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The Amazing Adventures of Flat Stanley and Aunt Linda
by Susie Aber and Linda Lillard

http://www.geospectra.net/stanley/stanley.htm

Flat Stanley was created in 1964 by Jeff Brown, who continued writing about the life of Flat Stanley in a series of books. Stanley Lambchop's two-dimensional status was the result of an unfortunate accident involving a heavy bulletin board that fell onto him in the night. Although Stanley's creator, Jeff Brown, died in 2003, the escapades of Flat Stanley continue through the imagination of teachers and students around the globe. College Square Elementary in Beaver, Pennsylvania USA is one such location. Robert Harn and his elementary school classmates sent Flat Stanley to Aunt Linda for a visit during the holidays. The following is an account of the adventures of Flat Stanley and Aunt Linda, as narrated and photographed by their friend Susie.


Flat Stanley enjoyed his visit with Aunt Linda, spending Christmas and New Years holidays in Emporia, Kansas. He accompanied Aunt Linda to work and watched as she made special goodies to give as gifts. When she and her friend needed to attend a meeting in Texas, Flat Stanley asked to go along. The images below illustrate their adventures and an enlarged picture can be viewed by clicking on each scene.

Aunt Linda teaches in the School of Library and Information Management at Emporia State University. Her friend, Susie, who also has a degree in library studies, teaches at the same university in the Earth Sciences.




Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

Merry Christmas Flat Stanley! Aunt Linda gave Flat Stanley an airplane trip from Kansas City, Missouri to San Antonio, Texas for Christmas.

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

The trio left Kansas City International airport in January 2006. Flat Stanley has a window seat! Can you see the open farm fields and the tree-lined streams?

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

While the Kansas City airport is in Missouri, the airplane flew south and Flat Stanley quickly moved into Kansas. One of the first recognizable landmarks was this race horse track, parking lot, and horse stables. Can you find the large human created reservoir of water with docks for boats?

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

Can you see the Kansas River curving around on the wide, flat flood plain? This is curving pattern is referred to as a meandering river. Look for the light colored sand bars along the curves. The straight roads connect to the small silvery squares of houses and other structures.

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

Why does this ribbon of a river look different than the other river? The flood plain is not as noticeable and the branching patterns as defined by trees show where smaller streams are flowing into the main river.

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

Is this funny pattern of water in a straight line natural? What about the possibility that these water-filled trenches are the result of surface coal mining?

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

Kansas is history and Flat Stanley is adding another state to his adventure. He is excited because as the plane prepares to land, Oklahoma is getting bigger. Can you see the agricultural field among the trees? The trees are deciduous or ones that drop their leaves in the winter. The tree shadows are especially easy to see.

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

Flat Stanley gazes at the human-made structures in Tulsa, Okalhoma. Next to the long divided highway in this scene, is an odd pattern like the wings of a butterfly that has a white body. Did you know that some people can drive to the outdoor theatre and watch a movie from the car?

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

After taking on more passengers, the airplane took off and continued Flat Stanley's adventure to the south. We climbed above the clouds for clear blue skies! The two white spots on the blue skies are fellow travelers in airplanes. The dot is traveling parallel to our path, while the streak is moving away from us.

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

Texas was the next state on the horizon! Flat Stanley had a short visit to Houston, Texas. His view of the city begins with the garden-like patterns of many housing developments. The cotton ball clouds cast dark shadows on the ground.

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

The network of roads in Houston look easy to navigate from above!

Photo date 1/2006;
© by S.W. Aber

Oooooh, a golf course among the trees that encircle the tall buildings of the the downtown area. Can you find the baseball fields as well?


Continue the adventures on the airplane, or on to the Riverwalk, and back to Emporia.


© 2006 Notice: The Amazing Adventures of Flat Stanley and Linda webpage was created for educational purposes and while everyone is welcome to view these webpages, any other use or repackaging of these materials is prohibited without permission from the author, Dr. Susan W. Aber, abersusa@emporia.edu. Dr. Aber currently teaches in the Earth Science department at Emporia State University, www.emporia.edu/earthsci/abersusa.htm. This webpage was created January 22, 2006; last update September 27, 2006. All rights reserved.