Jump Into the Sky by Shelley Pearsall

This is such a good cover!

Levi Battle is accustomed to family members leaving him. His mother abandoned him on the seat of a Ford when he was just a baby, and his father left him many times over the years. But Levi is unprepared to be the one leaving when his Aunt Odella abruptly decides to send him from Chicago to live with his paratrooper father down south at Camp Mackall, North Carolina. When Levi arrives in the South, the thirteen-year-old boy receives an abrupt and frightening introduction to Jim Crow laws and racial bigotry. His troubles only increase when he learns that his father has been sent to Oregon. Levi is taken in by friendly Cal, a paratrooper from his father’s unit, the 555th, and his wife Peaches. He travels with them to Pendleton, Oregon, where he reunites with his father and learns about the 555th’s secret mission.

Pearsall’s writing is honest and frank, and she does not shy away from showing the bitter racism that African Americans faced during the 1940s. Aggravation and tension run high among the 555th paratroopers, occasionally escaping in bursts of verbal frustration. Pearson expertly captures Levi’s voice, and the inclusion of wartime terms and references in his figurative language reminds the reader that the war is always lingering in Levi’s mind. Pearsall’s characterizations beyond her protagonist are also superb and memorable, from the mysterious basket weaver MawMaw Sands to moody, insecure Willajean. A child interested in family or friendship dynamics, World War II, or the military may thoroughly enjoy this book. The book would be useful during lessons or presentations about family relationships, Jim Crow laws or the end of World War II. Libraries with collections for upper elementary and middle school students would benefit from the addition of this excellent selection of historical fiction.