fifteen that was more grounded than aviary, Peter and his wife Albertine head to his hometown to prevent a travesty from occurring. Peter begins his quest, but the townsfolk seem swept away by euphoria; that is those not soaring on avaricious wings. He is stunned to see a replica of his aerocycle (see THE IMPRACTICAL CRAFTSMAN), but as he tries to insure the truth comes out without destroying his name, Peter decides to reenact the flight, but this time do it right by mostly if not totally remaining in the air. The only problem is that the enemy apparently has flows the coop with Albertine as their prisoner, guest or hostage. TAKING IT OFF is a terrific clever sequel that can stand alone very nicely, but is incredibly enhanced by reading the flight at fifteen as chronicled in THE IMPRACTICAL CRAFTSMAN. The story line grips the audience from the moment an astonished Peter finds out that his town is honoring his solo flight and never slows down as the hero faces adversaries and himself. This is a well crafted character flying thriller. Harriet Klausner

Taking Off, Eric Kraft, St. Martin's, Jul 2006, $23.95, ISBN: 0312318847 Peter Leroy is stunned to learn that Babbington, his Long Island hometown, is being turned into a theme park built around his famous teenage cross country flight from there to Corosso, New Mexico. Upset that the media will sniff out the truth of his flight at fifteen that was more grounded than aviary, Peter and his wife Albertine head to his hometown to prevent a travesty from occurring. Peter begins his quest, but the townsfolk seem swept away by euphoria; that is those not soaring on avaricious wings. He is stunned to see a replica of his aerocycle (see THE IMPRACTICAL CRAFTSMAN), but as he tries to insure the truth comes out without destroying his name, Peter decides to reenact the flight, but this time do it right by mostly if not totally remaining in the air. The only problem is that the enemy apparently has flows the coop with Albertine as their prisoner, guest or hostage. TAKING IT OFF is a terrific clever sequel that can stand alone very nicely, but is incredibly enhanced by reading the flight at fifteen as chronicled in THE IMPRACTICAL CRAFTSMAN. The story line grips the audience from the moment an astonished Peter finds out that his town is honoring his solo flight and never slows down as the hero faces adversaries and himself. This is a well crafted character flying thriller. Harriet Klausner