"American Wings" by Sherri L. Smith and Elizabeth Wein is a poignant and richly detailed historical novel that explores the lives and struggles of pioneering aviators. Its evocative storytelling and well-drawn characters provide a compelling look at a fascinating era.

This book was intriguing, comprehensive, and definitely out of my comfort zone, but nonetheless good.

I love how detailed this book is. When discussing the struggles of marginalized groups as they embark on learning something they’ve previously been kept from due to discrimination, it’s easy to tell the highlights of the story. This book gave us the whole story from the mechanics of learning to fly, association costs, to becoming pilots, to those who tried to support them.

This book was very approachable and digestible and I hope we continue to see more nonfiction presented in this way. Highly recommended.

A well written and informative book about the history of brave Black American Aviators breaking down barriers in the skies pursuing equal rights. The author clearly did thorough research on this topic and I appreciated the number of photographs included. I can see this being an excellent book for older children and teenagers. The author did an excellent job of telling these individuals stories and was very inspirational.

Thank you to Netgalley for a digital ARC.

I dnf’ed at 11% Please understand it was absolutely me and not the book’s fault.

So… the narration of this book is good. But I wanted to get the high flying adventure part of it without the backstory. And the backstory is needed to set up the fun bit.

For me I kind of got lost a bit in the here’s kind of where we’re starting, but let’s jump further back in time for a bit.

I also feel like I’m not interested in aviation enough to truly appreciate this book.

An extensive story of a group of black men and women in the 1930's and 40's with a passion for flight. I learned a lot about the struggle this group went through with racism, Jim Crow laws, and prejudice.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢 𝐋. 𝐒𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐧
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐲
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you #partners @PenguinTeen and @PRHAudio for providing me with #gifted copies of American Wings! #PRHAudioPartner #PRHAInfluencer #PenguinTeenPartner

Wow! American Wings is a well-researched book that would be appealing to both teens and adults. I found the format with photographs to really help elevate the readers understanding of the history behind the group of Black Americans who displayed determination and resilience in the fight for equal rights in the sky. Coffey, Robinson, and the rest of the group fought over and over again against racism in order to pave the way for equality. I found their story to be so inspirational and the details that were documented by the authors really helped to paint a better picture of this brave group of individuals. 🎧While I often found myself referencing the physical book, I also listened to the audiobook, narrated by Karen Murray. Murray brought the story and history to life for me and I found her to be such a dynamic narrator. I think the narration would be the perfect supplement to the physical book and I highly recommend both formats!

Posted on Goodreads on January 13, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around January 16, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on January 16, 2024
**-will post on designated date

A massive thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!! I really enjoyed this book; definitely something I will tell my friends about!

This book is a fantastic look at the struggles for black men and women to learn how to fly airplanes. I like that it told the story all the way thru from just trying to learn to be mechanics and the racism they had to regularly deal with in trying to become pilots, flying to various locations to get supporters for their missions. This Non-fiction book was anything but boring. It told this historical story in a very easy manner that anyone would enjoy to read this. I definitely want to look more into this important moments of history after reading this book.

In the early 1900s, aviation was one of the most exciting and innovative experiences in the world. But in the United States, potential pilots of color were relentlessly prevented from pursuing their dreams. Despite the enormous number of setbacks they faced, however, several Black Americans made the brave and tenacious decision to do whatever they could to secure their own place in the sky. Cornelius Robinson Coffey and Johnny Robinson were two of the most prominent Black aviation leaders during this time, and it is thanks to their unrelenting persistence that the skies were ultimately desegregated, offering a space to anyone who wishes to feel the wind beneath their wings.

This nonfiction book is approachable to young adults as well as older readers, especially as it is carefully demarcated by periods of time in which Coffey and Robinson were making their way toward the future they envisioned for themselves and for their country. The writing is detailed and accessible, and it includes a vast array of meticulously researched information. Though not everything was well-documented in the early part of the 1900s, the best attempts have been made to extrapolate the truth from the evidence available. In addition to the text, occasional photographs are included to help orient readers to the characters and their real-life appearances.

One of the most prominent features of this book are the frequent references to overt racism the characters faced on a daily basis. Every step the people featured in this book made in their lives, they had to fight for rights others took for granted. It is often difficult to read about how Coffey and his companions were treated, and it is even more concerning to recognize similar behaviors over a century later. What is inspiring, however, is how Coffey, Robinson, and their friends had the bravery to break barriers and helped pave the way for a more inclusive environment in the present day. This is a carefully researched and well-presented book that will appeal to young adults, especially those intrigued by the world of aviation.

This was a fascinating look at the development of Black aviation in the United States with a focus on Chicago. Typically when you learn about Black aviation you hear about Bessie Coleman and the Tuskegee Airman, but the story is far richer and this is a great book for young adults who want to learn more about the early start of aviation with a focus on Black pilots. This is an important part of American history that should be taught in schools, but until that time, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in American history or aviation history specifically.