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ashleyholstrom's review
Leni and Nelly are two BFFs on the cheerleading squad who organize taking a knee during the national anthem at the first football game of the school year. But the only one who gets punished for it is Nelly, who is Black. Their friendship is on the line, as are their futures, as Leni recovers from her latest concussion and Nelly has to figure out how to expunge her suspension from her record. It’s a story of figuring out who you are and what you’ll stand—or kneel—for.
Put Why We Fly on your radar for October.
✨ From Ugh, Mental Health and the Internet at Crooked Reads.
Put Why We Fly on your radar for October.
✨ From Ugh, Mental Health and the Internet at Crooked Reads.
amlkeller's review
2.0
A whole book about kneeling during the national anthem and literally one mention of the reason for doing it. Stupid.
linzer712's review
2.0
The topic is important and promising, but when it came down to it the characters didn’t emotionally resonate and many parts of the the book just didn’t seem real. The cheerleaders all kneel and face backlash but never have any substantial discussion about race? The narrators rarely think about their own races and when the Black narrator is the only cheerleader punished it’s treated like no big deal in the school community and even in the National conversation, even though their protest went viral? Oh, and the team wins nationals and even that isn’t really emotional or recognized. Sadly, it was just flat.
misha_ali's review against another edition
2.0
I was really excited to read this book. Co-written by two authors, each bringing their own experiences and world view to this story about friendship that comes up against a difficult moral stand and where things go from there sounded really promising. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver for me at all.
The two best friends, Leni and Nelly, are an excellent opportunity to explore how a racial issue and standing up for what you think is right can lead to diverse consequences for different people and how we can understand our own privilege and repair bridges when a well-meaning but ill-considered stand takes its toll on a friendship. Unfortunately, I don't buy that Leni and Nelly are best friends or even like each other at all. They are not at all supportive of each other, hardly talk to each other through the course of the book, and even when directly told that one hasn't asked the other her feelings at all, nothing changes.
All the characters go through a furor of press and consequences over taking a knee but the only person to have a long term impact is
I don't really understand what these kids are thinking or doing and the whole main conflict dies down almost immediately via a fast forward and off-stage resolution. Really unsatisfying and honestly confusing.
The two best friends, Leni and Nelly, are an excellent opportunity to explore how a racial issue and standing up for what you think is right can lead to diverse consequences for different people and how we can understand our own privilege and repair bridges when a well-meaning but ill-considered stand takes its toll on a friendship. Unfortunately, I don't buy that Leni and Nelly are best friends or even like each other at all. They are not at all supportive of each other, hardly talk to each other through the course of the book, and even when directly told that one hasn't asked the other her feelings at all, nothing changes.
All the characters go through a furor of press and consequences over taking a knee but the only person to have a long term impact is
Spoiler
Nelly and her consolation prize at the end is that she's appreciated by a small group of fellow woc at an event.I don't really understand what these kids are thinking or doing and the whole main conflict dies down almost immediately via a fast forward and off-stage resolution. Really unsatisfying and honestly confusing.
_basicbookworm's review
3.0
When the cheerleading team decided to take a knee at the first football game of the season, best friends Eleanor and Chanel had no idea the fallout that would happen.
This book was incredible and really took a deep look into friendship, privilege and race. This one was so interesting to see each girl’s viewpoint and how their backgrounds led to them being affected in different ways. I loved that this was told in dual POVs because it really allowed me to understand what was going on in each girl’s head. I’ve heard great things about Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal’s previous book, and after reading this one, I definitely want to read more by them!
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the advanced copy.
This book was incredible and really took a deep look into friendship, privilege and race. This one was so interesting to see each girl’s viewpoint and how their backgrounds led to them being affected in different ways. I loved that this was told in dual POVs because it really allowed me to understand what was going on in each girl’s head. I’ve heard great things about Kimberly Jones & Gilly Segal’s previous book, and after reading this one, I definitely want to read more by them!
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the advanced copy.
muffinjessica's review
4.0
The author really nailed all the various characters:
Chanel's parents - how they had such high expectations for her, having her plan her life, expecting her to behave a certain way at all times, her dad icing her out when she made a mistake.
Elenaor - wanting to help, but being clueless as to how, and not quite realizing it.
Chanel - the pressure of pleasing her parents and her reluctance to share any feelings perceived as weak for fear of being shut down, how siblings discover things about one another once one moves out of the house.
A lot of themes were explored in the book, but not resolved. I didn't have a problem with that as I feel that's just how life is. It is interesting to read about how best friends can silently drift apart even when they see each other daily.
I wasn't a fan of the pacing of the 2nd half of the book. It went by much faster and I felt there were random large jumps in time. I'd start a chapter thinking the events were days after the previous chatper, only to find an entire month or more had passed.
Chanel's parents - how they had such high expectations for her, having her plan her life, expecting her to behave a certain way at all times, her dad icing her out when she made a mistake.
Elenaor - wanting to help, but being clueless as to how, and not quite realizing it.
