I'm a big fan of historical fiction and knew I'd enjoy a YA novel about the WASPS--the Women Airforce Service Pilots. Ida Mae Jones is a light-skinned African-American who decides to pass as white during World War II so she can join the WASPs. Ida Mae learned how to fly from her father and helped him spray crops around their berry farm in Louisiana.
There is a lot of talk about race and sex in this novel, obviously. Colored people don't fight with white people, and same goes for men and women. Ida Mae has to deal with men who don't think women should fly and family members who don't think she should pass as white.
The book isn't action-packed, but I thought the history was interesting. Ida Mae is likable, even if a little surface-only. The author's afterword was great, and provided the background I wanted to know about.
No comments:
Post a Comment