The Tuskegee Airmen have been in the news lately with the release of the movie Red Tails.  The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is a truly inspiring one that deserves to be shared.  Not only did they combat the prejudices of the era by shooting down enemy planes, proving that African-Americans could fly in combat missions for the Army Air Corps, they also saved thousands of lives with their escort missions.  They earned the nickname “Red Tailed Angels” because of their discipline and commitment to protect the planes they were escorting instead of peeling away to look for individual glory.  If you’re looking for more information about these heroes or you’d like something appropriate for young children, try the library resources below.

Wind Flyers by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Loren Long.  This colorful picture book tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen with beautiful illustrations and lyrical language.  It’s a perfect choice for sharing the story of these heroes with young children.

The Tuskegee Airmen Story by Lynn M. Homan and Thomas Reilly Homan, illustrated by Rosalie M. Shepherd.  This picture book contains more information on the history of Tuskegee program including the women who worked at the station and non-pilot members of the group such as mechanics.  

Red-Tail Angels by Patricia and Fredrick McKissack.  This non-fiction book contains chapters full of detailed information and pictures of the Tuskegee Airmen for older students interested in their story.

Flying Free: America’s First Black Aviators by Philip S. Hart.  This book provides context with chapters for Bessie Coleman, William J. Powell, James Herman Banning, Hubert Fauntleroy Julian, and The Chicago Flyers in addition to the Tuskegee Airmen.

The site Awesome Stories also has a great article by Carole D. Bos on The Tuskegee Airmen that includes many links to primary source information and a description of the challenges the Tuskegee Airmen faced and their accomplishments.  You can access it at http://www.awesomestories.com/flicks/red-tails

For more resources on African American history, look at the books on display this month throughout the LRC.  

These are my favorites of the books that I read in the fall.  Stop by the LRC to check them out!

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (4th grade and up)
Hazel and Jack were best friends until one snowy day in winter.  "It was the sort of snowfall that, if there were any magic to be had in the world, would make it come out. And magic did come out.  But not the kind you were expecting."  Suddenly Jack starts acting strange and stops being friends with Hazel.  Her mother says that these things happen sometimes and to make new friends, but Hazel knows that something is wrong.  Then one day, Jack disappears entirely and no one even seems to notice.  Hazel has read about this sort of thing in books, she knows what to do and may be the only one who can save Jack, so what choice does she have?  She packs her supplies and sets off into the icy heart of winter.

This re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen" makes the perfect winter reading.  For more information, including an discussion guide, reviews, and a sample chapter, visit the author's website: http://www.anneursu.com/books/bk_breadcrumbs.html

The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy (5th grade & up)
Before Joan moved to California she only read stories.  After she moved to California, Joan began to live them.  It all started when she was exploring in the woods near her house and she found what looked like a troll's living room.  It turned out that it belonged to a girl named Sarah who called herself the Queen of Foxes.  Joan soon became newt in turn and newt and fox explored secret grottoes, defended their fort from invaders, and hid in the woods.  Their real life mixed with a fantasy life and they turned their story in to a writing competition.  But eventually they had to return to reality, and the cold hard truths they could not avoid.

This novel captures the feel of long days and warm nights spent playing outside for those who would rather escape to the warm summer months this winter.  This novel, set in the early 70's has a lot of local color and the wild girls make several trips to Berkeley.  This book doubles as a guide to writing for those who would like to write their own stories.  Read more at the author's website: http://www.brazenhussies.net/murphy/Index-WildGirls.html
 

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (6th grade & up)
"Akata Witch!" Sunny was used to the taunt, but that didn't make it sting any less. As an albino who spent the first nine years of her life in America, Sunny was used to not fitting in with her Nigerian classmates, but she had no idea how different she was until she saw the end of the world in a candle's flame and discovered  that she really did have magical powers.  In Nigeria, those with magical abilities are called Leopard People and at first Sunny doesn't know what to make of their world.  Among Leopard People what sets you apart is what gives you strength and because Sunny is so different she is also very powerful.  At first her abilities and the new world they show her are thrilling, but before long she realizes that with her powers come a price and for every benefit the Leopard People have to offer there is a hidden danger lurking as well.

