Ms. Dickinson's Purple & Gold Pick of the Week: Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith

Ida Mae Jones is living with her head in the clouds. Ever since her daddy taught her to fly his beloved plane, the memories of darting among the clouds and soaring high above farms and fields fill Ida's mind. But now that Daddy is gone—killed in an accident on the farm—Ida absolutely must keep her feet firmly planted on the ground. She’s got to help her mother keep the farm going while her older brother is away studying medicine, make extra money cleaning houses, and help take care of her younger brother. Besides it’s 1940 in Louisiana and being black and a woman are two big strikes against Ida’s chances of becoming a real pilot. 

Then the U.S. enters into war with Germany and Japan and the army announces that the government is forming a special group called the WASP: Women Airforce Service Pilots. However, while the WASP might finally offer Ida the chance to get back in the air and join the war effort, there’s still one big problem. The WASP is only for white women. Yet Ida’s determined and, with her light skin, she might be able to pass as a white woman--if she's very careful. But, can Ida truly fulfill her dreams while pretending to be someone she’s not? Will she even last long enough to leave the runway?

For full disclosure, I should share that I'm huge fan of historical fiction--especially stories that focus on frequently forgotten events or people in history.  However, while some historical fiction might only appeal to those of us who confess to be hardcore history fans, Flygirl is a great read for nearly anyone looking for an exciting adventure with sympathetic characters and a suspenseful plot!   Ida is frustrated by her seemingly limited life as the daughter of a farmer, as a black girl in the segregated South, and as a light-skinned girl in her own community.  Ida always felt a little out of place and dreams of escape--both from her repetative life and from the physical bonds of gravity itself.    Being a pilot offers her the opportuntity to see new places, learn new things, and find a purpose. 

The suspenseful ramifications of Ida's choice to pass as white in order to join the WASP shed light on a variety of tensions surrounding skin color, identity, and insider/outsider status in the black and white communities of 1940 America--tensions that continue to surface even today.  Additionally, the story finally brings the long underappreciated but critical efforts of military women like the WASP into the mainstream; for example, I was fascinated to learn that while women didn't fly into combat, they did test out new plane models--a very dangerous feat that male pilots refused to do.  The author's descriptions bring the adrenaline-soaked joy and fear of flying to life vividly;  you'll be tempted to look into flying lessons after you finish!

 

For a high flying adventure rich in fascinating characters and forgotten pockets of history, check out Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith, on display in the library's fiction section now!