There are two books in the Library’s collection with titles that sound exactly alike: Flyy Girl and Flygirl. But don’t get them mixed up. One is a gritty, realistic, coming of age urban fiction—that’s Flyy Girl by Omar Tyree. The other, Flygirl, is an action-packed, historical novel about flying during World War II written by Sherri Smith. Though both books feature African American young women growing up in America, they couldn’t be more different in tone and story.
Flygirl by Sherri Smith and Flyabout, a documentary film by Monika Petrillo, will be featured in programs at the Beacon Hill Branch this fall, in partnership with the Women in Aviation group in Seattle. These two programs will introduce and entice young women from sixth grade and up to consider careers in aviation. The Sky’s the Limit: Young Women and Aviation, features a two free screening of Flyabout, introduced by the filmmaker, with showings at 4 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 27. The film is an intimate, personal story about Monika and her father’s flying journey above Australia. It is a true and engaging tale of a young woman pilot growing into adulthood.
The Sky’s the Limit Part II is on November 24, 2010, 4 to 6:30 p.m. A panel of aviation professionals will discuss their careers as well as talk about some of the themes in the book Flygirl: The hard climb of acceptance for women in aviation fields, the women pilots in World War II who proved their worth through the WASPs, the sheer joy of flying that is in the blood, and the cost of chasing one’s dreams. Ida, the young woman protagonist in Flygirl, has the added burden of being a light-skinned African American in Louisiana, who disguises herself and her race in order to become a pilot. She learns hard lessons about being comfortable in her own skin. Free paperback copies of the book will be given out at the first program in October or can be borrowed through the library in preparation for this discussion.
~ Diane, Beacon Hill
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