Why we fly / Kimberly Jones, Gilly Segal.

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Title:

Why we fly / Kimberly Jones, Gilly Segal.

Author:

Jones, Kimberly (Kimberly Latrice), author.

Segal, Gilly, author.

ISBN:

9781492678922

Physical Description:

viii, 301 pages ; 22 cm

Abstract:

Told from alternating points of view, Chanel and Eleanor's rocky start to senior year gets more complex when the cheerleading team kneels for the national anthem and each girl grapples with the consequences.

It's been a rocky start to senior year. Eleanor is still in physical therapy months after a serious concussion from a failed cheer attempt; Chanel is putting tremendous pressure on herself to get into the best colleges. Eleanor's new relationship with star quarterback Three may be causing a rift between them. When the cheer squad decides to take a knee at the season's first football game, what seemed like a positive show of solidarity suddenly becomes the reason for a larger fallout between the girls. Grappling with the school's actions as well as their own problems, can the girls rely on the friendship they have always shared? -- adapted from jacket

Reading Level:

Ages 14-17. Sourcebooks Fire.

Grades 10-12. Sourcebooks Fire.

Subject Term:

Friendship -- Fiction.

Race relations -- Fiction.

Social action -- Fiction.

Racism against Black people -- Fiction.

Cheerleading -- Fiction.

African Americans -- Fiction.

High schools -- Fiction.

Schools -- Fiction.

Amitié -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

Relations raciales -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

Action sociale -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

Supporters -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

Noirs américains -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

Écoles secondaires -- Romans, nouvelles, etc.

JUVENILE FICTION / General.

African Americans. (OCoLC)fst00799558

Cheerleading. (OCoLC)fst00852722

Friendship. (OCoLC)fst00935174

High schools. (OCoLC)fst00956288

Schools. (OCoLC)fst01107958

Social action. (OCoLC)fst01122251

Cheerleading -- Juvenile fiction.

Social action -- Juvenile fiction.

African Americans -- Juvenile fiction.

Friendship -- Juvenile fiction.

High school students -- Juvenile fiction.

High schools -- Juvenile fiction.

Schools -- Juvenile fiction.

High school students -- Fiction.

School stories.

Genre:

Young adult fiction.

Fictional Work

Novels. (OCoLC)fst01921742

Sports stories.

School fiction.

Social problem fiction.

Added Author:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Item Barcode	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Avon-Washington Township Public Library	Teen Fiction Book Hardback	120791003044341	ROSIE T JON	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable book in the Young Adult category

From the New York Times bestselling authors of I'm Not Dying with You Tonight comes a story about friendship, privilege, sports, and protest.

With a rocky start to senior year, cheerleaders and lifelong best friends Eleanor and Chanel have a lot on their minds. Eleanor is still in physical therapy months after a serious concussion from a failed cheer stunt. Chanel starts making questionable decisions to deal with the mounting pressure of college applications. But they have each other's backs--just as always, until Eleanor's new relationship with star quarterback Three starts a rift between them.

Then, the cheer squad decides to take a knee at the season's first football game, and what seemed like a positive show of solidarity suddenly shines a national spotlight on the team--and becomes the reason for a larger fallout between the girls. As Eleanor and Chanel grapple with the weight of the consequences as well as their own problems, can the girls rely on the friendship they've always shared?

Praise for I'm Not Dying with You Tonight:

A Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick

"Compelling and powerful"--Angie Thomas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hate U Give

"A vital addition to the YA race relations canon."--Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin

"Important reading for both teenagers and adults."--Hello Giggles

"Not to be missed."--Paste Magazine

Reviews (2)

Kirkus Review

The senior year of best friends and cheer squad members Eleanor "Leni" Greenberg and Chanel Rose "Nelly" Irons is upended by their decision to kneel during the national anthem. Narrated in alternating chapters by Leni, who is White and Jewish, and Nelly, who is from an upwardly mobile African American family, the book chronicles the girls' senior year as they navigate the pressures of elite high school sports, family expectations, college admissions, and the consequences of their burgeoning social activism. When Cody Knight, a professional football player and graduate of their Atlanta, Georgia, high school, is disciplined for taking a knee in contravention of a new rule, the girls rally their cheerleading team to take a knee during a high school football game in solidarity against police brutality. Predictably, it is Nelly who bears the brunt of the ensuing backlash, threatening all that she's worked for. Leni's romantic relationship with Sam "Three" Walters, a light-skinned African American student who serves as captain of the school's football team, complicates their friendship while offering an opportunity for readers to explore some of the political differences that exist within the African American community. The premise is timely, and the novel abounds with details that attempt to build authenticity; unfortunately, the characterization at times feels two-dimensional and lacking in shading and nuance. Inspired by recent events, this novel will spark dialogue about race, class, privilege, and performative activism. (authors' note) (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

For longtime friends Eleanor and Chanel, their final year as high-school cheerleaders is proving to be challenging. While Eleanor continues to battle the aftereffects of a recent concussion in secret, Chanel is trying to crawl out of her sister's shadow by applying to top colleges. As Eleanor becomes romantically involved with star quarterback Three and is named captain in place of more deserving Chanel, their friendship begins to splinter. But it's when the cheer squad takes a knee at a game to support a previous alum that unforeseen consequences lead to a fallout that's more than their friendship can handle. Inspired by true events, coauthors Jones and Segal (I'm Not Dying with You Tonight, 2019) use the dual perspectives of their main characters to lean into how their experiences differ due to race. Although the angle is powerful, the story loses steam in the last half, where there is more summarization and resolutions are absent. Still, the strong focus on racial justice and how growing up sometimes means growing apart will resonate with many.