Wingwalker

Written for older elementary students (third through sixth grade), Wingwalker by Rosemary Wells is the story of a young boy living in the times of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma.

Reuben, the main character, is traumatized by riding in an airplane during a fair when he was younger. He lives in Ambler, Oklahoma, and during tough times and trials, his family is forced to move to Minnesota to become part of a traveling circus. Reuben's father is hired as a Wingwalker on an airplane while his mother runs the food tent.

The boy is scared at first, but over time he befriends the "circus freaks" and learns to become brave. As the story comes to an end, Reuben joins his father as a wingwalker.

This book had separate mini chapters that I found to be a great way to portray the Great Depression and the Reuben's life in separate yet coherent chapters. This was a great historical read.