Status
Available
Genres
Collection
Publication
G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York (2008)
Description
During World War II, a light-skinned African American girl "passes" for white in order to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Rachel.Seltz
Ages 12 to 17
Ida Mae lives to fly. She is also a young, African American woman growing up in the South. When America enters WWII, Ida Mae chooses to pass as white so that she can become a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP). Her decision gives her the chance to serve her country and soar into the
Smith’s heartbreaking and meticulously researched novel brings attention to a shameful aspect of WWII era America: Many people possessed the heart and courage to serve their country, but society scorned the efforts of minorities and women.
This book is also very much a story about friendship. Ida Mae and her friends encourage and support each other through the most difficult challenges of their life. In Flygirl, you cheer for a friend’s success just as much as your own, and worry yourself sick over them.
Smith does not manage to find much resolution for Ida Mae’s inner turmoil over her identity. Some readers will view this vagueness as a cop-out. Others, however, will create their own interpretations. There are no easy answers for a young woman living in a world where bigotry ranks skin color before dreams. Recommended.
Ida Mae lives to fly. She is also a young, African American woman growing up in the South. When America enters WWII, Ida Mae chooses to pass as white so that she can become a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP). Her decision gives her the chance to serve her country and soar into the
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wide blue; it also sets her at odds with family and friends. Smith’s heartbreaking and meticulously researched novel brings attention to a shameful aspect of WWII era America: Many people possessed the heart and courage to serve their country, but society scorned the efforts of minorities and women.
This book is also very much a story about friendship. Ida Mae and her friends encourage and support each other through the most difficult challenges of their life. In Flygirl, you cheer for a friend’s success just as much as your own, and worry yourself sick over them.
Smith does not manage to find much resolution for Ida Mae’s inner turmoil over her identity. Some readers will view this vagueness as a cop-out. Others, however, will create their own interpretations. There are no easy answers for a young woman living in a world where bigotry ranks skin color before dreams. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member PamelaManasco
Solid WWII-era what-if concerning a young African American woman passing as white in order to join the WASP. This was a great read, and it's obvious that the author did quite a lot of research about the history of the WASP. While racial tension is a perpetual force in Ida Mae's life, I would've
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liked to see the author delve a little more deeply into it. Overall, though, this was a great read, and it would be wonderful for the appropriate age group. Show Less
LibraryThing member callmecayce
I picked this book up because of the cover. What I found was a well writing, moving historical fiction novel. Flygirl is a fast paced novel that takes place before and during World War II in the Southern US. It's about a girl whose only dream is to fly, except that the world's against her, not only
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because she's a woman, but because she's black. What makes Smith's novel so good is that she embraces all the controversy, struggles and inner turmoil that Ida Mae goes through to be able to fly. The story was strong, the characters were lovable and I was attached to them in no time. Highly, highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member Soniamarie
I have so many good things to say about this book, I don't know where to start... First, I loved the heroine, Ida Mae. Ida is a small town farm girl whose father introduced her to crop dusting at an early age. Ida loves to fly and when America enters World War 2, she gets tired of collecting silk
On top of getting a firm feel for life at Avenger Field during world war 2 and the flight training and procedures, readers also get a look at what it is like to be black in the 1940s. Ida is always having to worry about her hair curling too much or somebody figuring out her secret because back then, her secret could get her killed. On top of the racial tension is the fact that she is a woman to boot. I doubt anybody had it harder back then. Women in general had it rough, but being a black woman... most of us would not have had Ida's courage.
Also in the story is how Ida deals with conflicting emotions regarding her family in New Orleans (she feels she is denying her own heritage and family, especially when her mom comes to visit and has to act like her maid) and her family in Sweetwater. How would her newfound white friends act if they knew the truth? My only complaint about this novel is we never found that out.
There is also a situation with the loss of a friend. Ida has to deal with her grief as she watches a friend die and her conflicting emotions about the situation as she realizes it could happen to her.
