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Ida Mae Jones dreams of flight. Her daddy was a pilot and being black didn’t stop him from fulfilling his dreams. But her daddy’s gone now, and being a woman, and being black, are two strikes against her.

When America enters the war with Germany and Japan, the Army creates the WASP, the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots—and Ida suddenly sees a way to fly as well as do something significant to help her brother stationed in the Pacific. But even the WASP won’t accept her as a black woman, forcing Ida Mae to make a difficult choice of “passing,” of pretending to be white to be accepted into the program. Hiding one’s racial heritage, denying one’s family, denying one’s self is a heavy burden. And while Ida Mae chases her dream, she must also decide who it is she really wants to be.

-A dynamic, heartfelt novel.+ -The Washington Post

-A thrilling, but little-known story that begs to be told. The book is at once informative and entertaining.+ -School Library Journal

  • Pages: 304 Pages
  • Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
  • Imprint: Speak
  • ISBN: 9781440699283
Penguin Teen