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afro8921's review
5.0
Ms. Pearsall has done an excellent job of highlighting a part of history little know to us. Legs is a young boy growing up in Chicago who is forced to travel south to be with his father. What follows is an eye opening account of the injustices experienced by African Americans in the south and in the U.S> Army.
erika_reynolds20's review
1.0
The history behind this story (as mentioned in the author’s note at the end) is fascinating, and the plot has the potential to be intriguing, but there’s just no action. I can get past the lack of war action, because that isn’t really what the story is about anyway, but the author missed a lot of opportunities to show the reader how tough and heartbreaking life was for people of color in the Jim Crow south. Levi is a sweet enough character, but he doesn’t speak like any 13 year old I’ve ever heard—and I should know, considering I teach the 8th grade. It made him feel out of touch. His character isn’t particularly well developed, and I found myself not really caring one way or the other where he ended up. My takeaway: this book has an extremely engaging and misleading description. If you’re reading based on that, you aren’t going to get what you’re looking for.
shighley's review
5.0
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Listened to it in the car, but when I got near the end, I used my iPad inside so I could finish. I am a sucker for good historical fiction, especially historical fiction that makes me feel ashamed that I didn't already know about it. I knew a bit about the Triple Nickels, but not nearly enough. I too thought the Japanese Firefly program sounded preposterous, but had researched it before it was revealed in the book that it really happened. Levi is a wonderful, admirable character, and I found his profound emotions tied to, "I'm leaving you" very emotional. What a wonderful, enjoyable way for students to learn history. The author's note at the end was very insightful as well.
abigailbat's review
2.0
I like a little-known historical fiction story as much as the next person, but it was like I kept waiting for the story to get exciting and it kept ALMOST getting exciting, but then meandering away to something else. Levi's voice wasn't strong enough for me to enjoy the book on his character alone and the plot meandered too much to be compelling. Part of my disappointment might be with the cover and title, both of which seem to promise a lot of wartime action, which is not necessarily the fault of the author, but I don't feel like the insides matched. So... it was okay? I think teens who enjoy a more leisurely-paced historical fiction would probably like it, or anyone with a special interest in the lives of African Americans on the WWII homefront.
Readalikes:
BUD NOT BUDDY by Christopher Paul Curtis for the historical (1930s) adventures of a young black boy traveling on his own.
FLYGIRL by Sherri Smith for another story about African Americans on the homefront during WWII.
Readalikes:
BUD NOT BUDDY by Christopher Paul Curtis for the historical (1930s) adventures of a young black boy traveling on his own.
FLYGIRL by Sherri Smith for another story about African Americans on the homefront during WWII.
nerfherder86's review
4.0
Another winner from author Shelley Pearsall. It's 1945, and 13 year old Levi, after living three years in Chicago with his aunt, is suddenly sent away by her to live with his father on an Army base in South Carolina. Levi hasn't seen his father in three years, only has the occasional cryptic letter sent from a myriad of Army bases. But Levi is hopeful, despite being very nervous to travel alone for the first time on a train through the segregated South, that his dad will be glad to see him and their relationship will take up right where it left off. Unfortunately, when Levi arrives, his father is gone! Shipped out! The only person still on Base is Cal, a buddy of his dad's whose injury prevented him from shipping with his crewmates. So Levi has to figure out if he can stay here or how he'll find his dad, and is it true what Cal is saying, that Levi's father jumps out of airplanes? Really? An all-African-American paratrooper squadron? Levi's never heard of such a thing!
Based on the true-life stories of the 555th "Triple Nickle" squadron, and full of great period detail, memorable characters, action and humor, told by a warm and funny teen character you'll love to meet. At times this book reminded me of "Bud Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis, in its tone and the sweet funny nature of Levi.
Based on the true-life stories of the 555th "Triple Nickle" squadron, and full of great period detail, memorable characters, action and humor, told by a warm and funny teen character you'll love to meet. At times this book reminded me of "Bud Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis, in its tone and the sweet funny nature of Levi.
backonthealex's review against another edition
3.0
Imagine being a 13 year old African American boy living in Chicago with your aunt during WWII while your father is away in the Air Force. Imagine further that one morning, out of the blue, your aunt tells you it is time for you to see your father again and that afternoon, without even saying good-bye to your best friend, you find yourself on a train heading to Camp Mackall in North Carolina. Sounds pretty harsh, doesn't it?
Jump into the Sky begins in May 1945. The war has ended in Europe but not in the Pacific. And not in the south either, where Jim Crow stills reigns. Young Levi's first experience of that happens when he changes trains in Washington DC and is put in an almost empty car right behind the coal-burning engines. There he meets an older man who gives him his first lesson in Jim Crow laws.
Levi is astounded by what he hears, so much so he doesn't believe what he has been told until he finds himself looking down the barrel of a gun while trying to buy a Coke in a store at the end of his journey in Fayetteville. He manages to get out of the store alive, though not before experiencing a little more Jim Crow welcome. Afraid and humiliated, Levi starts walking the miles to Camp Mackall, where is father is stationed. Along the way, he is picked up by a black soldier, but discovers that his father, Lieutenant Charles Battle and the rest of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the country's only all black unit in the Air Force, has been moved on to Oregon.