I absolutely loved the courageous flight Ida takes with Lily in a B-29. Great way to end this novel. Readers see how the WASP was literally used and discarded. I feel for all the women that were involved. Yet, this does not stop Ida Mae. Despite the fact that the Army betrays her and her female comrades in the end, Ida Mae still wants to fly, not as a white woman, nor a black woman, but as Ida Mae.
Ms. Smith, I would like to see a sequel to this book. I would like to see Ida Mae go work for Walt and come clean about her heritage. I'd like to see her overcome the 1950s and keep on flying despite all odds. We need more books with strong female heroines, white, black, latina.... Thumbs up, Ms. Smith.
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stockings and cleaning houses and decides to join the WASP. Despite her amazing flying abilities, the WASP will turn her away simply because she is half black. Ida's desire to fly and aide her brother overseas in the only way she knows how overcomes her fears and she passes herself off as white so that she may do so. Her mother gets upset, her best friend gets upset, but Ida doesn't let them stop her and off she goes Sweetwater, Texas to fly. On top of getting a firm feel for life at Avenger Field during world war 2 and the flight training and procedures, readers also get a look at what it is like to be black in the 1940s. Ida is always having to worry about her hair curling too much or somebody figuring out her secret because back then, her secret could get her killed. On top of the racial tension is the fact that she is a woman to boot. I doubt anybody had it harder back then. Women in general had it rough, but being a black woman... most of us would not have had Ida's courage.
Also in the story is how Ida deals with conflicting emotions regarding her family in New Orleans (she feels she is denying her own heritage and family, especially when her mom comes to visit and has to act like her maid) and her family in Sweetwater. How would her newfound white friends act if they knew the truth? My only complaint about this novel is we never found that out.
There is also a situation with the loss of a friend. Ida has to deal with her grief as she watches a friend die and her conflicting emotions about the situation as she realizes it could happen to her.
I absolutely loved the courageous flight Ida takes with Lily in a B-29. Great way to end this novel. Readers see how the WASP was literally used and discarded. I feel for all the women that were involved. Yet, this does not stop Ida Mae. Despite the fact that the Army betrays her and her female comrades in the end, Ida Mae still wants to fly, not as a white woman, nor a black woman, but as Ida Mae.
Ms. Smith, I would like to see a sequel to this book. I would like to see Ida Mae go work for Walt and come clean about her heritage. I'd like to see her overcome the 1950s and keep on flying despite all odds. We need more books with strong female heroines, white, black, latina.... Thumbs up, Ms. Smith.
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LibraryThing member thomaslibrarian
Ida Mae Jones attempts to join the air force during World War 2, but can't due to her skin color. However, she can pass as white and enlists anyway in support of her brother fighting overseas. She learns more than just plane types and aerial maneuvers, though: entering the military and traveling
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the world means encountering different walks of life and the prejudices and lessons of each. Show Less
LibraryThing member nbmars
This story is about a girl who also longs to fly, and sees her chance when the U.S. enters World War II. The barrier of gender has been temporarily lowered because of the war, but not that of race. But Ida Mae Jones in Flygirl can do something most girls of color cannot: she can pass for white.
This
The WASP were stationed at 120 Army Air Bases in the U.S. and flew 78 different types of planes, including the B-29, which men would not fly until they saw it could be handled by the women. The decision was made to deactivate the WASP in December 1944. The WASP finally gained their belated militarization from Congress in 1977.
It is not known if there were any girls in WASP who were (secretly) black, although it is a fact that African-American women pilots were rejected from serving. In the book, Ida Mae is constantly torn between her love of flying, and the reality that she can only do it by denying her heritage and her family:
"…I don’t feel Negro any more than I feel white. I’m just me. Ida Mae Jones… Take away the uniform and I really am nothing at all. Take away the wings and I’m someone else’s. Someone’s maid, someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, and maybe even someone’s wife one day. But I can’t have one life without giving up the other. … It’s not fair.”
When Ida Mae sees her mother at Christmas and can’t throw her arms around her for fear she'll be discovered, but has to pretend her mother is her maid, your heart breaks right along with hers.
