All Ida Mae Jones wants to do is fly. Her daddy was a pilot, and years after his death she feels closest to him when she's in the air. But as a young black woman in 1940s Louisiana, she knows the sky is off limits to her. Then America enters World War II, and the Army forms the WASP, Women Airforce Service Pilots. Ida has a chance to fulfill her dream — if she is willing to use her light skin to pass as a white girl.
Ida wants to fly more than anything — and it means a way to support the war effort, just like her brother is doing in the Pacific — but she soon learns that denying one's self and family is a heavy burden. At the same time, WASP training is grueling, and not all of the male pilots are happy to see women on the airfield. But Ida will give up just about anything if it means getting to soar. This historical fiction novel is a complex exploration of prejudice, identity, and the dream of flight.
Recommended Age | 12 and up |
---|---|
Special Features | Mighty Girl Top Picks |
Author | Sherri L. Smith |
ISBN | 0142417254 |
Publication Date | Sep 16, 2010 |
Publisher | Speak |
Language | English |