The Spark of the Gliding Mind
Written by Daniel Liang, Grade 6
Cover illustration by Sophie Riches
In the relentlessly, sun-drenched streets of Florence, where the sun hangs above the town like a molten florin, a scruffy, unschooled boy named Allegro is considered a nuisance by everyone he meets. He is spinning like a windmill, overflowing with bizarre questions no one can answer until one, fateful afternoon he accidentally crashes into Leonardo Da Vinci. Recognizing Allegro’s infinite curiosity, the inventor brings him to his bottega, where Allegro aides him in his work. Together, they endeavor to construct the Ornithopter, a flying machine made out of seasoned light oak and stiff silk. Pushing past his failures, Allegro must find the courage to take a leap and discover what it truly means to let his mind glide.
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Daniel Liang is a grade six student at Crosby Heights Public School in Richmond Hill, Ontario. His passion for writing began all the way back in kindergarten, where he wrote his first story and continue build on it. Daniel enjoys diving into the Wings of Fire series, Roald Dahl books, and many others. When he isn’t reading or writing, he can be found sculpting with clay or making projects with everyday items.
Sophie Riches is an Indigenous-Canadian illustrator and certified scribbler creating colourful, texture-rich illustrations for children’s books. She is an award-winning 2026 graduate from Sheridan College’s Honours Bachelor of Illustration program. She enjoys blending traditional and digital media to craft fun, character-driven artwork that adds whimsy, curiosity and a sense of wonder to every narrative! You can check out more of her work at sophieriches.ca