Great-great-uncle was a wind flyer. A smooth wind flyer, a Tuskegee wind flyer. The first words of Wind Flyers soar off the page just like Uncle soared from the side of a barn when he was seven years old. Whether you already know the long, storied history of the Tuskegee airmen or are just learning about them, this new book by Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Angela Johnson brings to life the struggles faced by African-American servicemen in World War II. But Johnson's book is more than a history book it is also a celebration of the joy of flight and following one's passion, even when the rest of the world would keep you from it. Artist Loren Long's graceful acrylics beautifully illustrate the heartache of longing and the joy of success. Perhaps a whole new generation of readers will now discover the moving story of the Tuskegee airmen and the importance of following a dream.
Valiant Women is a vital and engrossing attempt to correct the record and rightfully celebrate the achievements of female veterans of World War II.