Sherri L. Smith's Flygirl is the story of Ida Mae Jones. Ever since her father went to Chicago to aeronautics school and returned home with his own plane, all Ida Mae has wanted to do is fly. There are a few problems with this given it is the 1940's. First, most females don't fly airplanes. Second, Ida Mae is an African American. As far as her mother sees it, that is "two strikes against her" even if her skin color is much lighter than most. When the U.S. Army forms a group of women pilots - WASP - Women Airforce Service Pilots - Ida Mae sees an opportunity. However, to be a WASP (It seems as though the W could have stood for white too) Ida Mae pretends to be someone she isn't and along the way discovers who she really is.
Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings takes place in Maryland, along the Chesapeake Bay. Brady, and his best friends J.T. and Digger, are in middle school and love to go fishing, crabbing, boating and swimming. The crabbing industry is suffering and times are lean for many families. But the land is valuable since the area is beautiful; rich families buy and build and move into their very exclusive homes built on the land that Brady, T.J. and Digger used to call their own. They bring their fancy cars, their motor boats, and even a kayak. However, one day tragedy strikes one family - the DiAngelos - when their kayak overturns in the bay. The tragedy is difficult for Brady to deal with, and when he discovers the truth, he must make a decision that could impact the lives of many.
Both books make you think and examine your own actions. I love when literature does that.
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