February 13 – Radio Day

Happy Radio Day!

Friday My Radio Flyer Flew written and illustrated by Zachary Pullen (2008)

A week’s work transforms dad’s old Radio Flyer wagon into a real flying machine. Each day, the boy does one thing to make this happen. And in the end he is in his wagon, in the air.

 Radio Rescue written and illustrated by Lynne Barasch (2000)

Before telephones became household items and long-distance calls commonplace, wireless radio communication was popular, called ham radios. This is the story of a twelve year old boy who learned Morse code and passed the test to be a ham radio operator. He was helped by his friend and neighbor, seventeen year old Bill. After getting his license, the young boy built his own communications station in his bedroom and began making long distance calls all over the world. One day he was sending messages from people in Florida to their family members in New York letting them know they were safe from a hurricane. In the midst of sending these messages, he received a distress call about a family stranded on the roof of a house. He tried contacting the authorities, and eventually reached the National Coast Guard. Because of his messages, the family was eventually rescued. (This is the true story of the author’s grandfather.)