Billie Swift Takes Flight

Description

A gripping, entertaining and empowering WWII adventure about the women of the Air Transport Auxiliary, perfect for fans of Emma Carroll, Michael Morpurgo and Hilary McKay. The story of WWII starring the brilliant pilots you've never heard of... the women of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) who battled against the odds to get the air force's planes to the front lines. When twelve-year-old Bill is out exploring with her pet chicken, she sees a plane crash into a field and is left wondering if the pilot even survived. Determined to find out more, Bill finds a way into the ATA - a group of amazing pilots who defy the odds to get planes from the factories to the front lines and her life changes for ever. Some of the pilots are men who are too old, or too injured for the air force. But many more are women. Intrepid, inspiring women who show Bill what she might grow up to become. With missions including ferrying turkeys over from Ireland and flying unfamiliar, broken planes, Bill is desperate to help. But piloting fighter planes could turn out to be more than she bargained for...

Iszi Lawrence is a comedian, podcaster and history presenter, and author of the historical adventure The Unstoppable Letty Pegg. She is the co-host of BBC Radio 4's Making History and hosts a number of podcasts including the British Museum Membercast. Iszi is a dark blue belt in Japanese style Jiu Jitsu so she also spends time in the week helping to teach both short people (7-11 year olds) and grown ups how to punch her in the face. She dabbles in illustration, plays the guitar, likes cooking, dinosaurs and enjoys keeping fit. She lives in Reading with a poet and two cats.

PRAISE FOR THE UNSTOPPABLE LETTY PEGG Letty and her friends and rivals are great characters, as are the real life people she comes across at different times in her adventures. Thoroughly recommended. -- Andrea Reece * Books for Keeps * This book is packed with tiny details of life for an ordinary girl at that time.... The plot not only deals with the right to vote for women but also racism, class and the ordinary struggles of friendship. -- Jacqueline Harris * Reading Zone *