Yankee Doodle Gals: Women Pilots of World War II - Hardcover

Amy Nathan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0792282167 ISBN 13: 9780792282167

Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books, 2001

Synopsis

Here is a new UPDATED version of this popular book that tells the fascinating story of the first women to fly U.S. military aircraft—the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II. First published a dozen years ago, Yankee Doodle Gals has now been updated to add new photos and text about the crowning honor the WASP pilots received just three years ago: the Congressional Gold Medal.
These additions, along with an updated Bibliography and Resources section, let Yankee Doodle Gals now cover the full span of the WASPs’ inspiring story. Although these pioneers were never allowed to fly in combat, they flew in many essential wartime missions—some that male pilots didn’t even want to take on.

Through firsthand accounts, these women share their experiences as they test-fly newly repaired aircraft, drag banners behind their planes so male trainees can practice shooting moving targets with live ammunition (!), and ferry all kinds of aircraft from factories to military bases. Their courage, determination, and lively camaraderie make every page inspiring and surprising.

Yankee Doodle Gals will give today’s young people a new look at World War II and show them just how dramatically society has changed since then.

About this title

About the Author

Amy Nathan is an award-winning author who lives in Westchester County, New York. Her titles include Yankee Doodle Gals: Women Pilots of World War II, Count on Us: American Women in the Military, and Round and Round Together: Taking a Merry-Go-Round Ride into the Civil Rights Movement. Prior to writing books, she worked as an associate editor for children’s magazines.

Review

Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January 2002 (Vol. 55, No. 5)) While bureaucratic resistance limited the existence of the women’s flight unit to two years (and they weren’t officially part of the military even then), the flying women of World War II made an indelible impression on those who worked with them. Nathan chronicles the program from its early days as two separate endeavors (one under the control of famous pilot Jackie Cochran and another under Nancy Love) through its integration into the WASP squadron, which provided pilots for ferrying aircraft, flying targets for the training of ground troops, and test-flying damaged aircraft for readiness to return to duty, among other services. Drawing on a multitude of interviews as well as research in public and private print materials, the author effectively conveys both the glee of the program’s many successes (“Here I was a girl of 22 given a million-dollar airplane and told, ‘Go fly!’”) and the sadness of the tragedies made all the more poignant by the women’s non-military status, which meant no military honors, pensions, or assistance with funeral expenses. . . Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2002, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2001, National Geographic, 89p, $21.00. Grades 5-8.

Kimberly L. Paone (VOYA, August 2002 (Vol. 25, No. 3)) . . . This important volume tells the stories of many women who served as pilots from 1942 to 1944, including Jacqueline Cochran and Nancy Love, the true leaders of the WASPs. The history of the group, the hardships they faced, the obstacles they overcame, and what has transpired since the end of the war are all featured in a straightforward, interesting manner. Brief bios, sidebars, and numerous photos complement the text. Also valuable are the chronology and extensive resource guide. Students interested in this historical period or in airplanes and flying, or those who simply want to read about strong women, will be pleased with this informative book. Index. Photos. Maps. Source Notes. Further Reading. Chronology. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P M J (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2001, National Geographic, 89p, $21. Ages 11 to 15.

Edition details

• Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0792282167
• ISBN 13: 9780792282167
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 89