American Wings

Praise

Praise for American Wings:

A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
A National Education Association “Read Across America” Selection
A National Science Teachers Association/Children’s Book Council Best STEM Book Winner


* “A wonderfully detailed and evocative review of the true story of four Black Americans between the world wars who pioneered aviation in spite of many obstacles placed in their paths . . . A vivid and accurate recounting of the struggles and triumphs of the desegregation of ­Chicago aviation. The lengthy end notes, bibliography, and substantial authors’ note underscore the level of research completed. ­Fans of the authors’ previous books will appreciate this nonfiction title, as will fans of aviation ­history.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“Accessible and buoyant . . . A fascinating, well-told American story full of compelling innovation.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Essential and richly informative . . . Inspirational singular stories feature famous names and institutions such as the Tuskegee Airmen, b&w archival photographs imbue the historical narrative with contemporary-feeling familiarity, and nail-biting tales of flights gone wrong add verve, making for an exciting and richly rendered addition to the history of Black aviation.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] thorough and absorbingly written history of the early days of aviation.” —The Horn Book

“An enlightening account of notable Black American aviators and the issues that they confronted during their careers.” —Booklist

“Thoroughly researched . . . This comprehensive look at an unsung piece of aviation history will be an excellent resource, capped with a wealth of back matter that includes sources, quotes, and an index.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“This beautiful and brilliant history of not only what it means to be Black and dream of flying but to, against every odd, do so, completely blew me away. Kudos to Smith and Wein for believing in the importance of history and passing it on.” —Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award Winner for Brown Girl Dreaming

“A barnstorming, barrel-rolling, loop-the-loop history of the Black American pilots who defied racism and gravity in equal measure. American Wings soars!” —Alan Gratz, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee

“A fascinating, well-researched history of the birth of Black aviation in the twentieth century. Smith and Wein have perfectly captured the challenging and thrilling journeys of these inspiring aviators from Chicago. I loved every page.” —Brandy Colbert, award-winning author of Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

“Smith and Wein pack this story with daring aerial adventures and pilots whose love of flying and refusal to be denied practically soar off the page!” —Steve Sheinkin, author of the Newbery Honor Book and National Book Award Finalist Bomb

“Hidden within a romp about daring-do aviators is the story of America: the barriers it created for some of its citizens, the people who worked to tear them down, and how the country was propelled toward equal rights for all.” –Monica Hesse, bestselling author of Girl in the Blue Coat

“Thanks to Smith and Wein’s eye-opening, page-turning, often disquieting, but always compelling narrative, we can now return these remarkable, long unsung African American aviation pioneers to our collective American memory where they’ve always belonged.” —Candace Fleming, author of The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh, winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction