Flygirl

[Revised based off instructor feedback]

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 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 show more 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.

Ida Mae’s is a fictional character arising from the author's imagination; there were no known members of the Women's Airforce Service Pilot program who passed as white. However, Ida Mae's inner turmoil is richly developed and realized. Her experiences reflect that there are no easy answers for a young woman living in a world where bigotry ranks skin color before dreams. Recommended. show less

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 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 show more 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. show less

This is one of those historical fiction books that quietly sneaks up on you and then completely pulls you in. It follows Ida Mae Jones, a young Black woman during World War II who dreams of flying airplanes like her late father. When the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program opens up, Ida wants in—but there’s a huge catch: the military won’t accept Black women. So she makes a life-altering decision to “pass” as white to join. It’s a bold, risky move that sets up the emotional heart of the story.

What I really liked about this book is how it balances personal identity with ambition. Ida’s passion for flying is so vivid you feel like you’re right there in the cockpit with her, but her internal struggle—navigating show more racism, family loyalty, and her own sense of self—is what really gives the story weight. Sherri L. Smith doesn’t sugarcoat the stakes, but she also doesn’t lose hope. The writing is grounded and graceful, and the historical setting feels authentic without being dry. *Flygirl* is a thoughtful, inspiring read that’s perfect for anyone into history, aviation, or stories about strong young women making tough choices. show less

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 "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.

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 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 show more 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. show less

More like a 3.5 stars

This book was interesting to say the least. I enjoyed getting to read about Ida Mae and her struggles with her identity as a really light-skinned Black person as well as being a woman who wants to fly. I don't often read things where skin color is a big thing for the main character and I have to say that it's almost eye opening to read about Ida Mae's challenges in those regards, especially when she has to deal with her mother's anger and Jolene's jealousy about her (Ida Mae's) ability/desire (in order to fly) to pass as White. The time period (World War II era USA) makes things even more difficult for her since racism and segregation is still running rampant.

The scene with Ida Mae when she goes to buy the awl for show more her grandfather made me worry for her, especially when the elderly farmer recognized that she was just light-skinned and there was a chance that the (White) store helper might have overheard the comment.

The extra challenges of being a woman were just as intriguing and they angered me a little too. The fact that women were that looked down upon and constantly had barriers thrown in their way is appalling. The scene where Ida Mae and Lilly were thrown into the B-29 plane, which was still experimental and had earned the name "Widow Maker", without being told any details of why, is infuriating. When 2 engines gave out, one catching on fire, I truly feared for Ida Mae and Lilly and couldn't help but think of what happened to Patsy.

In the end when I learned that the WASP program was disbanded rather than given military status, I was angry too.

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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 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 show more 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 author show less