Book Jacket Art:
Copyright 2002 Chris Gall

Cricket Books/2002                   ISBN 0812626710  160pp

    It's 1937, the golden age of motion pictures and the spectacular pioneering of women in the field of aviation.  Thirteen-year-old LaMarr's flamboyant show girl mother, Charmaine, flies off with a stunt pilot friend and doesn't return.  Sent South to live with an aunt and uncle, LaMarr exchanges her carefree, vagabond life for a "proper" upbringing.
    She soon encounters George McClendon Tyler, a crusty old man who writes pulp Westerns and lives behind her uncle's barbershop with his dog, Button.  LaMarr also meets a spooky, green-eyed boy who says his name is Truly ("What's his first name? Yours?" asks Mister George).  But Truly is serious business, and his mysterious ways disturb LaMarr profoundly as he ultimately helps her to accept the unacceptable and prove that she is indeed "a born-to-fly birdie."

Bank Street College-Best Books List-2003
Oregon State Book Awards Finalist - 2003

Publishers Weekly: "Matthews once again offers a resonant novel exploring a youngster's immense loss and gradual healing...weaving the threads together to create an eloquent and affecting work."

Horn Book: "Matthews has carved out a niche for herself telling stories of family secrets...lush and laid-back first-person storytelling...beautifully written and emotionally resonant."

School Library Journal: "A poignant look at a difficult (life) adjustment...Matthews has incorporated themes of death and personal loss with the reality of coping with and accepting the truth."


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               (To order Flying Lessons: go to Link page.)

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