Adding to her dilemmas, Ida Mae meets a flight instructor with whom she may be in love. He, of course, is white, and he does not know she is not.
As Ida’s heart gets pulled back and forth, yours will go with her. She feels she can’t win no matter what she decides.
Evaluation: This is a book that will inspire any girl who has ever wanted to fly. You learn plenty about the actual WASP program and the conditions under which the women – who were all volunteers – had to serve. You also get to experience the camaraderie of women in a flight training program for a change, instead of the usual and perhaps expected tale of male bonding. But most poignantly, you learn about life on the edge of the color line as Ida Mae straddles two worlds and struggles to be happy in a society unwilling to give her a chance.
This
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YA book, set in World War II, is based on the true story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP, which was an experimental Army Air Corp program enabling volunteer women civilian pilots to relieve men for overseas duty. (The women couldn’t fly in combat but they were allowed to do tasks such as ferrying planes, perform engineering tests, give flight instruction, tow targets for aerial gunnery practice, and various other similar support functions.)The WASP were stationed at 120 Army Air Bases in the U.S. and flew 78 different types of planes, including the B-29, which men would not fly until they saw it could be handled by the women. The decision was made to deactivate the WASP in December 1944. The WASP finally gained their belated militarization from Congress in 1977.
It is not known if there were any girls in WASP who were (secretly) black, although it is a fact that African-American women pilots were rejected from serving. In the book, Ida Mae is constantly torn between her love of flying, and the reality that she can only do it by denying her heritage and her family:
"…I don’t feel Negro any more than I feel white. I’m just me. Ida Mae Jones… Take away the uniform and I really am nothing at all. Take away the wings and I’m someone else’s. Someone’s maid, someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, and maybe even someone’s wife one day. But I can’t have one life without giving up the other. … It’s not fair.”
When Ida Mae sees her mother at Christmas and can’t throw her arms around her for fear she'll be discovered, but has to pretend her mother is her maid, your heart breaks right along with hers.
Adding to her dilemmas, Ida Mae meets a flight instructor with whom she may be in love. He, of course, is white, and he does not know she is not.
As Ida’s heart gets pulled back and forth, yours will go with her. She feels she can’t win no matter what she decides.
Evaluation: This is a book that will inspire any girl who has ever wanted to fly. You learn plenty about the actual WASP program and the conditions under which the women – who were all volunteers – had to serve. You also get to experience the camaraderie of women in a flight training program for a change, instead of the usual and perhaps expected tale of male bonding. But most poignantly, you learn about life on the edge of the color line as Ida Mae straddles two worlds and struggles to be happy in a society unwilling to give her a chance.
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LibraryThing member theepicrat
I know that I gave FLYGIRL a semi-mediocre rating, but the story just was not my cup of tea. That said, I firmly believe that Ida Mae is a character that I would have appreciated at a much younger age. She possesses a quiet strength that only grows as she comes to terms with how society runs. Yes,
The girl on the cover does not look African American - at least, I had to look more closely after discovering Ida Mae's background. I suppose she looks a little ambiguous, and I did not think that FLYGIRL was about ethnicity when I first picked it up. Which makes me wonder how many would pass this by as they looked for book with ethnic protagonists. Very unfortunate since I think Ida Mae's dilemma was fairly interesting - I never thought that African Americans would try to marry "white" in order to have lighter-skinned children.
However, I cannot hide my disappointment that FLYGIRL indirectly referenced World War II and did not incorporate much of it into Ida Mae's story. This focused more on her training and building relationships with her superiors, fellow flygirls, and family. I had hoped that she would get to fly on more real missions instead of being shown off like circus elephants. Secretly I think Ida Mae also wished that as well, but FLYGIRL did not fulfill that expectation.
