Flygirl

by Sherri L. Smith

Overview

Read Sherri L. Smith's posts on the Penguin Blog

Ida Mae Jones dreams of flight. Her daddy was a pilot and being black didn’t stop him from fulfilling his dreams. But her daddy’s gone now, and being a woman, and being black, are two strikes against her.

When America enters the war with Germany and Japan, the Army creates the WASP, the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots—and Ida suddenly sees a way to fly as well as do something significant to help her brother stationed in the Pacific. But even the WASP won’t accept her as a black woman, forcing Ida Mae to make a difficult choice of “passing,” of pretending to be white to be accepted into the program. Hiding one’s racial heritage, denying one’s family, denying one’s self is a heavy burden. And while Ida Mae chases her dream, she must also decide who it is she really wants to be.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440699283
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	01/22/2009
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	383,814
Lexile:	HL680L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Sherri L. Smith was born in Chicago, Illinois and spent most of her childhood reading books. She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she has worked in movies, animation, comic books and construction. Sherri’s first book, Lucy the Giant, was an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults in 2003. The Dutch translation, Lucy XXL (Gottmer, 2005), was awarded an Honorable Mention at the 2005 De Gouden Zoen, or Golden Kiss, Awards for Children’s Literature in the Netherlands. Sherri’s novel, Sparrow, was chosen as a National Council for the Social Studies/Children’s Book Council Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and is also a 2009 Louisiana Young Readers Choice Award Nominee. Upon the release of Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet in February 2008, Sherri was featured as a spotlight author for The Brown Bookshelf's Black History Month celebration, 28 Days Later. Flygirl, an historical YA novel set during World War II, is her fourth novel.

“Cloudberries,” Ladybug Magazine (2001)

Lucy the Giant (2002)

Various stories, Bart Simpson Comics (2002)

Sparrow (2006)

Hot Sour, Salty, Sweet (2008)

Flygirl (January 2009)

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

-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

Editorial Reviews

Careful research informs this story of a young woman struggling against racism and sexism to follow her dreams…A dynamic, heartfelt novel.
—The Washington Post

Mary Quattlebaum

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, à 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. (Jan.)

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Publishers Weekly

Gr 6-10

Readers first meet 18-year-old Ida Mae Jones, a Louisiana girl who longs to be a pilot, in December 1941, on the eve of America's entrance into World War II. She is pretty and smart, but she has two huge strikes against her. She is black in an America where racism holds sway, and a competent pilot in an America in which she is denied her license because she is a woman. Smith explores these two significant topics and does a wonderful job of melding the two themes in one novel. Ida Mae is a likable character who is torn by the need to pass for white and fake a license in order to fulfill her dream. Readers learn a great deal about what it must have been like to be African American in the South during this period, as well as about the Women Airforce Service Pilots, WASP, a civilian group that performed jobs that freed male pilots for other things. The women's close friendships and the danger, excitement, and tragedy of their experience create a thrilling, but little-known story that begs to be told. The book is at once informative and entertaining. In the end, readers are left to wonder what Ida Mae Jones will do with the rest of her life.-Carol Jones Collins, Columbia High School, Maplewood, NJ

School Library Journal

During World War II, a semi-military unit of women pilots, the WASPs, fought for their chance to serve their country. The WASPs did not accept "colored" women, however. That proves no obstacle for pilot Ida Mae Jones, who is light-skinned enough to pass for white, although she risks her life if she's caught and may even risk her eventual return to her family. This well-told, interesting story moves along at a good clip, as Smith paints a vivid picture of the WASPs, with the suspense of Ida Mae's deception always lurking beneath the surface. The misogynistic military and bigoted townsfolk can't stop Ida Mae and her new friends from doing their bit. Those friendships and a possible forbidden romance keep Ida Mae occupied when she isn't flying. A vibrant picture of WWII women and of Jim Crow as it was then. (Historical fiction. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews

The Washington Post Best Kids' Books of the Year
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
California Book Awards Young Adult Gold Medal Winner
Texas Tayshas High School Reading List
Children's Indie Next List
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books
Capital Choices Noteworthy Books for Children
Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices


"This breakthrough title adds a new story to the shelves of World War II books." —Booklist, starred review

-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

"This well-told, interesting story moves along at a good clip . . . A vibrant picture of WWII women and of Jim Crow as it was then." —Kirkus Reviews

"It was hard not to find myself cheering Ida Mae on. Hard not to get an itch to fly after reading this. Sherri Smith is a truly talented writer and Flygirl is a wonderful story." —Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author

From the Publisher