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Bittersweet : based on the true tale of the Berlin candy bombers Cover Image Book

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

Bitter sweet (other title)
Mandin, Christy, (author,, illustrator.). Margaret K. McElderry Books (Firm), (publisher.). Simon and Schuster, Inc. Children's Publishing Division. (Added Author).

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.

Search for related items by subject

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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Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Marion Library JUV 943.15 MAN (Text) 37810435639439 Juvenile New Nonfiction Checked out 08/13/2026

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MARC Record

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035 . ‡a(OCoLC)1492481646
020 . ‡a9781665960588 ‡q(hardcover)
020 . ‡a1665960582 ‡q(hardcover)
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043 . ‡an-us--- ‡ae-gx---
08214. ‡a943.1/55087 ‡qPaPiCLS ‡223/eng/20251229
1001 . ‡aMandin, Christy, ‡eauthor, ‡eillustrator. ‡0(CARDINAL)892366
24510. ‡aBittersweet : ‡bbased on the true tale of the Berlin candy bombers / ‡cChristy Mandin.
2463 . ‡aBitter sweet
250 . ‡aFirst edition.
264 1. ‡aNew York : ‡bMargaret K. McElderry Books, ‡c[2025]
264 4. ‡c©2025
300 . ‡a1 volume (unpaged) : ‡bcolour illustrations ; ‡c30 cm
336 . ‡astill image ‡bsti ‡2rdacontent
336 . ‡atext ‡btxt ‡2rdacontent
337 . ‡aunmediated ‡bn ‡2rdamedia
338 . ‡avolume ‡bnc ‡2rdacarrier
504 . ‡aIncludes bibliographical references.
520 . ‡a"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." -- ‡cProvided by publisher.
60010. ‡aHalvorsen, Gail S., ‡d1920-2022 ‡vJuvenile literature.
61010. ‡aUnited States. ‡bAir Force. ‡bMilitary Airlift Command ‡vBiography ‡vJuvenile literature.
61010. ‡aUnited States. ‡bAir Force. ‡bMilitary Air Transport Service ‡vBiography ‡vJuvenile literature.
61010. ‡aUnited States. ‡bAir Force ‡xAirmen ‡vJuvenile literature.
650 0. ‡aAir pilots, Military ‡zUnited States ‡vBiography ‡vJuvenile literature.
651 0. ‡aBerlin (Germany) ‡xHistory ‡yBlockade, 1948-1949 ‡vJuvenile literature.
650 0. ‡aAirdrop ‡vJuvenile literature.
650 0. ‡aCandy ‡zGermany ‡zBerlin ‡xHistory ‡yBlockade, 1948-1949 ‡vJuvenile literature.
655 7. ‡aIllustrated works. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)338046
655 7. ‡aCreative nonfiction. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)341512
655 7. ‡aPicture books. ‡2lcgft ‡0(CARDINAL)340542
7102 . ‡aMargaret K. McElderry Books (Firm), ‡epublisher. ‡0(CARDINAL)597198
7102 . ‡aSimon and Schuster, Inc. ‡bChildren's Publishing Division. ‡0(CARDINAL)815216
901 . ‡a15736861 ‡bOCoLC ‡c15736861 ‡tbiblio ‡sSystem Local