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Ida Mae may have pretended that her mother was her housekeeper when she visited the training camp. Yes, Ida Mae may have acted "white" to help a fellow African American get a fair trade at the hardware store. Eventually she realizes that all this pretense hurts her and those close to her in the long run, and she must stay true to herself as she pursues her dream to fly.The girl on the cover does not look African American - at least, I had to look more closely after discovering Ida Mae's background. I suppose she looks a little ambiguous, and I did not think that FLYGIRL was about ethnicity when I first picked it up. Which makes me wonder how many would pass this by as they looked for book with ethnic protagonists. Very unfortunate since I think Ida Mae's dilemma was fairly interesting - I never thought that African Americans would try to marry "white" in order to have lighter-skinned children.
However, I cannot hide my disappointment that FLYGIRL indirectly referenced World War II and did not incorporate much of it into Ida Mae's story. This focused more on her training and building relationships with her superiors, fellow flygirls, and family. I had hoped that she would get to fly on more real missions instead of being shown off like circus elephants. Secretly I think Ida Mae also wished that as well, but FLYGIRL did not fulfill that expectation.
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LibraryThing member KarenBall
Set during World War II, this is a story of courage, choices, and consequences. Ida Mae Jones has grown up in rural Louisiana on a farm, where her daddy flew a crop dusting plane until his accidental death. He taught her to fly with him, and even though she passed the test Ida Mae was denied a
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pilot's license because she is black and female. After her brother enlists as an Army medic, and goes to the Pacific to fight, Ida Mae decides to alter her father's license in order to apply for the Women Airforce Service Pilots program -- as a white girl. Light skinned and with "good hair", passing for white is her only chance to prove herself, but the consequences of that choice are devastating to her family. Ida Mae finds that the Army isn't a place where women are equal, no matter how good they are at their jobs. Prejudice against women is definitely the status quo. But she makes friends and reaches for her dreams while flying for the Army, and discovers the strength to find out who she really is. Based on true events from the history of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, this is excellent historical fiction, with strong characters and realistic portrayals of multiple kinds of prejudice. 6th grade and up. Show Less
LibraryThing member theokester
I received an ARC of Flygirl ages ago and let it sit idly on my bookshelf. I procrastinated reading it thinking it was going to be a trite, stereotypically emotional book pounding its message into my head at the expense of good writing and good storytelling. Once I finally picked up the book and
In some ways, the story and plot were what I expected to find. A black girl living in the south in mid-1900s…trying to find her own identity while having it constantly defined by those around her (by both whites and blacks). As the title and synopsis indicate, she finds her strongest sense of identity defined by her absolute passion for flying…and especially for the freedom and exhilaration it brings to her.
The synopsis explains that this story is about Ida Mae Jones and what happens when she decides to join the WASP (Women's Airforce Service Pilots). However, the first third of the book is about her life in Slidell, Louisiana. We meet her friends, her family and see a bit of her interactions around town. We also learn about Ida Mae's passion to be a pilot. The writing is smooth and believable and really draws you into what it might have been like to be a young black girl in Louisiana in 1941.
Before long, we are given historical notes about America entering the war and about the sacrifices that people had to make. Finally, we learn about the WASP program and see Ida Mae grapple with the difficult decision of what she should do. As you know from the synopsis, she decides to try out for WASP and she ends up being accepted into the program. But in order to do so, she finds herself needing to "pass" as a white woman. She never explicitly says to anyone that she is white…but she doesn't have to. By dressing herself more "white" and by moving into white circles, she is essentially silently telling people she is no longer "black."
I loved that this book was written in first person. By having it in first person it allowed us to get very close to Ida Mae and to feel her anxieties, her regrets, her successes and her fears. I was very worried for her safety many times through her training and missions…not just because of the military aspect, but because her "passing" would have gotten her into a lot of trouble.
I found this book not only very entertaining but very interesting and educational. It was clear that the author did a lot of research on the era, on the war, on the WASP program and on most everything she shared with us in this novel. I really felt like I was reading about true moments from 1940s America.
