Drones and Rayana Johnson's Giant Leap

Berne, Emma Carlson and Lopez, Sareki (illustrations).
Drones: A Graphic History (Amazing Inventions)
Copy provided by the publisher

Drones are in the news all of the time, whether they are being used in the war in Ukraine or sighted in the US near airports. Some tweens might have a drone of their own that they play with, or know of someone who uses them to take aerial footage of neighborhoods or even weddings. How did this piece of technological equipment become so popular? 

I didn't know that the Wright brothers had been approached by the military to use their planes for bombs, or that Elmer Sperry achieved unpiloted flight in 1917, but I'm not surprised. Luckily, the war ended before the Sperry Bomber could be used. Of course, in 1935 the UK military had a similar piece of equipment called the Queen Bee, which was radio controlled and could return to the base. When more of these were produced, they were called "drones" in honor of the first one. 

These drones were used for surveillance during the Vietnam War, and in the 1960s, toy companies made smaller versions for play. Both government and civilian drones kept evolving and being used more and more, and there were even competitions in 1974 for drone enthusiasts. Like many technological innovations, wars and the military contributed to many of the developments. In the early 2000s, Abraham Karem developed the Albatross drone, and eventually, the Predator. Now, drones have many uses, from monitoring weather patterns to collecting climate data. 

I have to admit that I never really thought about the history of drones, and don't really remember hearing about them until they were used in the War in Afghanistan. It was interesting to see the development of commercially available hobby drones alongside the military uses. This makes sense, much like the Postal Service using surplus Army Jeeps to deliver mail or Tang becoming popular after astronauts drank it!

Nonfiction books are a great way for young readers to learn more about the world around them. Since graphic novels are hugely popular, a series like Amazing Inventions will entice elementary and middle school students to learn about ordinary objects like skateboards, comic books, electric guitars, and even sneakers in an entertaining and accessible way. 

 

Tew, Jill. Rayana Johnson's Giant Leap

April 21, 2026 by Freedom Fire

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Rayanna is very excited to attend Galaxy Camp, but concerned about leaving her best friend, Kaya, whose father has recently passed away from cancer. Since Rayanna has very supportive parents in her mother, an accountant, and her father, a professor of paleobotany, she feels like she has to be extra attentive to her friend. She wants to be an astronautical engineer when she grows up, so she hopes the ten days at camp will help her. Rayanna struggles with anxiety, so over plans everything from her packing list to her reminders on her phone to check in with Kaya, so she's dismayed when the camp wants her to turn in her phone. Her cute counselor, Isaiah, allows her to keep the phone as long as she uses it wisely. The other campers in the Armstrong Crew include Fiona McCall, Lily Choi, and Michelle Whitaker. Rayanna would love to earn her own NASA bomber jacket, so she wants to do well in all of the competitions, and gets along with all of the girls. The boys, however, are a different matter, since Travis is not only a bit of a jerk, but wearing his older brother's jacket, which Rayanna thinks is not right. When Rayanna scans an unusually placed QR code with her phone, she gets drawn into a secret scavenger hunt, and she suspects Travis is working on it as well, which further annoys her. Camp does not go as Rayanna wants it to; she gets her period, her team loses several competitions, and Michelle is subjected to prejudice from the director of the school. Michelle is very helpful and supportive when it comes to Rayanna's period, which is especially helpful because Rayanna feels there's something odd going on with her parents when she talks to them. While she keeps in contact with Kaya, Kaya eventually gets annoyed with her friend's attempts to cheer her up when sometimes she just wants to be sad. The Armstrong Crew endures some team building exercises to help them work better together, and this helps quite a bit. Will Rayanna be able to get her jacket, make up with her best friend, figure out what's going on with her parents, and eventually find a boy who likes her?
Strengths: Rayanna is a typical thirteen year old who is anxious about a lot of things, deeply devoted to her best friend, and passionate about her interest in space. She is a good kid, but occasionally struggles with the camp rules, and is devastated when things don't go her way. I liked that there was a diverse group of kids who all had to learn to work together; there's a Travis in every group, isn't there? The story ARC concerning Rayanna's parents is very true to life. I was glad to see that Rayanna's anxiety eased up a little the more she got involved with activities. The cover is great and will immediately appeal to STEM oriented readers who have their own dreams of space (or supporting space missions from the ground, which I heartily endorse!).
Weaknesses: While it seems perfectly reasonable that Rayanna wants to find a boyfriend at camp, and even that she has a crush on Isaiah, it seemed odd that she would think about changing her last name. Aren't the days when girls would write out their names if they got married on their notebooks long past? The scavenger hunt was less exciting than I hoped it would be.
What I really think: I just realized that Kaya was the main character in Tew's Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement, which also involved a summer camp. Camps revolving around specialized interests seem more common than traditional outdoor summer camps, and space camp sounds really fun! This is a great book to hand to students who want a generally upbeat story, and certainly romance in books is having a bit of a comeback, at least in my library. I'm curious to see if there will be further adventures in Rayanna and Kaya's world.