Chanel - the pressure of pleasing her parents and her reluctance to share any feelings perceived as weak for fear of being shut down, how siblings discover things about one another once one moves out of the house.
A lot of themes were explored in the book, but not resolved. I didn't have a problem with that as I feel that's just how life is. It is interesting to read about how best friends can silently drift apart even when they see each other daily.
I wasn't a fan of the pacing of the 2nd half of the book. It went by much faster and I felt there were random large jumps in time. I'd start a chapter thinking the events were days after the previous chatper, only to find an entire month or more had passed.
tabithapagie's review
4.0
3.5 stars!
As someone who enjoyed Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal's previous collaboration, I'm Not Dying With You Tonight, I was interested in picking up Why We Fly and see what they brought to the table this time! This story is inspired by the actions and protests by NFL star Colin Kapernick, and subsequent protests happening with other teams across the US.
Chanel and Eleanor (Leni) are best friends, who are starting their senior year, excited to hopefully lead their cheerleading team to a Nationals win. Their team decides to kneel during the National Anthem at their football game, being inspired by an alumni of their high school's protest in the NFL league. With the repercussions of this action, Leni and Chanel, already drifting apart, seem to split onto their own paths for most of the novel.
What I think was done really well in this book was making it easy to get into for a teenage audience, I see this as a great hit among high schoolers who might not be a 'bookworm', and I can definitely see this being a choice for a book discussion in classrooms, which would spark engaging debates and raise good discussion questions among this age group.
I do wish we got more of the main conflict of the story. I felt like near the end the important subject matter was dropped, and I wanted to read so much more and see more action regarding this!
I liked the ending and how it wasn't 'perfect'. It felt real, as most things (as someone who graduated high school in the past few years), don't wrap up like they do in stories, and most people leave things left unsaid.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and SourceBooks for allowing me an eARC of this book, I really appreciate it!
As someone who enjoyed Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal's previous collaboration, I'm Not Dying With You Tonight, I was interested in picking up Why We Fly and see what they brought to the table this time! This story is inspired by the actions and protests by NFL star Colin Kapernick, and subsequent protests happening with other teams across the US.
Chanel and Eleanor (Leni) are best friends, who are starting their senior year, excited to hopefully lead their cheerleading team to a Nationals win. Their team decides to kneel during the National Anthem at their football game, being inspired by an alumni of their high school's protest in the NFL league. With the repercussions of this action, Leni and Chanel, already drifting apart, seem to split onto their own paths for most of the novel.
What I think was done really well in this book was making it easy to get into for a teenage audience, I see this as a great hit among high schoolers who might not be a 'bookworm', and I can definitely see this being a choice for a book discussion in classrooms, which would spark engaging debates and raise good discussion questions among this age group.
I do wish we got more of the main conflict of the story. I felt like near the end the important subject matter was dropped, and I wanted to read so much more and see more action regarding this!
I liked the ending and how it wasn't 'perfect'. It felt real, as most things (as someone who graduated high school in the past few years), don't wrap up like they do in stories, and most people leave things left unsaid.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and SourceBooks for allowing me an eARC of this book, I really appreciate it!
thenextgenlib's review
3.0
What happens when taking a stand by taking a knee causes division among a town?
aliviasbookshelf's review
4.0
This book was incredible.
It follows two high school cheerleaders learning to balance their careers and roles as students With what they believe in, what they know is right. When their school tries to silence their movement, what choices do they make?
Both the protagonists were strong ans flawed individuals that readers could easily relate to, and the passion in the story was something that translates directly to the real world. This book is one everyone should read.
The writing is poetic and strong, it holds relatable aspects and inspiring quotes and everything you need for a strong novel.
The only struggle I had was there was so little descriptive language I was halfway through the book before I realized which girl was which on the cover, and that felt incredibly important to the story.
The irony at the beginning of the book is that Leni is a cheerleader (flyer) struggling with concussion after effects and an injured ankle, working hard to get back into the air. And my sister is a cheerleader struggling with many concussion after affects and two screwed up ankles trying to get back to cheering
It follows two high school cheerleaders learning to balance their careers and roles as students With what they believe in, what they know is right. When their school tries to silence their movement, what choices do they make?
Both the protagonists were strong ans flawed individuals that readers could easily relate to, and the passion in the story was something that translates directly to the real world. This book is one everyone should read.
The writing is poetic and strong, it holds relatable aspects and inspiring quotes and everything you need for a strong novel.
The only struggle I had was there was so little descriptive language I was halfway through the book before I realized which girl was which on the cover, and that felt incredibly important to the story.
The irony at the beginning of the book is that Leni is a cheerleader (flyer) struggling with concussion after effects and an injured ankle, working hard to get back into the air. And my sister is a cheerleader struggling with many concussion after affects and two screwed up ankles trying to get back to cheering
haileyannereads's review
4.0
This was a really great and timely book. I like that we had two different perspectives of the same issue and how it explored the consequences each faced (or didn't).