Wind Flyers by Angela Johnson

Wind Flyers by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Loren Long

Rating: overall, 3.5 (3 for the author, 5 for the illustrator)

This is another book that makes me grateful that the author and illustrator have chosen to share their talents through children's books.

This is a book about the first all-black squadron created, thanks to pressure from the NAACP and other groups, in the U.S. Air Force.  The pilots were trained on an airfield in Tuskegee, Alabama, and flew in missions in North Africa.  The 332nd fighting squadron was the only escort group that never lost a single bomber to enemy fire.  The story is told by a little boy, whose great-great-uncle was a "wind flyer" or a "Tuskegee Airmen."  The story is appropriately serious, but not too serious.  Only once does the text mention the reason why the squadron was created: " 'Air Force didn't want us at first.  Only four squadrons like us,' he says, touching his mahogany face."  I love how subtlety and quietly the author lets Lorelei and Ben know about this difference--and about war, too.  She leaves it to me, the parent, to continue the lesson at home.  I accept.

I admit I don't love the actual text--more than once, I've flipped back to see if I missed a page because the story jumps around a bit more than I'd like.  I feel like it's two or three drafts away from a really great book.

But the illustrations.  The illustrations!!  They are illustrations that make children dream of flying, dream of doing something that they think is nearly impossible.  There is something magical about the pictures; I'm not sure what sort of pixie dust Loren Long has, but I'd like him to share it with me.  But he does!  Fortunately, Mr. Long has chosen to share his talents with children by illustrating some pretty amazing books.  I came across Otis in the bookstore a few months ago and I fell in love with the illustrator.  Click here to see his early sketches from the book; roll your mouse over the image and the final sketch will appear.  They are fantastic!  The illustrations in this book are just a gift to each child who reads it, and I'm extra appreciative that the gifts include images of black American heroes serving their country even when their country didn't fully appreciate them.

P.S.  I liked the first image of great-great uncle as a little boy, seeing if he could fly by jumping out of the barn into soft hay.  On the page before this, he jumps off the chicken coop.  We don't have these things on our property, and I'm not worried about Lorelei and Ben jumping off of tall things, but...it's good to know it's in the book if you've got a dare-devil in your care.