Flygirl

Flygirl by Sherri Smith

For our next African-American history month selection, we’re staying in Louisiana.  Ida Mae Jones learned to fly with her daddy, in a small plane, dusting crops.  As World War II begins, Ida finds herself wanting to help out, but facing the double whammy of being both black and woman.  When her little brother reads about the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) in the paper, he immediately encourages Ida to join.  She quickly realizes while her gender may no longer keep her from flying, her race most certainly will.

But Ida is light skinned, so light that she can choose to pass as white.  It is this dangerous decision that enables Ida to finally realize her dream of being a pilot.  Flygirl does not handle this decision lightly.  It includes a great deal of information about all the levels of discrimination occurring due to skin color:   the obvious color line between blacks and whites; the experience of passing as white; the discrimination and exclusion practiced by blacks themselves against darker blacks.  And while it’s possible that there’s never enough deliberation over whether or not to pass, Flygirl absolutely depicts this as a fraught and weighty decision.

Due to content and vocabulary this book is best for middle schoolers and older.

Great for: Lovers of history and pioneers.  Flygirl does a great job of depicting life during WWII from collecting nylons to make parachutes to living with rationing.  Ida idolizes Bessie Coleman, and through her readers can also be inspired by the first African-American woman pilot.  This is also fabulous for teaching about the bravery of women throughout history and the risks they had to take to prove themselves the equals (or betters) of men.  But Flygirl also shows the struggles women had gaining acceptance for their choices even among their female friends and family.

Historical vocabulary: In keeping with the time period in which it was set, Flygirl uses the terms colored and Negro throughout to refer to African-Americans and high yellow to refer to light skinned African Americans.  Oriental is also used rather than Asian.

Sex, Nudity, Dating – The airwomen get called easy and loose.  The gossips at the hair salon think Ida’s been off having babies.  Or not having them.  There is interracial dancing/ romance/kiss.  An engaged couple kisses. A girl gets married and spends her wedding night with her husband (we are given NO details, it’s just mentioned because they were not going to be able to stay together due to the war. A married woman is pregnant.
Profanity – “hell” multiple times,  “damn”multiple times, “n—-r” is written out in its entirety three times (please note, the author of this book is black, her choice to use the word is her own, but as a white reviewer it is not my place to write it out or comment on her use of it),  “oh my God”, “Nips” and “Japs” (both are racial slurs used for the Japanese during WWII).
Death, Violence and Gore – Set in the time immediately preceding, and during WWII, you can expect guns, bombs etc. Due to the type of deaths that occur during war there is talk of the deceased being burned up or sent home in many pieces.  Brief talk of the losses at the beaches.  Ida’s father died. With the historical information on Coleman, we learn she was killed in a crash.  Ida’s mother slaps her.   A main character is killed when her plane crashes.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – Ida is given a sip of whisky when she feels ill.  Older girls drink rum and coke.  Ida says that she’d want a drink, if she drank.  A girl smokes a cigarette.
Frightening or Intense Things –  The girls get their dental records taken in case they burn up in a crash, which is reasonably morbid.  There are many moments of danger for Ida in her choice to pass as white.  She receives warnings from other blacks that she will get herself “killed or worse” passing. Her brother reports on being tortured during the war and for a period of time her brother is missing.