American Ace

by Marilyn Nelson

It’s funny to think about identity. I wonder how much of us we inherit, and how much we create.

Connor’s grandmother leaves his dad a letter when she dies, and the letter’s confession shakes their tight-knit Italian American family: The man who raised Dad is not his birth father.

But the only clues to this birth father’s identity are a class ring and a pair of pilot’s wings. And so Connor takes it upon himself to investigate—a pursuit that becomes even more pressing when Dad is hospitalized after a stroke. What Connor discovers will lead him and his father to a new, richer understanding of race, identity, and each other.

In this eloquent first novel in verse by renowned poet Marilyn Nelson, she tells the story of a boy embracing his newfound genealogy and his surprising connection to American history.

Genres: Poetry, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Novel In Verse, Family, Historical, Middle Grade

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Marilyn Nelson is the author of many acclaimed books for young people and adults, including CARVER: A LIFE IN POEMS, a Newbery Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book, and A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL, a Printz Honor Book and Coretta Scott King Honor Book. She also translated THE LADDER, a picture book by Halfdan Rasmussen. She lives in East Haddam, Connecticut.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/marilyn-...

Reviews

[Naz (Read Diverse Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review can also be found in my blog: http://wp.me/p7a9pe-aR

Marilyn Nelson is an award-winning poet, author of the moving A Wreath for Emmett Till and the terrific How I Discovered Poetry. She writes eloquently about issues of race, African-American civil rights history, and history in general. Unfortunately, American Ace falls short as a novel in verse. The narrative is far too slim and the individual poems are not substantive enough to make it a satisfying read.

The story follows Conner, an Italian-American teenager whose grandmother left a letter to be read after her death that reveals Connor’s father is not the biological son of Connor’s grandfather, but in fact is the love-child of an affair with an African-American World War II pilot, a Tuskegee Airman.

Reading about Connor’s journey to embrace and understand his heritage would be most appreciated by young readers who are unfamiliar with World War II history and the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. In fact, that audience is specifically who the book was written for, as stated in the author’s note. I see American Ace being effective and educational in the classroom, particularly during Black History Month or a World War II unit. The book can be read from beginning to end in about an hour, and the individual poems can be analyzed and discussed to good effect by students. Unfortunately, reading it as an adult may leave you unsatisfied and wanting more.

[Erin Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

FTC Disclosure: I received an advance galley of this book for review consideration. This did not sway my thoughts on the books in any way.

Initial Thoughts: Oh boy! If I ever get my own classroom, I'm teaching this book.



This review can also be found on my blog, The Hardcover Lover.


American Ace is the first book that I've read by National Book Award Finalist, Marilyn Nelson, and I'm pretty sure that it won't be my last. I didn't know what to expect when this book showed up on my doorstep, but what I got was a book that I know will stick with me for the rest of my life because it's full of life and history.

Told in a poetic-like prose, American Ace tells the story of a teenager named Connor Bianchini. Connor has grown up believing that he's half Italian-American and half Irish-America. He's very close to his father's side of the family, and they all help run the family-owned Italian restaurant. Connor's world changes after his grandmother passes away. He notices changes in his father, and he doesn't think that it's just grief. He soon finds out that his grandfather, the man who raised his father, is not a blood relative. His father was adopted, and he now has clues - a class ring and a pair of pilot's wings - to help figure out their new genetic identity.

I loved how Ms. Nelson approached identity in American Ace. Following Connor's journey is an interesting ride, and it's one that readers will remember for a long time to come. It's full of questions, but it's also full of answers. Not only will readers find out about Connor and his father's journey to discover who they are, but they will learn a great deal about history, particularly the Tuskegee Airmen.

The most important part of the book is how Connor feels. To him, it doesn't matter that things in his life are changing. He embraces the change and wants to learn as much as he can. I loved that. I'm sure that we all want to know who we are and where we come from, and Connor takes it upon himself to find that out for his father. In the end, he finds out a lot about a whole group of people, instead of the one person who gave him his DNA.

Themes included in this book are family, racial identity, and personal identity. There are moments that show you just how strong the bond of a family is, and there are moments in the book that show you how just one new piece of information can change your whole outlook on life.

