Wind Flyers

Written by;Angela Johnson

Illustrated by; Loren Long

A boy shares the story about his uncle who becomes a wind flyer for the historic Tuskegee Airmen. His uncle had wanted to fly from the time he was a little boy. He tried to fly at the age of 7 by jumping off the barn and flapping his arms like a bird.  Eventually, his uncle became a Tuskegee Airmen in 1941. This  squadron was made up entirely of African-America men.  The story tells of how his love of flight takes him on a journey from Alabama to the skies of Europe during World War II.

This is a beautiful book.  It is interesting that we never learn the names of uncle and nephew, making it feel like a collective honor for all the men who were part of the original Tuskegee Airmen.  There is minimal text, and it reads very similar to a poem.  The beautiful illustrations help tell the story.  This would be a great book for children to learn about the Tuskegee Airmen or to use during Black History Month as it takes place in a time where rights were not equal for all men.  It is an inspirational book about how to follow your dreams.