You Can Fly

Starred review from March 7, 2016
Weatherford (Voice of Freedom) again wields the power of poetry to tell a gripping historical story, reinforced by dramatically shaded scratchboard illustrations by her son, making a notable debut. Gentle yet stirring, Weatherford’s 40-plus free-verse poems create a composite portrait of the first African-American military pilots, trained at the Tuskegee Institute before fighting on the front lines in WWII, and the rampant racial prejudice that these military heroes battled throughout the war. Addressing the pilots collectively as “you,” the present-tense narrative has a palpable sense of immediacy, urgency, and encouragement: “Finally, your moment./ After eight hours of lessons,/ it’s your turn to fly solo,/ to conquer a new world./ You steer as if you and the plane are one./ You have never felt freer./ Never.” Weatherford also offers appreciative nods to the first black women allowed to serve in the Army Nurse Corps, as well as black and white civilians and officers who decried the hypocrisy inherent in a soldier risking his life to defend a country “that doesn’t respect his rights.” A timeline
and other resources wrap up this absorbing book. Ages 9–12.

July 1, 2016
Thirty-two poems written in the second person bring to life the experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. Pilots, bombardiers, instructors, maintenance workers, and navigators trained at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, as part of the Civilian Pilot Training Program to fly and maintain combat aircraft: "If Carver can make paint / from clay and plastics from soy, / then the school Booker T. founded / can surely make you a pilot." This flew in the face of prevailing racism and societal beliefs about the capacities of African American men, but the program succeeded, and black pilots flew missions over Sicily and North Africa. Weatherford's informative, evocative poems follow the Airmen from the early vision ("The sky's no limit if you've flown / on your own power in countless dreams") to the flyers' experiences at home and abroad, with poems about Joe Louis and Lena Horne reminding us that the Airmen were also fighting another war in this countryagainst prejudice. The concluding poem, "A Long Line," places the Tuskegee Airmen among "a long line of warriors," from ancient Egyptian pharaohs to Toussaint L'Ouverture, from the U.S. Colored Troops of the Civil War to the Harlem Hellfighters of World War I. And the Tuskegee Airmen, in turn, paved the way for the full integration of the military in 1948. Jeffery Boston Weatherford's dramatic black-and-white scratchboard illustrations will draw in browsers, and an author's note, timeline, and further resources are appended. dean schneider

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

April 1, 2016
Grades 5-7 This free-verse collection tells of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black pilots in the U.S. military. Beginning with their dreams of flying, the story continues through the men's flight training for WWII in Jim Crowera Alabama; their outstanding record in missions over Italy, Germany, and the Mediterranean; and their return to a country where racism was never in short supply. The epilogue then fast-forwards through their lifetimes, from Truman ending racial discrimination in the military to the inauguration of a black president. Straightforward, pithy, and sometimes moving, the verse offers a sense of what the Tuskegee Airmen experienced. The use of second-person voice addressing the airmen puts readers in the shoes of courageous individuals who took part in the Tuskegee Experiment. Included are evocative scratchboard illustrations contributed by the author's son. With poems such as Operation Prove Them Wrong and Lena Horne: More than a Pinup, this volume offers a vivid, personal point of view. A welcome addition to traditional books on the Tuskegee Airmen.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

Starred review from February 15, 2016
The story of the struggles and achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen is told in vivid informational poetry. Pre-World War II efforts aimed at improving the opportunities for African-Americans in the military faced strong opposition, but flight programs such as Tuskegee's had a strong advocate in Eleanor Roosevelt, and she convinced President Franklin D. Roosevelt to support them. The preparation was vigorous, under the direction of white officers who were also affected by the racism of the time: "For them, choosing Tuskegee / means never making general, / but making history instead." The poems explore all aspects of the time spent in training, including the restrictions of a small Southern town as well as outside news. After the U.S. entered the war, the pilots were eventually allowed to participate and served with great distinction. Carole Boston Weatherford does a masterful job of portraying the era and the prevailing attitude among African-Americans, who believed they could overcome racism with excellence. Her skill with language provides clear voices for the trainees, and cultural specifics provide additional texture and deepen understanding of the young men. Even African-American military nurses make an appearance. The epilogue places the Tuskegee Airmen in context with other, defeated legal racial barriers. This excellent treatment is enhanced with useful backmatter: author's note, timeline, and list of additional resources. Jeffery Boston Weatherford's scratchboard illustrations complement the text. A masterful, inspiring evocation of an era. (Informational poetry. 9-12)

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July 1, 2016
Thirty-two second-person poems and dramatic scratchboard illustrations bring to life the experiences of the pilots, bombardiers, maintenance workers, and navigators trained to fly and maintain combat aircraft at Alabama's Tuskegee Institute during World War II. Informative, evocative poems follow the Airmen from the early vision to the flyers' experiences at home and abroad, as they fought another war--against prejudice. Reading list, timeline, websites.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

February 1, 2016

Gr 5 Up-This distinctive collection of verses lets readers journey with the African American men who dreamed of flying despite racist attitudes. Through 33 poems, readers will travel beside these determined men as they become pilots and fight not only the Nazis, but prejudice as well. For those who have never studied this time period, this book sheds light on the Tuskegee Airmen through stories filled with authentic voices and hard truths. For those who already know of the Airmen's accomplishments, the book offers a more personal connection to the men and their ideas and feelings through poems such as "Operation Prove Them Wrong" and "No Hero's Welcome," which demonstrate that despite their proven skill and heroism, the aviators were still denied acceptance and respect. Scratchboard illustrations by the author's son bring the subject to life. VERDICT A unique and very readable addition to supplement black history and World War II collections.-Laura Fields Eason, Parker Bennett Curry Elementary School, Bowling Green, KY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.