Flygirl
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- $99.00
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- $99.00
Descripción editorial
AN ALA BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS • A young African American woman dreams of soaring through the skies in this inspiring and thought-provoking historical fiction novel.
“A dynamic, heartfelt novel.”—The Washington Post
“A thrilling, but little-known story that begs to be told. The book is at once informative and entertaining.”—School Library Journal
All Ida Mae Jones wants to do if fly.
Ida’s daddy was a pilot, and when he took her flying, she never wanted to come down again. But after his death, the sky is off-limits to a young black woman such as Ida. When America enters World War II, the army forms the WASP—Women Airforce Service Pilots—and Ida has a chance to join, if she’s willing to use her light skin to pass as a white girl. She wants to fly more than anything, but Ida soon learns that denying one’s identity and family is a heavy burden. Can she fulfill her dream without losing herself?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Smith (Lucy the Giant) brings a gripping perspective to bear upon a lesser-known piece of America's past: during WWII, the government recruited women pilots to fly non-combat missions, e.g., ferrying planes. Driven by a desire to fly and wanting to help her enlisted brother, Ida Mae decides to pass as white so she can join the program. The author has an expert grasp on her subject, and readers will learn plenty about the Women Airforce Service Pilots, from their impractical uniforms to the dangerous missions they flew without reward. Ida Mae's unique point of view gives her special insight into the often poor treatment of women: when a pilot friend gets frustrated by a stunt they are asked to perform, Ida realizes, "Lily's just finding out what I've been living with my whole life. She's never known what it was like to be hobbled by somebody else's rules." Key scenes demonstrate how much Ida has sacrificed by passing, as when her much darker mother visits her on Christmas and, la Imitation of Life, poses as the family housekeeper. Although this book feels constructed to educate, readers will find the lesson well crafted. Ages 12 up.