American Ace isn't a book I would have picked up on my own, and I'm very grateful that Penguin sent it to me. I enjoyed the historical aspects, and I also enjoyed Connor's story. I would recommend American Ace to middle grade and YA readers. I would also recommend this title to teachers and school librarians. I think it would be a great book for kids to read to learn about WWII and the Tuskegee Airmen.

[Edwin Guzman · Rating 4 out of 5]

American Ace is a fascinating book. I’m not done reading it but I can just tell it’s going to be amazing all around. American Ace tells the reader about a dad and a daughter living a life where the dads mom die aka the daughters aunt. It takes months for the dad to even smile again. Will it take years for a full recovery? I recommend this book to understanding people that know how death is and doesn’t think it’s a joke. This book American Ace is incredible where I am but I’m sure there’s even more to dig.

[Ethan H]

It's kind of hard to write a review so... It's an ok story about an Italian family and their heritage connected to World War II. Just read it.

[Karyn Silverman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked it but it feels a little thin and entirely too purposeful, which it was (see author's note). I feel annoyed at the editor who said it had to be for those who don't know who the Tuskegee Airmen were; I believe Nelson could have taught the reader without this sort do weird hey we're black! storyline. It's too slim and simple a text for that to land, whereas the facts Connor learns pack a punch because it's a powerful story of astounding heroism, and that's before they ever engaged in combat.

[Jeimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young Italian American teen discovers he is 1/4th African American and, as his father searches for information of his birth father, discovers the Tuskegee Airmen and their heroic tale.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love finding meaningful stories about race and identity written for younger audiences! American Ace is a treasure I'm sure to promote in the schools. Marilyn Nelson plots the story of what happens when a young Italian American learns his Italian grandfather had not been his grandfather--that, in fact, his grandfather had actually been an American World War II pilot!

I love the choice to write each step of the journey in one page of verse. The language is both simple and profound, and deceptively easy on the eye. It begins in the weeks after his grandmother's funeral, watching in impotent sorrow and his father withdraws from the family and life in apparent grief and confusion. The family's support pull the father out of his depression and he tells his son of their new hereditary legacy, a secret his grandmother had revealed in a letter after her death.

What follows is a light mystery, the wonder of who Connor really is. Themes of identity, family, and race make this book a wonderful addition to our diverse reads. It would also make for a great elementary-age book club title or a Howard County Library System's Battle of the Books title.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the author's explanation at the end: How This Book Came to Be and Why an Older African American Woman Ended Up Writing as a Young White Man. Nelson is such a good story-teller. I like the juxtaposition of the titles on the left-hand page showing the progress of Conner's father's recovery with the poem on the right-hand page telling the story of the airmen. Some favorite lines:

page 13 Uncle Father Joe:
One of Dad's younger brothers is a priest,
so we thought he could be the one to break
into Dad's silence: It's part of his job.
But he was so busy finding common ground,
preaching compassion, and working for justice
and human liberation that the small
curling-inward of his own big brother
got only his occasional hug, and prayers.

I read those lines as directed not just to the priest but also to us the parishioners - I know I felt the sting of their truth.

I also liked Together in the Kitchen on page 71, Now That We're Colored on page 79, and the mention of Eleanor Roosevelt's flowered hat on page 97.

I look forward to more from Marilyn Nelson.

[Abby Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, once I got to the end and read the author's note about why she structured the book the way she did, I was a little more on board. I think the book reads like it's two books. The first part is Connor's dad discovering that his heritage is different than he thought and the family exploring that and coming to grips with it. The second part is Connor's research about the Tuskegee Airmen.

I found the second part to be vastly more engaging and interesting than the first part and I really super wish the entire book had been narrative nonfiction about the Tuskegee Airmen. OR historical fiction from the point of view of a Tuskegee Airman (and yeah, I don't for one second think that having a 20-something narrator would be a deterrent to teen readers).

Arrrggh. And I really wanted to love this one.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea behind the book is very cool. I'd never heard of the Tuskegee pilots and it was neat to learn about who they were and what they did. We only learn the Canadian part of the world wars in history class so it was interesting to see what was happening across the border. The plot was a great way to introduce people to the pilots they didn't know about. The main character learns tidbits about his ancestors as the book goes along, like the audience.

