FIONA is the librarian at Centertown Elementary School. She is a very good librarian. She makes sure that her library has books the students will like, as well as books to help them do their reports.
Fiona is also a very good pilot. She can fly a plane higher and faster and straighter than anyone in the universe.
She flies her plane both for fun and to help other people. Everyone calls her "the Flying Librarian."
At the air show, the audience asked Fiona to fly loop-the-loops and barrel rolls.
"No problem," Fiona said. And she flew six loop-the-loops and eight barrel rolls -- one after another.
And when a doctor in a far-away valley needed a special medicine for a sick patient, Fiona said, "No problem." And she took the medicine and flew it to him.
One winter day, Fiona's pager beeped.
It was Pops Brown in the control tower at the Centertown Airport. That meant there was trouble somewhere! Trouble that needed the Flying Librarian!
Fiona hurried to the principal's office.
"Mrs. Andrews," Fiona said, "Pops Brown just paged me. I have to leave right now."
Mrs. Andrews nodded. "Go ahead," she said.
Fiona hurried to the airport.
"There is a pilot who is lost," Pops said. "His compass doesn't work. He doesn't have a map. His radio stopped working while I was giving him directions. His plane will run out of fuel in about 30 minutes. And there is a snowstorm coming in."
"No problem," Fiona said.
Over her clothes, Fiona put on her pink jumpsuit. She put on her Flying Librarian cap. Then she got into her plane, buckled the orange seat belt and taxied the plane down the runway.
"Ready for takeoff," Fiona said into the radio speaker.
"Check," answered Pops. "Cleared for takeoff."
Fiona gunned the engine. The plane lifted off the runway. It went high into the sky.
Fiona looked out of the window. She saw the streets and houses in Centertown. She saw the fir trees on Timber Mountain.
But she did not see the lost plane.
"If I go higher," Fiona thought, "I can see farther." So she flew her plane higher. And suddenly, snow was swirling all around her!
"Oh, my," Fiona said. "This is the snowstorm that Pops said was coming in!"
Fiona looked out the window. In between the swirling snow she saw the lost plane. And there was ice on its wings!
"Uh-oh!" Fiona said. "I'd better get him out of this snowstorm!"
She flew lower until she was in front of the lost plane.
"How can I make sure he will follow me?" Fiona said.
She thought for a minute. Then she said "I know! I'll wig-wag him!"
Fiona flew low enough for the pilot in the lost plane to see the pink and orange tail of her plane. She made her plane tilt to the left. Then she made her plane fly straight again. Then she made her plane tilt to the right. And then she made it fly straight again.
Fiona wig-wagged three times. But then she saw ice on the wings of her plane!
"Uh-oh!" Fiona said.
She looked out the window. The lost plane was flying alongside her.
Fiona flew lower and lower.
So did the lost plane.
And the ice on the wings of both planes melted.
Fiona looked at her clock.
"Oh, my," she said. "The pilot will run out of fuel very soon!"
She turned the plane back toward the Centertown Airport.
The lost plane followed Fiona and landed safely.
Once again, Fiona, the Flying Librarian, saved the day!
This story will be on The Times' website at latimes.com/kids.