This imaginative novel mixes the modern and the ancient into a fantasy unlike any I've ever read before.  In the world Okorafor creates what makes you different is what gives you power and you earn money through learning--making the head librarian one of the most powerful people in town.  Now that's some world-building I can get behind!  The novel is best summed up by the sentence "Sunny couldn't stop grinning. Life was getting weirder and weirder.  But this weirdness she really  liked."  Read more at the author's site: http://nnedi.com/sunny.html
 

Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt (6th grade & up)
Doug Swieteck once played catch with Joe Pepitone of the New York Yankees and he gave him his signed baseball cap.  It was the first thing Doug ever owned that didn't belong to another Swieteck before him, and like most good things, it didn't last.  His brother took his cap and his father lost his temper and his job and now they have to move to stupid Marysville where everyone looks at him like he doesn't belong.  But Marysville isn't all bad.  There's Lil Spicer who can burp louder than anyone he's ever heard, and the library has these Audubon prints on display with birds that look like they're about to fly off the page.  But the town needs money and the prints are being sold off and just when his life starts going okay things get messed up again.  Still, maybe Doug can put the prints back in the book where they belong and pick up the pieces of his own life.  His science teacher says that man is about to walk on the moon--if that's possible then who knows what other impossible things may come true. 

Things start off bad for Doug Swieteck, and then they get worse.  Doug's mood and his life are a perfect match for the dark winter months, but just when things look bleakest in Doug's life, a light begins to shine again reminding him, and the reader, that happiness and springtime are not lost forever and will soon return.  Read more at the author's website: http://www.hmhbooks.com/schmidt/
 

With Halloween around the corner I find myself drawn to books on witches.  Here are a few new books on the subject that I've read and enjoyed recently:

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (YA F Okorafor)
"Akata Witch!" Sunny was used to the taunt, but that didn't make it sting any less. As an albino who spent the first nine years of her life in America, Sunny was used to not fitting in with her Nigerian classmates, but she had no idea how different she was until she saw the end of the world in a candle's flame and discovered  that she really did have magical powers.  In Nigeria, those with magical abilities are called Leopard People and at first Sunny doesn't know what to make of their world.  Among Leopard People what sets you apart is what gives you strength and because Sunny is so different she is also very powerful.  At first her abilities and the new world they show her are thrilling, but before long she realizes that with her powers come a price and for every benefit the Leopard People have to offer there is a hidden danger.

I loved the world of magic that Okorafor creates in this novel where money is earned through knowledge and the librarian is one of the most powerful witches in town.  Imaginative touches such as a wasp artist that stings you if you do not praise its work enough surprised and delighted me. 

Reckless by Cornelia Funke (YA F Funke)
Of the two Reckless brothers, Jacob was always the one who lived up to the family name.  Ever since he discovered the world behind the mirror he's made Reckless into his job description as he travels the fairy-tale world hunting for treasures.  A comb that turns you into a crow will fetch a high price, if you can escape the witch that  it belongs to and live to collect your reward.  Will never knew about the world his brother disappeared to, until one day when Will discovers his secret and follows him in, only to fall victim to a fairy's curse that is slowly turning him to stone.  Now the clock is ticking and Jacob will have to use everything he's learned in his travels if he wants to save Will.  He never imagined that his own brother's life would end up being the most dangerous treasure he's ever sought.

I have always been a fan of new twists on classic fairy tales and this dark fairy tale world is a perfect setting to loose yourself in on Halloween. 

Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer (133.4 SC)
In the winter of 1692 two girls began to twitch and choke and twist their bodies into odd configurations on the floor as snow piled high outside their home.  Their parents tried every remedy, but the symptoms prevailed.  When a doctor was finally called to examine them his diagnosis was that the girls were bewitched.  The original cause of the girls’ symptoms remains unknown to this day.  What is known is that the girls’ strange behavior set off a case of witch-hunt fever that would turn neighbors against each other and result in the loss of innocent lives and ruin many others.    The Salem Witch Trials are an iconic chapter of American history and its name has been evoked in modern times to point out our folly when suspicions cause us to turn against each other.  But what really happened in Salem in 1692?  Will we ever be able to learn the lessons this dark period of history has to teach us, or will we be forever doomed to repeat it?

This serves as a sobering reminder of what happened to some of the men and women who were accused of being witches. Shanzer takes the facts and presents them clearly and concisely.  The woodcut illustrations in black, white, and red are superb and depict the grizzly, imaginative scenes described well.

Only a Witch Can Fly by Alison McGhee (E MCG)
A girl comes home from trick-or-treating on Halloween and decides, she will fly.  After a couple of failed attempts she finally takes off into the sky. 

This picture book, written in the form of a sestina, address the reader directly to involve them in this charming flight of the imagination.  The linoleum block illustrations and limited color palate add a distinctive look to the story and complement the sparse text perfectly.