My only real problem with the book was how it ended…not that it ended bad, but the position in which it ended. The end of the book leaves Ida Mae with a difficult decision about what to do with her future. And while I felt the author handled the ending very well and had Ida Mae make the decision that best fit her character and her life, I really wanted to know what happened next…in the following months, years, etc. Granted, that sort of speculation would be a hard ending to make and would result in a lot of problems for a writer and a reader. So it's probably best that we're left not knowing what happened next and we're thus left having to assume what happened based on what's presented in our novel and our own knowledge of the history of the times.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick but very engaging read. The history, descriptions, characters, and actions were all vivid, entertaining and thought provoking. While not an action packed war novel, you did feel the anxiety of being in America during World War II as well as the stress and worry of Ida Mae as she struggled to find part of her identity while hiding another part. Even though this is a "young adult" novel due to its young characters and simpler writing/plot style, I found this to be a great read and could recommend it to teens or adults without problem. If you have any interest at all in WWII, black-white relations in the mid-1900s or aviation/air-force and women's place in it, then you'll enjoy this book. And if you don't have much/any interest in those things, I dare say this book may spark some interest for you. It's well written and very accessible even if you know nothing about those topics…and it's interesting enough that you may just find yourself wanting to know more.
****
3.5 out of 5 stars
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started reading, I was dismayed that I'd waited so long to read this book.In some ways, the story and plot were what I expected to find. A black girl living in the south in mid-1900s…trying to find her own identity while having it constantly defined by those around her (by both whites and blacks). As the title and synopsis indicate, she finds her strongest sense of identity defined by her absolute passion for flying…and especially for the freedom and exhilaration it brings to her.
The synopsis explains that this story is about Ida Mae Jones and what happens when she decides to join the WASP (Women's Airforce Service Pilots). However, the first third of the book is about her life in Slidell, Louisiana. We meet her friends, her family and see a bit of her interactions around town. We also learn about Ida Mae's passion to be a pilot. The writing is smooth and believable and really draws you into what it might have been like to be a young black girl in Louisiana in 1941.
Before long, we are given historical notes about America entering the war and about the sacrifices that people had to make. Finally, we learn about the WASP program and see Ida Mae grapple with the difficult decision of what she should do. As you know from the synopsis, she decides to try out for WASP and she ends up being accepted into the program. But in order to do so, she finds herself needing to "pass" as a white woman. She never explicitly says to anyone that she is white…but she doesn't have to. By dressing herself more "white" and by moving into white circles, she is essentially silently telling people she is no longer "black."
I loved that this book was written in first person. By having it in first person it allowed us to get very close to Ida Mae and to feel her anxieties, her regrets, her successes and her fears. I was very worried for her safety many times through her training and missions…not just because of the military aspect, but because her "passing" would have gotten her into a lot of trouble.
I found this book not only very entertaining but very interesting and educational. It was clear that the author did a lot of research on the era, on the war, on the WASP program and on most everything she shared with us in this novel. I really felt like I was reading about true moments from 1940s America.
My only real problem with the book was how it ended…not that it ended bad, but the position in which it ended. The end of the book leaves Ida Mae with a difficult decision about what to do with her future. And while I felt the author handled the ending very well and had Ida Mae make the decision that best fit her character and her life, I really wanted to know what happened next…in the following months, years, etc. Granted, that sort of speculation would be a hard ending to make and would result in a lot of problems for a writer and a reader. So it's probably best that we're left not knowing what happened next and we're thus left having to assume what happened based on what's presented in our novel and our own knowledge of the history of the times.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick but very engaging read. The history, descriptions, characters, and actions were all vivid, entertaining and thought provoking. While not an action packed war novel, you did feel the anxiety of being in America during World War II as well as the stress and worry of Ida Mae as she struggled to find part of her identity while hiding another part. Even though this is a "young adult" novel due to its young characters and simpler writing/plot style, I found this to be a great read and could recommend it to teens or adults without problem. If you have any interest at all in WWII, black-white relations in the mid-1900s or aviation/air-force and women's place in it, then you'll enjoy this book. And if you don't have much/any interest in those things, I dare say this book may spark some interest for you. It's well written and very accessible even if you know nothing about those topics…and it's interesting enough that you may just find yourself wanting to know more.
