Best Seller

Flygirl

Ebook

Published on Jan 22, 2009 | 304 Pages

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Published on Jan 22, 2009 | 304 Pages

Buy from Other Retailers:

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.

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

ISBN9781440699283

Published onJan 22, 2009

Published bySpeak

Pages304

Age Range12 and up

GradeGrade 7 & Up

Reading LevelLexile: HL680L

Author

Sherri L. Smith

Sherri L. Smith is not a pilot, but she makes an excellent passenger (unless it’s a very small plane). She is the author of numerous acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books for young people, including Flygirl, the winner of the California Book Awards’ Gold Medal; The Blossom and the Firefly, the winner of the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators; Orleans; and Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen? She teaches creative writing at Hamline University. Born in Chicago, Sherri now lives in Los Angeles. Learn more at SherriLSmith.com and follow her on Twitter @Sherri_L_Smith.

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Flygirl

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By Sherri L. Smith