Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Cosola
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Important story of teen activism starts strong but fizzles.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
At the start of Why We Fly, cheerleaders Leni and Nelly are working toward a successful senior year that will hopefully propel them into their top-choice colleges and beyond. Leni's in rehab, overcoming a serious injury, and hoping to be cleared for the upcoming season. Cheer is her ticket to college, as her grades are not the best. High-achiever Nelly is killing it at a top cheer camp and has her academic roadmap set to get into the top business school in the nation. The two of them, along with their cheer squad, make a last-minute decision to take a knee during the anthem before a football game, which throws their friendship and their futures into disarray. Other factors are complicating their lives, including Leni's bumpy romance with star quarterback Three and Nelly's inability to cope with the high demands she has placed on herself. As the national attention and consequences of taking a knee cascade through their lives, the girls learn that activism often comes with a cost and that to be truly helpful, activists should understand the scope of what they're trying to achieve, have a plan, and work with others.
Is It Any Good?
This story of Black and White best friends working through issues related to racism, social justice, and privilege has some great messages but falls flat in the end. In Why We Fly, authors Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal try to tackle a little too much in one story, including friendship, romance, family dynamics, pressure to achieve, racism, activism, and drug use. The result is that some important topics and interesting plot tensions get hurried and unsatisfying resolutions. The book does a great job of showing what effective activism looks like and how people need to think through the possible consequences of their actions. It also provides an accurate look at the bittersweet nature of high-school friendships as graduation and diverging post-graduation paths loom. But the friendship between Leni and Nelly never rings true, and the characters themselves are one-dimensional and hard to root for. Much of the dialogue feels forced and isn't authentic to the ways teens talk. Why We Fly is a worthwhile read and will get kids thinking over some important issues, but the overall execution is lacking.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about actions such as taking a knee on the sidelines, as the characters do in Why We Fly. Do you think they're effective ways to draw attention to a cause or issue? Why or why not? How do you feel about people being punished for kneeling during the anthem?
Turbulent high school friendships are common themes in books and movies. Do you think these stories are realistic portrayals of teen relationships? Have they ever helped you sort out our feelings about your friends?
So many of the kids in Why We Fly are hyper-focused on their futures, sometimes at the cost of their happiness and relationships. Do you think there's too much pressure on teens to achieve? Do you think it comes from the teens themselves or from their families and peers?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Activism , Friendship , School ( High School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Sourcebooks Fire
- Publication date : October 5, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 14 - 18
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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