What isn't very cool is the writing. Books in verse are not just books with weird paragraph formatting. Unfortunately, the author failed to realize this and the writing ended up a little awkward to read and not poetic at all.

Overall, it was a good idea but the execution wasn't that great.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the content and concept of American Ace. I did not, however, ever feel a rhythm from the text, the way I normally do in a verse novel. In a way, the format was a distraction for me as I was searching for how it enhanced the story.
There was certainly a ton of intriguing information about the Tuskegee Airmen though- something that may encourage young adults to do additional research on the group. Overall, I enjoyed the story, but was left wanting.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story is deserving of so much more development. I am on a verse reading kick, so I chose American Ace, but reading about the Tuskegee Airmen in such a surface scratching way seemed contrite to me. I hope Nelson gives more thought to expanding this novella into something with more grit — YA readers are ready for something more substantive.

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to share this with students. I really like how Connor's discovery unfolds--the story really pulled me in. I think many middle school students will connect with his interest in his family history and find his voice believable. Recommended for grades 7-9.

[Mary Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Race, identity, learning to drive, falling in love, mortality of father, Tuskegee Airmen...so much packed into one book.

[Hannah H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, it was short but I knew what it was going to be when I started so I wasn't disappointed. I felt the racism was a little harsh (from the older members of the family, not from any of the teens) but this is from the lived experience of a black author so I feel more okay about it (I'm white so it isn't my place to judge).

[D Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my April book report I read American Ace by Marilyn Nelson. This book tells the story of a young boy’s quest to find his heritage, after he finds a ring. This book was written in verse. Reading it was a new experience for me. I have to say that it was interesting to read a book in verse, especially when the title of a chapter (poem?) told part of the main story while the chapter itself told about history. I actually like this book. I give it 5 stars. I would recommend it to readers ages 15 and up, since younger ages might not enjoy verse as much.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this novel in verse unusually written in that its purpose seemed to be to inform readers about the Tuskegee airmen, but it was written within the framework of an Italian/Irish American boy seeking to find out more about newly discovered African American heritage. It wasn't what I expected at all, but I enjoyed it. Connor Bianchini has grown up believing he was of Italian and Irish heritage, until his father Tony discovers that his dad Genaro was not his real father, but the product of a union between his mother and a man in the Air Force during World War II. When Connor's father sends away for a DNA analysis of his blood, he discovers that he's part African American. With a very few clues provided by Connor's grandmother, Nonna Lucia, Connor and his father Tony set out to discover who Tony's real father may have been.

The research process that Connor goes through is interesting, and the author presents Connor's findings on the Tuskegee airmen as an honors report he writes for school. During its presentation the chapter headings are about Tony's stroke and recovery from it, while the text of the chapters talk about the airmen, which is a clever way to tell both stories. Finally, the story delves into the effect the new knowledge of being half African American has on the family. Some accept it, even embrace it, and some reject it.

In a note at the end of the book, Nelson talks about how she came to write the book. Her father was a Tuskegee airman! She wanted to introduce young adults to them, so she chose a young adult as her protagonist. This book would be a good choice for a discussion group--how would you feel if you were Caucasian and found out that you were genetically part of another race? Recommended!

[Garrett Tharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

“American Ace” is a fictional novel written by Marilyn Nelson. Connor is a young boy whose Grandmother had just passed away. Before she passed away she gave Connor’s father a note. The note is about Connor’s grandfather not being his father’s really dad. The only clues they have is a class ring and a set of pilot wings. Connor takes it upon himself to go out and find his real grandfather. Connor’s has many obstacles to overcome in this book, like when his father has a stroke that gets him in the Hospital.
Connor seems to want to find his fathers real dad more than Connors father is interested in it. Marilyn Nelson did a nice job of creating a racial and ethnicity adventure for Connor as he goes on this quest to find answers for his family.
I think that this is a pretty easy read if you struggle with strong vocabulary. It has nine different parts and each page is a different chapter. I found it very easy to get lost in the book and slowly get confused. The book is told from Connor’s point of view. I think that Marilyn Nelson could have tried to interpret Connor’s dad’s point of view more. I think that it changes scenes too much from page to page. I would recommend this book for people that can read books with multiple scenes very well. I think that if you struggle with this like I do it might be more difficult, but it is still work the read. I think it shows great determination in Connor’s adventure in finding his grandfather. I would not recommend this book for anybody that isn’t interested in ethnicity or culture. I think you have to have a high interest level in these topics to enjoy this book.

