Black Dove White Raven

By Author / Illustrator

Elizabeth Wein

Genre

Historical Fiction

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Egmont UK Ltd

ISBN

9781405271363

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

26-02-2015

Synopsis

"Think of the sky!" Delia gave Momma's hands a shake. "Think of the sky in Ethiopia! What will it be like to fly in Africa?"

This New York Times bestseller is a story of survival, subterfuge, espionage and identity. Rhoda and Delia are American stunt pilots who perform daring aerobatics to appreciative audiences. But while the sight of two girls wingwalking - one white, one black - is a welcome novelty in some parts of the USA, it's an anathema in others. Rhoda and Delia dream of living in a world where neither gender nor ethnicity determines their life.

When Delia is killed in a tragic accident, Rhoda is determined to make that dream come true. She moves to Ethiopia with her daughter, Em, and Delia's son, Teo. Em and Teo have adapted to scratching a living in a strange land, and feel at home here; but their parents' legacy of flight and the ability to pilot a plane places them in an elite circle of people watched carefully by the Ethiopian emperor, Haile Selassie, who dreams of creating an air force for his fledgling nation. As Italy prepares for its invasion of Ethiopia, Em and Teo find themselves inextricably entangled in the crisis - and they are called on to help.

Elizabeth Wein is a leading voice in young adult historical fiction. Her novel Rose Under Fire was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Costa Award 2014. Fans of The Book Thief and Carmen Reid's Cross My Heart will love this. Look out for Elizabeth's other books Code Name Verity and Rose Under Fire.

Elizabeth Wein was born in New York, and grew up in England, Jamaica and Pennsylvania. She is married with two children and now lives in Perth, Scotland. Elizabeth is a member of the Ninety-Nines, the International Organization of Women Pilots. She was awarded the Scottish Aero Club's Watson Cup for best student pilot in 2003 and it was her love of flying that partly inspired the idea for her bestselling, award-winning novel Code Name Verity.

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Reviews

Teo and Emilia's lives change for ever when Teo's mother dies in a flying accident and they are brought up as siblings by Emilia's mother, who moves the family from the USA to Haile Selassie's Ethiopia (the only country in Africa to have never been colonised).

The children's close bond is put to the test on many occasions throughout the book, which highlights the strength of friendship and love under adversity. It's a gripping action adventure book on a grand scale which also shines the spotlight on a lesser known piece of 20th century history. The fierce national pride of the Ethiopians in defending their country against Mussolini's shameless attacks is inspiring, particularly as it was such an unequal struggle; the Italian airforce armed with bombs and mustard gas against barefooted soldiers with spears.

The novel also tells the story of the birth of the Ethiopian airforce, the abolition of slavery and the deep rooted racism in the southern states of the USA. The breadth of the novel is as broad and stunning as the African skies which the main characters fly in.

This novel could be used to great effect to enhance the school curriculum; as an introduction to the Second World War, a springboard for debate on slavery and the nature of prejudice and freedom or simply as a way of helping pupils rethink their view of Ethiopia and its people.

470 pages / age 13+ / Melanie Chadwick, school librarian