VELVA JEAN LEARNS TO FLY

Narrator Emily Durante quickly engages listeners in the latest adventures of the intriguing Velva Jean Hart (whether or not they’ve heard the prequel, VELVA JEAN LEARNS TO DRIVE). For the heroine, Durante establishes a North Carolina accent that never flags and a tone that clearly defines her feisty grit. These make it clear why Velva Jean leaves home to seek her “life’s dream”—to sing at the Grand Ole Opry—and then learns to fly, establishing “a home in the sky” as one of WWII’s female pilots. As war, sexism, and love buffet Velva Jean, Durante reveals her tender side, creating a perfect harmony of moods, song lyrics, and carefully researched period details into a melodious novel. S.W. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2012]