Luckily for Levi, the one member of his father's Battalion still around because of an injury finds Levi and takes him home, where he ends up living for the first part of the summer. Cal and his wife Peaches both know Levi's father, so there is some comfort in that. And as soon as Cal's injury is healed, he gets his orders to head to Oregon, too. What a surprise when they find that 555th's assignment is to fight fires along the west coast.
In Oregon, the story begins to diverge. On the one hand, Levi and his father had been separated for three years and both have changed a great deal. Now, they must get to know each other and for Levi that means learning to trust his father as well as himself. Levi has a history of people leaving him, including his father and his mother. And now he has an aunt who no longer wants to take care of him. Can things work out somehow so that he and his father can get along and live together?
On the other hand, there is the historical aspect of this novel. Pearsall, who I was surprised to discover is not African American, has managed to convey the scathing hatred most whites had towards blacks in the south. The fact that Levi was so naive about the rules and mores makes his time spent there all the more poignant. Twice I felt myself getting angry and scared for Levi as he went through his baptism by fire.
And there is the other historical aspect - the heroes of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion. No one back in Chicago really believed that his father was really doing what he said he was doing for the war but it turned out to be true, much to Levi's surprise. In Oregon, the 555th were assigned to fight the fires resulting from fire balloons the Japanese were sending over. These balloon bombs carried incendiary devices meant to explode and start fires wherever they landed. Most people really didn't believe this was happening including the men of the 555th, and Pearsall realistically portrays the frustration these men must have really felt after all their elite training and knowing they were being laughed by people. **Not a spoiler, but an historical fact** It turns out, the Japanese really did send over 9,000 of these balloon bombs.
Jump into the Sky is a nice coming of age adventure story with well developed characters and realistic settings. I thought Pearsall gave us a clear, informative window into what life may have been like for some African Americans on the American home front at that time in Chicago, North Carolina and Oregon.
One more thing - why was Aunt Odella so anxious to get rid of Levi? Well, I didn't see the answer to that coming.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was obtained from the publisher
Jump into the Sky begins in May 1945. The war has ended in Europe but not in the Pacific. And not in the south either, where Jim Crow stills reigns. Young Levi's first experience of that happens when he changes trains in Washington DC and is put in an almost empty car right behind the coal-burning engines. There he meets an older man who gives him his first lesson in Jim Crow laws.
Levi is astounded by what he hears, so much so he doesn't believe what he has been told until he finds himself looking down the barrel of a gun while trying to buy a Coke in a store at the end of his journey in Fayetteville. He manages to get out of the store alive, though not before experiencing a little more Jim Crow welcome. Afraid and humiliated, Levi starts walking the miles to Camp Mackall, where is father is stationed. Along the way, he is picked up by a black soldier, but discovers that his father, Lieutenant Charles Battle and the rest of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion, the country's only all black unit in the Air Force, has been moved on to Oregon.
Luckily for Levi, the one member of his father's Battalion still around because of an injury finds Levi and takes him home, where he ends up living for the first part of the summer. Cal and his wife Peaches both know Levi's father, so there is some comfort in that. And as soon as Cal's injury is healed, he gets his orders to head to Oregon, too. What a surprise when they find that 555th's assignment is to fight fires along the west coast.
In Oregon, the story begins to diverge. On the one hand, Levi and his father had been separated for three years and both have changed a great deal. Now, they must get to know each other and for Levi that means learning to trust his father as well as himself. Levi has a history of people leaving him, including his father and his mother. And now he has an aunt who no longer wants to take care of him. Can things work out somehow so that he and his father can get along and live together?
On the other hand, there is the historical aspect of this novel. Pearsall, who I was surprised to discover is not African American, has managed to convey the scathing hatred most whites had towards blacks in the south. The fact that Levi was so naive about the rules and mores makes his time spent there all the more poignant. Twice I felt myself getting angry and scared for Levi as he went through his baptism by fire.
And there is the other historical aspect - the heroes of the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion. No one back in Chicago really believed that his father was really doing what he said he was doing for the war but it turned out to be true, much to Levi's surprise. In Oregon, the 555th were assigned to fight the fires resulting from fire balloons the Japanese were sending over. These balloon bombs carried incendiary devices meant to explode and start fires wherever they landed. Most people really didn't believe this was happening including the men of the 555th, and Pearsall realistically portrays the frustration these men must have really felt after all their elite training and knowing they were being laughed by people. **Not a spoiler, but an historical fact** It turns out, the Japanese really did send over 9,000 of these balloon bombs.
Jump into the Sky is a nice coming of age adventure story with well developed characters and realistic settings. I thought Pearsall gave us a clear, informative window into what life may have been like for some African Americans on the American home front at that time in Chicago, North Carolina and Oregon.
One more thing - why was Aunt Odella so anxious to get rid of Levi? Well, I didn't see the answer to that coming.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was obtained from the publisher
afro75's review against another edition
5.0
Ms. Pearsall has done an excellent job of highlighting a part of history little know to us. Legs is a young boy growing up in Chicago who is forced to travel south to be with his father. What follows is an eye opening account of the injustices experienced by African Americans in the south and in the U.S> Army.
nostalginaut's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting perspective on some of the consequences of war from the home front. Jump into the Sky proviudes a wonderful mixture of humor, curiosity, and even light philosophy about death, race, conflict, and friendship that would make some great sources of discussion in a classroom.
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