Born to Fly

Bird McGill loves nothing more than flying with her dad, an airplane mechanic who is the only one who believes in her dream of becoming a P-40 Warhawk fighter pilot. Narrator Rachel Delude adopts just the right amount of spunkiness for this 11-year-old tomboy. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, her dad is drafted. Then Bird befriends the new Japanese-American student, Kenji, and they uncover a deadly plot against the nation. Delude conveys the prejudice of the emotionally charged townspeople with perfection, particularly the bully, Farley. Listeners will be entranced by Delude's talent for delivering young and old voices, the mocking tones of the defense attorney, and the tension of the nail-biting climax. An afterword details historical facts. M.F.T. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

July 13, 2009
Ferrari's novel, which won the Delacorte Yearling Prize for debut middle-grade authors, takes readers on a high-flying, nail-biting historical adventure that is uplifting and just good fun. Set during WWII in a sleepy Rhode Island town, Ferrari's story is narrated by an imaginative preteen girl whose nothing-can-stop-me attitude will appeal to readers of both sexes. Sixth-grader Bird McGill loves flying airplanes with her dad. But when he joins the war effort, Bird feels like she's lost her only ally. Then Kenji, a guarded Japanese boy, shows up in her class. As he becomes an even bigger outcast and bully-target than her (“Why don't you go home to Japland,” sneers a classmate), Bird reluctantly befriends him. Together, Bird and Kenji stumble upon suspicious activity in their hometown and vow to unravel the mystery. Ferrari weaves in period details, but wisely keeps the focus on the duo's antics and fragile, budding friendship. As danger grows, so does their trust in and reliance on each other. Readers will be anxious to learn the fate of these two daring kids and the spy they are determined to derail. Ages 8–12.

September 1, 2013

Gr 5 Up-Ferrari's debut novel (Delacorte, 2009) takes place in a small Rhode Island town at the time Pearl Harbor is bombed and the United States enters World War II. Bird is just turning 11, has a passion for flying airplanes, and wants to be a fighter pilot when she grows up. When Kenji, a Japanese-American boy, enters Bird's class, everyone thinks that he and his uncle are spies. Bird befriends him, and they discover evidence of an enemy submarine in the area. The story features men leaving for war and, sadly, never coming back; a draft dodger; and a Nazi spy who is hidden in plain sight. There's plenty of adventure in this action-packed story, including a local murder solved by Bird and Kenji. Listeners get a complete home front experience, including a nod to the popular culture of the times with references to Abbot and Costello, John Wayne, the Andrew Sisters, and the popular The Green Hornet radio program. Narrator Rachel Dulude does an eloquent job of portraying Bird's range of emotions as the girl processes life-changing events, and her use of tone and pacing helps listeners keep track of a full cast of characters. There's a thorough endnote that delivers historical facts as they relate to the story. Highly recommended for all libraries and for fans of Patricia Reilly Giff's Lily's Crossing (Delacorte, 1997).-Terri Norstrom, Cary Area Public Library, IL

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