Airman

 = **Airman** = =**by Eoin Colfer**  = Born in the basket of a hot-air balloon at the end of the nineteenth century, Conor Broekhart is intrigued with flying. At age 14, after witnessing the murder of his tutor, Conor is sent to prison. He hopes to escape by means of a flying machine. While Conor is in prison, Keating adds a flinty edge to his voice, indicating Conor’s maturation. A malicious though high-spirited prison guard is rendered in whining, wheedling speech patterns. And the more sarcastic the guard sounds, the meaner his actions. Conor’s cell mate, an older, blind magician, is portrayed in a raspy voice. Keating speaks in a French accent to represent Conor’s tutor (before his murder) and uses an Irish brogue for the remaining characters. This swashbuckling tale should appeal to historical-fantasy fans and others who love adventure tales with smart heroes. media type="youtube" key="5NWSDZmlVGc" height="525" width="660" 