  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 02/01/2016 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 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 04/01/2016 Through thirty-three poems, Weatherford recounts the history of the first black U.S. military pilots, who trained on the grounds of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1940 and were activated just in time for combat when America entered World War II. The narrative voice draws readers into the action, addressing them directly and inviting them to imagine themselves into this ground-breaking role: “Your God-fearing mama writes/ that folks back home are on their knees/ sending up timber for you—/ their favorite son./ You vow not to wash out.” The training, the black role models and pin-ups, the backward steps of homefront bigotry, the boredom, the battle action, and the legacy are all addressed, accompanied by Jeffrey Weatherford’s scratchboard illustrations. Stats and specs occasionally break the flow of some verses, but their inclusion is nonetheless a boon for readers more interested in facts than format. With its timeline, bibliography, and annotated list of primary sources available online, this title is particularly well adapted to classroom use, where language arts and history students can share common air space. EB - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Booklist - 04/01/2016 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 Crow–era 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. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
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