****
3.5 out of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member ewyatt
Ida Mae Jones, "Jonesy", wants to help in the war effort especially after her brother has enlisted. When her younger brother shows her an article about women pilots joining a group called WASP to help fly and test planes, she knows she has to sign up. Ida Mae is African-American, and only white
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women are allowed to join up. With her light skin, she decides to take a huge risk and try to pass as white to pursue her passion for flying. There is lots about discrimination in this book, both in the ways women were treated and particularly the struggles of black women. I enjoyed the book, the bonds Ida Mae formed in WASP, and her determination to make her dream come true - despite the costs and risks. Show Less
LibraryThing member smheatherly2
Plot: 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, until America enters World War II, and the Army forms the WASP: Women
Themes: Civil Rights, Perseverance, Courage
Characterization: Ida is a strong female character, who even despite knowing she could get jailed or killed, still wants to help to fight for her country. She is a very courageous woman who grows to understand white people better and has to hold her secret inside her. Even though she never tells anyone that she is African American you learn a lot about the way that they were treated through the eyes of someone who secretly lived within their world.
Rating: 9 out of 10. This book was incredibly filled with strong characters and themes. Based during World War II, Ida does what most others would not do to not only fight for her country, but also to live out her dream.
Genre: Historical Fiction
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Airforce Service Pilots. Ida has a chance to fulfill her dream 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 self and family is a heavy burden, and ultimately it's not what you do but who you are that's most important.Themes: Civil Rights, Perseverance, Courage
Characterization: Ida is a strong female character, who even despite knowing she could get jailed or killed, still wants to help to fight for her country. She is a very courageous woman who grows to understand white people better and has to hold her secret inside her. Even though she never tells anyone that she is African American you learn a lot about the way that they were treated through the eyes of someone who secretly lived within their world.
Rating: 9 out of 10. This book was incredibly filled with strong characters and themes. Based during World War II, Ida does what most others would not do to not only fight for her country, but also to live out her dream.
Genre: Historical Fiction
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LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Ida Mae's father taught her to fly his crop duster - and she loves it. She wants nothing more than to fly. But there doesn't seem to be any way for a young black girl to get a pilot's license.
Then she hears about the WASP - a group of women pilots being trained to help with the war effort. They are
Then she hears about the WASP - a group of women pilots being trained to help with the war effort. They are
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not taking black women, but Ida Mae is pale enough to pass. Show Less
LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
Ida Mae Jones loves her family and she loves her friends, but above all else Ida Mae loves to fly. The problem? Because she's a woman and because she's black, she's not allowed to fly. When the US enters World War II and her brother goes off to serve in the military, Ida Mae is determined to join
I really enjoyed this book. Ida Mae is an interesting narrator in a very interesting predicament. Aside from being a story about women in the war, the issues of race explored in the novel really bring to light a different time. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and WWII novels.
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the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). So she fakes a pilot's license and "passes" for white. Ida Mae risks everything to follow her passion. I really enjoyed this book. Ida Mae is an interesting narrator in a very interesting predicament. Aside from being a story about women in the war, the issues of race explored in the novel really bring to light a different time. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and WWII novels.