[Francie · Rating 4 out of 5]

American Ace book review

This book jumps right into the plot, it doesn’t start with “Hi my name is ____ and i’m 14 years old” it starts off with “My dad went weird when Nonna Lucia died.”(Nelson 11).

So of course the first 5 pages are a little confusing but as soon as you really start reading the book it really isn’t confusing. This book is in verse and very tiny, it goes by really quick if you were wondering.It is also Historical fiction with just a smidge of mystery which usually isn’t the type of genre I pick out. This is more of a plot driven book rather than a character driven book. This book is split into 9 different parts with 5 chapters in each part. This book is written in first person.

Connor’s very italian family has more secrets than he thought they did. Right away connor’s grandmother (Nonna Lucia) dies, but before she died she left connor’s father a letter about their family that makes everyone very curious especially Connor. Pay attention to the glass ring and the pilot’s wings throughout the story. With consulting all of his family members connor find out his whole family history and even existence.

I would recommend this book for any age group. It was an interesting plot but I really enjoyed it. Historical fiction isn’t my favorite genre but this time it was a very good historical fiction book. Books in verse are also really good for someone that prefers the non traditional book like they would rather read a graphic novel vs. a 500 page book. If your looking for a fast read this book is perfect, it doesn’t go by so fast that you miss the whole story it’s a good fast speed.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Connor's grandma dies she leaves a letter for Connor's father telling him that he had a different father than what he thought. Grandma had an affair with an American pilot during WWII and Connor's dad was the result. Connor and his dad start researching who is father could be and find out that he was a Tuskegee Airman and narrow the choices down to two. While Connor is researching dad has a stroke and is in the hospital.

I love novels in verse but this one just didn't work for me. I don't think the story actually lended itself to this format. This story would have been better told in prose with a lot more detail. Or maybe it just needed to be longer with more poems telling the story. Either way it was lacking and needed more. The whole section where Connor is researching the Tuskegee Airmen is while is father is in the hospital for the stroke. The only way we know what is going on with dad is through the titles of the poems. Other than that there is no information at all. I also wonder about the timeline and how old dad would have to be to have been born in 1945.

I think this story could have been stronger with a different format and maybe a different plotline. We never find out who the grandfather is nor why grandma kept it a secret. So what was the point? Just to find out that they had "black" family? Which seems to have caused dad to have a stroke and made Connor's older brother into a racist ranting about being "colored". There was potential here but I think it was not a successful attempt at a story.

[BiblioBickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

16-year-old Connor Bianchini's family life revolves primarily around the Italian family restaurant, Mama Lucia's, started by his paternal grandparents. When widow Mama Lucia dies, she leaves Connor's dad a note explaining that the man he always thought was his father was not; rather, he was an American pilot she met before marrying Nonno. With the clues on an engraved gold ring and the pilot's wings of the mystery father, Connor and his dad find out more about this missing heritage. As the grandson of Irish and Italian immigrants, Connor has never felt he owned any white guilt, but now, with an American (was his family on the Mayflower?) in the mix, he is wondering. As is somewhat obvious given the dedication, Connor's grandfather turns out to have been a Tuskegee Airman, part of the African American group of pioneers who proved that black men were smart and skilled enough to fly for the US military.
While the poetry is not particularly elegant compared to many other successful verse novels, the format makes this story more accessible to less enthusiastic or less capable readers who are nonetheless old enough to ponder the themes of identity and the difficult yet heroic history of the Tuskegee Airmen. Best for ages 10-16.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this could have been better. It has potentially interesting plot elements like a grandmother’s mysterious lover, revelations about a character’s heritage, and a variety of racial tensions. However, none of those are terribly well developed. I have two beefs:

1. The middle-aged, female author does not write a teenaged boy well. Race is a major theme of the book, but I think it doesn’t factor in here. The narrator is supposed to be a 16 year old boy, but has the voice and internal monologue of an old lady. It doesn’t work well.

