She Dared to Fly: Bessie Coleman

by Dolores Johnson

A biography of the woman who became the first licensed African-American pilot

48 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 1996

About the author

Dolores Johnson is a journalist who has worked on newspapers in Oregon, California, Wyoming and Colorado, but she always wanted to write and sell a murder mystery. She tried writing books about an investigative reporter and a newspaper editor, but it wasn't until she wrote a book about a dry cleaner, using her background as a free-lance writer and field reporter for American Drycleaner, that she met with success.

Series:
* Mandy Dyer Mystery

Reviews

[Steven R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about Bessie Coleman trying to accomplish her dreams. She could only go up to eighth grade because her family was poor and she had to help out the family. As a result, Bessie Coleman had to work hard to make money to buy a plane and to go to school. In addition, Bessie Coleman was a hard working African-American who was brave enough to fly, because there were few women who were fearless at that time. Also, Bessie was a nice, kind, brave woman that made people happy.

I would recommend this book to all women because there are not alot of women pilots. I would like to know if they are fearless like Bessie Coleman. I would also recommend this book because Bessie is determined and fearless. I recommend this book to all the people interested in flying because this shows that anyone can fly. It gives you inspiration to fly.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so excited to have found this book! I'm using it to help set the tone at the beginning of the year in my 7th and 8th grade science classes. Many of my students have told me they are "into" it. :) That is enough of a recommendation I think! I hope that even as they relate to the struggles Bessie faced, they will be able to find inspiration and hope in the way she overcame challenges to achieve her dreams. As an educator, I'm impressed by the photographs and "artifacts" included in the book.

[Danica Blaser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the benchmark biographies.

[Jose A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Bessie Coleman. She is famous because she was the first African American to get her pilots license. She went to France to learn how to fly because no other place would let her fly. The men didn't let women fly because the white men wanted flying airplanes for themselves. Eventually she got her license and taught African Americans to fly. When she was small she had a rough childhood because her parents were poor.
I wwould recommend this book to others because it can influence you to do the thing that you want to do, no matter what anyone says. You can be like Bessie Coleman who never gave up even after people said,"No," because flying was just for white men.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book "She Dared to Fly: Bessie Coleman" is very interesting. It tells about Bessie's life. Bessie was the first African-American person to get her pilots license. She did stunts on airplanes to get money. On February 4, 1923 her planed crashed, and shewas bably injured. That happen when she was trying to do a stunt. She saved all her money to buy a new airplane and to start school for flying to encourage other people to fly. She never gave up on her goals to be a avioctor.

I would recommed this book to someine who wants to learn about African American. If someone needs to write an esay about an African American, I think they should pick her. She is a very inspirational person to study. Even when her plane was broken and she was injured, she never gave up.