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LibraryThing member KimJD
The extent to which Ida Mae Jones will go to be a WASP during World War II brings to life a fascinating piece of history. During the war years, it was almost impossible to earn the opportunity to be a pilot as a white woman. And if you were not white... well, the doors were pretty firmly shut
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against you. Unless the US Army didn't know that you weren't white. A great piece of historical fiction, although I think the present-tense narration weakened it some. Show Less
LibraryThing member 68papyrus
Flygirl is the story of a fair skinned African American woman who dreams of becoming a pilot in the Women Airforce Service Pilots during WW II. Unfortunately, although she knows how to fly and is passionate about serving her country because of her race she has no chance of making her dreams cone
I enjoyed this book featuring a gutsy young woman who put her life at risk to follow her dreams. It wasn't easy for her to deny her race but it was the only way to do what she loved best. The book was well written and researched and had good pacing. My only complaint is I was disappointed in the way that Jolene and Ida's friendship just ended after so many years. Also, when Ida's brother returns from war his character just fades into the background even though he and Ida are supposed to be very close. Other than that I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other books by this autho
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true. Against her mother's wishes she decides to enlist by passing for white, which could have deadly consequences if she is caught. Ida passes the flight test and is accepted into the WASPS and ships off to extremely racist Sweetwater, TX for basic training. Her family and friends are worried about this fraud she is perpetrating but know that she wouldn't be happy unless she's flying.I enjoyed this book featuring a gutsy young woman who put her life at risk to follow her dreams. It wasn't easy for her to deny her race but it was the only way to do what she loved best. The book was well written and researched and had good pacing. My only complaint is I was disappointed in the way that Jolene and Ida's friendship just ended after so many years. Also, when Ida's brother returns from war his character just fades into the background even though he and Ida are supposed to be very close. Other than that I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other books by this autho
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LibraryThing member librarian1204
What a great story. So much history to inspire young women. I know it won't make it but everyone should read it!
LibraryThing member devafagan
Really enjoyed this one, full of lots of neat historical details. I particularly loved the WASP trainee camaraderie. I kind of wish there had been a bit more, especially in the resolution. I wasn't ready for it to end when it did.
LibraryThing member rgruberexcel
RGG: The history is more compelling than the writing; but the irony of America's fighting for freedom while women and african-americans are denied rights is powerful. The characters and the story are fine, but something in the pacing and flow makes this a less engaging story. Reading Interest:
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12-YA. Show Less
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
There is much to like about this book with its themes of feminism, race, family, friendship, loyalty, and being true to self. But the real heft of the story is light-skinned Ida Mae passing as white so she can pursue her dream of flying, and the resulting emotional conflicts that come with
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"passing." A particularly disturbing and revealing scene is when Ida's mother visits her at the flight training center and Ida is forced to act and treat her own mother as if she is the maid. Ironically, the Women Air Service Pilots program that accepts Ida is known as WASP. Show Less
LibraryThing member HeatherLINC
An interesting book about WWII and the WASP (women Airforce Service Pilots) in particular.
LibraryThing member Herenya
A lot less fraught and complicated than the last book I read about WWII but it has women flying aeroplanes (or airplanes, as the Americans will insist on calling them) and more diversity. In 1943, Ida Mae Jones from Louisiana applies to join the Women Airforce Service Pilots, knowing that she will
The WASP are another part of history I didn’t know very much about, so I enjoyed seeing what their training process involved. There’s the appeal of boarding school/training school stories: young people living and training together, teamwork and camaraderie, friends supporting each other, standing up to bullies, and so on.
But what I found most interesting was how passing as white is an everyday concern for Ida -- it’s not just about getting through the initial interview. She doesn’t want to risk that someone will get suspicious, so she has to be vigilant about things like what she says about her family and avoiding a tan. And what does it mean for her future, for going home when the war ends, that she’s put so much effort into making a place for herself in a white world where she can’t reveal her true identity?
I wish the army had taught us how to navigate feelings as easily as they did a starless night sky.
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only be allowed to fly if she can pass for a white girl.The WASP are another part of history I didn’t know very much about, so I enjoyed seeing what their training process involved. There’s the appeal of boarding school/training school stories: young people living and training together, teamwork and camaraderie, friends supporting each other, standing up to bullies, and so on.
But what I found most interesting was how passing as white is an everyday concern for Ida -- it’s not just about getting through the initial interview. She doesn’t want to risk that someone will get suspicious, so she has to be vigilant about things like what she says about her family and avoiding a tan. And what does it mean for her future, for going home when the war ends, that she’s put so much effort into making a place for herself in a white world where she can’t reveal her true identity?
I wish the army had taught us how to navigate feelings as easily as they did a starless night sky.
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LibraryThing member Tsana
Pretty good, but I wish there was more tying up of loose ends at the end. I wanted to know what happened next!