2. The narrator learns his father, who everyone thinks of as white, has an African-American father. Good plot element, but then it goes bad. It’s a short book, so there isn’t time to explore all of the drama that would result from a white American man discovering that his father was actually a black man, but this book has the narrator go almost directly to a sort of smarmy solidarity and acceptance that is a little uncomfortable. If I were a black American, I think i would be a bit offended by some kid who is physically and culturally white spouting off about the shared suffering endured by his black ancestors.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about identity. It is told completely in prose, which makes it very fast to read. The small size and fast story does not take away from the depth and the message that Marilyn Nelson is showing. This book is told from the perspective of Conner, who is Italian and never considered himself to be anything else. But when Conner's father discovers that his birth father is not who he thought, Conner takes it upon himself to rediscover himself through discovering his father's father. This is a good book for middle schoolers to start discussions about race and identity. It went by very fast and although it did not have a ton of character development or dialogue, it instead invoked the reader to fill in the blanks and put themselves in the shoes of Conner so that maybe they would be able to discover something about themselves as well.

[Gayle Slagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

American Ace by Marilyn Nelson is a delightful little book that tells two parallel stories in poetry form. It tells the story of Conner, an Italian-American teen, who is faced with a secret from his grandmother's past, a secret which she reveals in a letter upon her death to Connor's father. Conner decides to pursue the information in this letter and is confronted with a past both surprising and amazing to him. It is Connor's story, but it is also the story of his grandmother and his once unknown grandfather. Nelson's language is both eloquent and to the point and she presents both a history lesson and a look into the dynamics of a loving family. It is about identity and about embracing one's heritage. American Ace is a book that can be enjoyed by all ages.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

American Ace was an interesting fictional piece written in verse. A family loses its matriarch and, in turn, discovers a new past. Connor, a high school male, tries to navigate his dad's depression and health, driving lessons, girls, and learning who he truly is.


I was intrigued by the concept and learning more about the Tuskegee Airmen. It felt odd to almost drop the storyline and details of Connor's father while sharing information about the airmen. I would have liked the book to be longer and develop the characters further.

I think many of my students will be interested in this topic, and struggling readers will appreciate the ease of reading this short and quick-moving book.

[Wilson Swak · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really liked the idea about a boy trying to find his genealogy. I did not like that it focused so much on sadness and depression in finding his genealogy. There wasn't pride in the person themselves and who they were without their genes. The excitement and feeling of honor to have and find such a past doesn't come till the end.
Beware of some language (hell x3 / stupidity / damned x2 / oh my god / Gave the finger x2), talks about depression, talks about romance, "drinking blood of children" (in fun but I did not find it funny), race "black dudes" slaves "colored", "It's god's best joke that a white man like him could have black genes", and mild name calling.

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

After his Nonna dies, Connor and his family learn that the man he thought was his grandfather is so only in name -- not biologically -- so he, his friend, and his father use a class ring to discover his parentage with unexpected results. This novel-in-verse uses short chapters and to-the-point scenes to tell the story of a family drawn closer and farther apart by a decades old secret. The verses don't feel particularly "poetic," but the story is enjoyable, but the relationship between Connor and his father is lovely.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

"the Tuskegee Airmen are different./Theirs was both heroism in action/and inward heroism, where they fought/to prove themselves moral superiors/to institutions and shortsighted men./It's a historical phenomenon:/Victims finally defeat oppressors./In the struggle of whose rights and who's wrong,/economics finally lose to ethics." (83).

A thoughtful and much-needed celebration of black airmen in the form of a novel in verse. It's interesting and well-written, though I am a bigger fan of some of Nelson's other work.

[Edie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marilyn Nelson always gets to the heart of the matter with concise,compact words and this book is no exception. Her author's note at the back describes her goal of introducing the subject of Tuskegee Airmen and the device she uses, a son researching the father his own father never knew. This is a book about discovery of heritage and heroism, the story of young men who loved what they did even though they were not necessarily loved by the world/community in which they lived. The book can be read in one sitting but there's lots to think about/talk about here.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Connor can't understand why his father is so depressed after his grandmother dies- it has been months. His dad then reveals that he is the child of his mother and an American pilot she met during World War II. To Connor and his father, this is life altering. They had believed themselves to be Italian. Connor begins researching his new grandfather and the Revelations he finds are striking.
Not only do we get the story of Connor and his family, but also of the Tuskegee airman and what those men went through to be allowed to pilot planes.