The Flyers

by Beth Turley

Four seventh-grade girls meet in the big city and learn to embrace new experiences while keeping the best parts of home with them.

With the arrival of a glossy, cream-colored envelope in the mail, Elena Martinez’s dreams come true: she’s been chosen for the Spread Your Wings Magazine’s Young Flyers program—a week-long summer internship where she’ll get to learn the ins and outs of working for the most popular teen magazine. She heads to New York City, anxious to get away from her best friend, Summer, who is suddenly spending a lot time with another girl from school and being secretive about it.

Once there Elena meets her fellow Young Flyers: Harlow, who can get to the bottom of any story, Whitney, who has spot-on fashion sense, and Cailin, a social media star with thousands of followers and an eye for photography.

As the four new friends explore the city that never sleeps, each girl brings a piece of home, and a few secrets, with them and learns that no one’s life is as glossy as it may appear. But with courage, teamwork, and lots of passion, there’s no stopping a Flyer.

Genres: Middle Grade, LGBT, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2021

Reviews

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Flyers is a FUN, introspective middle grade book about the love of writing and the complexity of female friendships. It deals a lot with finding your voice when you’re painfully shy and gaining the courage to stand up for yourself. Set in NYC at a tween magazine internship of sorts, this book is perfect for kids who like to write, fans of books set in NYC, and readers who enjoy seeing a diverse group of strong female protagonists.

Read my full review on my blog.

Many thanks to the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[acorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, entertaining, friendship 🥰

Elena is an introverted song writer who loves to hang out with her BFF Summer and read the magazine Spread Your Wings. But, when Elena gets picked to be a Flyer for the magazine and Summer doesn’t, her life is filled with new possibilities… and new friends!

This book suprised me. The first half seemed a bit superficial but by the end, I was really enjoying it. The characters were cool and all really genuine which I liked.

It isn’t a book to rave about but it’s still good ✨

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In between seventh and eighth grade, quiet Elena Martinez is chosen to spend a week in New York City as one of four Flyers, summer interns at a popular teen magazine. Elena is excited about this opportunity but also reluctant to miss spending time with her best friend, Summer, who also applied for the internship but wasn't chosen. Elena loves to sing and write down song lyrics in a notebook that she keeps hidden from everyone, the same way she hides her intelligence in class, rarely volunteering answers even when she knows them. She tends to second-guess herself and to be insecure about sharing her thoughts or talents. Instead, she spends just about every moment with Summer. But all through the previous year, she's felt a distance growing between the two of them, a distance exacerbated by Summer's friendship with Riah. While in New York, Elena starts finding her voice and her wings alongside the other three Flyers: Harlow, who has journalistic ambitions; Whitney, who has a flair for fashion; and Cailin, whose acrobatic feats as a competitive cheerleader has brought her much media attention. As it turns out, all four girls have secrets and insecurities, which gives Elena the confidence to reveal parts of herself. When she returns to her Connecticut home, she learns the truth about Summer and what's been going on with her. While the story is sweet and encouraging, Elena's change seems too quick to be believed, and I was not surprised about the big revelation from Summer. I expected the Flyers to explore more parts of the Big Apple while they were there. While there were visits to some spots and photoshoots, it just seemed to be a missed opportunity. I wasn't particularly enamored with Elena's song lyrics either. Still, this book might serve as an example for reserved girls like Elena and those dealing with possible changes in their social network.

[28Sneh4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could rate this book 6 stars, I definitely would; this was literally amazing! I read The Flyers a few years back, but it never hit me that this novel is so well-written, relatable, hilarious, and literally beautiful! The Flyers by Beth Turley stars a middle schooler named Elena, who is socially awkward around everyone but her best friend, Summer. Unfortunately for Elena, her friendship with Summer starts to plummet when she discovers that Summer thinks Elena is way to "clingy". So Elena is overjoyed when good luck finally seems to be coming her way, she is selected by her favorite magazine, Spread Your Wings, for their summer program called the Young Flyers in NYC! There, she meets Harlow, Cailin, and Whitney, her fellow Flyers. On the outside, all of the other Flyers seem to be perfect people with perfect lives. But as the foursome get to know each other, surprising secrets unravel and Elena's trip to New York holds more surprises than she ever foresaw.

I loved how Turley created such a warm, friendly environment in this novel. I loved all of the characters, especially Elena because she kind of reminds me of myself (not that I'm an amazing singer or anything, but still). I especially love the scene where they all have the Wint O Green Lifesavers together because it was such a cute friendship moment. The whole book was like a soup for the soul. I loved it so much!

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you want to be a journalist? This book is for middle graders and up who love to write, post stories on social media, and more.

Share the excitement of a NYC summer internship for four young teenage girls who learn the ins and outs of magazines and writing. But that's not all, the tweens learn about friendship, courage, and the need to step outside their shells to help others achieve their goals.

Turley shares her passion for the written word and for creative writing with her readers. It's a book with some wonderful twists for tweens and teens.

Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lighter read about four middle school girls who have been chosen to work on the September issue of a teen magazine. Each brings their own baggage and learns to see beneath the surface of others.
Elena is the focal point. She is struggling with her relationship with her best friend and feels lost. She is extremely quiet and is afraid to speak or share large portions of herself with others. Eventually, she is brave enough to let another of the young women share a song she wrote on her page. All of them learn that talking with someone is the best way to resolve conflicts and issues.
Tenderly handled and encouraging for middle grade readers.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

I enjoyed getting to know Elena in this story and I think there will be students who relate to her hesitancy in speaking up, her fears in letting go her one best friend. However, I'm not sure my kids read magazines much anymore, so I'm not sure the premise of the story, getting to go to NYC as part of magazine program, will be enough of a hook for them. If they are writers, it's a good book about changing friendships and finding your own voice.

[Eileen Winfrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shy and anxious Elena is so lacking in confidence that she keeps her song writing talents hidden even from her lifelong (and only) friend Summer. Elena and Summer start having the typical growing apart/new friend middle school drama which comes to a head when only Elena wins the contest of their dreams and gets a week in New York City with four other lucky winners to work on a teen magazine. Total wish fulfillment/beach read that many fifth grade girls will love.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes in order to move forward, you have to get away to get perspective. Four teens experience this sensation when they all earn a week-long internship at a popular teen girls magazine in New York.

Each of the girls brings their own emotional baggage and secrets that they’re all tired of carrying. These four diverse girls get the chance to follow their dreams without the pressures of their daily lives—which helps them each see how to face their hopeful futures.

[Lisa Pineo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, sweet, realistic look at a tween girl trying to find herself while feeling her best friend slipping away. I loved the four characters and the different viewpoints and interests they had. Kids would relate to the relationship difficulties and the girls working to to be their best selves. Great ending and a fast, fun read overall.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this so much, but then again, as a journalist who once had a similar internship, this book really spoke to me.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a tough start (too real) but once I got into it, it flew by. Elena gets a chance of a lifetime and along the way gets better understanding of herself and everyone around her.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved a lot about this one. Ending was a bummer.