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The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee

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Written by Julie Leung
Illustrated by Julie Kwon
Little, Brown and Company, 2021.  Biography.

As a little girl growing up in Portland, Oregon, Hazel Ying Lee was fearless in running races with her brothers, playing handball, and swimming.  But she showed true courage when she experienced her first airplane ride at age 19 and declared that she wanted to be a pilot.  She would not allow anyone's shock or surprise to change her mind.  Through lots of hard work and determination, Hazel became the first Chinese-American woman to fly for the U.S. Military in a group known as the WASPs during World War II!

In just a few simple sentences per page, Leung tells the captivating story of  Hazel's tenacious path in learning to fly, breaking gender and racial barriers, and becoming a military heroine.  Kwon's digital drawings are refreshing, and I was particularly impressed with her beautiful depictions of Hazel (be sure to compare the interior art with Hazel's U.S. Air Force photograph!).  Any reader interested in learning more about courageous women, Chinese Americans, or WWII history will enjoy this inspirational story about chasing--and achieving--your dreams.

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