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Bittersweet : based on the true tale of the Berlin candy bombers / Christy Mandin.

Bitter sweet (other title)

Summary:

"How far can a small kindness reach? How much of a difference can two sticks of gum make? Colonel Gail Halvorsen was a pilot in the United States Air Force delivering supplies to West Berlin when it was blockaded by the Soviets. One day he approached children gathered outside the airport with two leftover sticks of gum. After sharing the gum through the fence, he watched in surprise as they passed the wrappers around so everyone could sniff the minty smell. Inspired by the children's kindness and sympathetic to the way blockades were cutting off their access to simple pleasures like sweets, Halvorsen began airdropping candy, using his own rations and wiggling his wings to alert the kids below that it was time for treats. When a package of chocolates literally dropped on a reporter's head, news quickly spread of 'Uncle Wiggly Wings' or 'the Berlin Candy Bomber.' Soon, Halvorsen's Operation Little Vittles -- born of one man's courage to be kind -- grew to include other pilots and donations from American families and ended up dropping over twenty tons of candy to the children of war-torn Berlin." -- Provided by publisher.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781665960588
  • ISBN: 1665960582
  • Physical Description: 1 volume (unpaged) : colour illustrations ; 30 cm
  • Edition: First edition.
  • Publisher: New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, [2025]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:
Includes bibliographical references.
Subject:
Halvorsen, Gail S., 1920-2022 > Juvenile literature.
United States. Air Force. Military Airlift Command > Biography > Juvenile literature.
United States. Air Force. Military Air Transport Service > Biography > Juvenile literature.
United States. Air Force > Airmen > Juvenile literature.
Air pilots, Military > United States > Biography > Juvenile literature.
Berlin (Germany) > History > Blockade, 1948-1949 > Juvenile literature.
Airdrop > Juvenile literature.
Candy > Germany > Berlin > History > Blockade, 1948-1949 > Juvenile literature.
Genre:
Illustrated works.
Creative nonfiction.
Picture books.

Available copies

  • 13 of 16 copies available at NC Cardinal. (Show)
  • 0 of 1 copy available at McDowell County Public Library.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 16 total copies.
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