Review Detail

When a brother and sister find themselves stuck inside bored, their grandmother advises them to "Lift your arms, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and believe in a thing. Somebody somewhere at some point was just as bored you are now.” They listen and give it a try and find themselves on adventures all over where people may be going through similar situations like theirs. The two use this trick when other problems arise like fear and anger. With their imaginations, the bad days don't seem so bad.

THE YEAR WE LEARNED HOW TO FLY gives us a look into the wild imaginations children have while teaching them the importance of utilizing it. A vast imagination is a great way to curve boredom and to help get someone through difficult times. The poetic writing style makes the words flow like a smooth stream and the illustrations are beautifully detailed in a water-color theme. In the back of the book, the reader learns that this story is inspired by The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales by Virginia Hamilton which teaches how enslaved people made it through each day.


Final Verdict: This is a beautiful and thought-provoking story that's all about using your imagination and thinking of other people who are in similar situations. Things can always be worse.