LibraryThing member keristars
Flygirl is the story of Ida Mae Jones, a light-skinned black girl from a family of berry farmers in Louisiana, who dreams of nothing but flying airplanes — and who tries to pass as white in order to join the Women's Airfield Service Pilots during World War Two.
This is a book for the younger YA
I loved reading the story, and Ida Mae herself, and I appreciated that a lot of the dark stuff was softened, so that I could relax and enjoy the adventure of being a WASP, and also maybe gain more understanding of racial tensions in the 1940s. It's a great book, and one that I recommend.
This is a book for the younger YA
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crowd, I think, and it shows in that it's something of a gentle read. While it tackles difficult topics such as racism, sexism, and the violence of war (even on the homefront), Ida Mae doesn't experience some of the more awful things that I could imagine around the corner. She worries about being found out, about her brother who is stationed in the Pacific, about what she'd do if she doesn't make it as a WASP, and the stress of being a women in the men's army or trying to pretend not to be black is, of course, always shadowing her. But on the whole, I think those sorts of fears and threats are tempered.I loved reading the story, and Ida Mae herself, and I appreciated that a lot of the dark stuff was softened, so that I could relax and enjoy the adventure of being a WASP, and also maybe gain more understanding of racial tensions in the 1940s. It's a great book, and one that I recommend.
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LibraryThing member NadineC.Keels
First off, I've got to say I'm not sure why this historical fiction novel is in the children's and young adult categories, as it isn't a novel about adolescents/teenagers. Ida Mae and her peers are young but grown women.
Now, I was certainly intrigued by the book blurb, which I actually read
Nevertheless, the story does a pretty good job of pointing out several racial complexities and complications that would crop up in real life. (Heads-up that a couple of minor characters use the N-word.) Although I can't say the emotional and character development were that strong for me, rather serious points of conflict do arise for Ida, particularly after a certain point in the book.
However, the story comes to an abrupt, open-ended conclusion, resolving none of those points. There's a little in the epilogue for readers to guess about and to imagine Ida Mae's future however they wish. While I get that open-ended endings are an actual thing in certain novels, they aren't my thing, personally. Whether it's a happy ending, a sad ending, or a mix of both, I prefer closure at a novel's closing. Especially if the book has no sequel.
I'm not sorry I gave this novel a go, though. And for readers who'd be interested in historical fiction presenting how Black American women actually did serve during WWII, I'd recommend checking out the novel Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson.
Now, I was certainly intrigued by the book blurb, which I actually read
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beforehand. (Something I often don't do.) While the novel has relevant details about the WASP and WWII—and it illustrates how, in general, the war was as much of a major part of Black Americans' lives as any other Americans—the story is a "What if...?" type when it comes to the issue of Ida Mae passing to join the WASP. The author mentions afterward that there's no evidence that any Black women were in the WASP program, through passing or otherwise.Nevertheless, the story does a pretty good job of pointing out several racial complexities and complications that would crop up in real life. (Heads-up that a couple of minor characters use the N-word.) Although I can't say the emotional and character development were that strong for me, rather serious points of conflict do arise for Ida, particularly after a certain point in the book.
However, the story comes to an abrupt, open-ended conclusion, resolving none of those points. There's a little in the epilogue for readers to guess about and to imagine Ida Mae's future however they wish. While I get that open-ended endings are an actual thing in certain novels, they aren't my thing, personally. Whether it's a happy ending, a sad ending, or a mix of both, I prefer closure at a novel's closing. Especially if the book has no sequel.
I'm not sorry I gave this novel a go, though. And for readers who'd be interested in historical fiction presenting how Black American women actually did serve during WWII, I'd recommend checking out the novel Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson.
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Awards
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Middle Grade — 2013)
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (Nominee — 2012)
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2011)
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2012)
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2012)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — 2012)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2011)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2012)
Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Nominee — 2013)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Nominee — 2011)
South Carolina Book Awards (Nominee — Junior Book Award — 2011)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2010)
CCBC Choices (2010)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Teens (Fiction — 2009)
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — 2010)
Language
Original publication date
2009-01-29
ISBN
0545228298 / 9780545228299