Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Inspired by activist Loujain AlHathloul (b. 1989), who, back matter reveals, was incarcerated for her work "to change laws in Saudi Arabia that made it illegal for women to drive cars... without permission from male relatives," this meandering picture book by her sister Lina AlHathloul, with Mishra-Newbery, follows Loujain, who dreams of flying like her baba to "the carpet of a million sunflowers." Only men are allowed to fly using the detachable wings depicted in Green's acrylic gouache and colored pencil illustrations; however, Loujain persists in following dreams that, with others' help, come true. One spread showcases Loujain and her father flying as sensory-rich prose describes their journey: "She ran her fingers like a comb through the awakening purple clouds." By positioning Loujain in a fantastical world--even if its internal logic occasionally lapses--this authorial debut successfully makes a real-life issue accessible for the youngest audiences. Back matter includes more about Loujain AlHathloul. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--5--Loujain is a young girl who longs to fly, but lives in a land where it is forbidden for girls to do so. Every morning, her father helps her put wings on, but she is relegated to watching him fly while she is refused that privilege. The injustice makes Loujain angry; she longs to see a field of sunflowers her father told her about, but the only way to see it is to fly to it. Due to her avid interest in using her wings, Loujain's parents agree to support their daughter's dream and her father gives her step-by-step lessons. Various sizes of acrylic gouache and colored pencil illustrations, ranging from vignettes to full-page, are bright with saturated color. Flying is a metaphor used in place of driving, an offense for which the real Loujain Alhathloul was imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. Youngsters might have questions about the child doing something unlawful; will she be punished for flying? Will her father get in trouble for teaching her? VERDICT Use this with older picture book readers, where the nuances of right and wrong can be given fuller examination.--Maryann H. Owen
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
This is a story inspired by the life of Loujain AlHathloul, the Saudi women's rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee who challenged patriarchy and continues to be unjustly persecuted. Young Loujain dreams of flying like her dad, who literally has wings in this gently fantastical tale. She longs to see a field of sunflowers pictured in a photo given to her by her father, but the only way to get there is by flying, and girls aren't allowed to fly. When she tells her friends about her dream of flying, they ridicule her. After a good cry in her bedroom, Loujain confronts her father: "It is not fair that I cannot fly," she asserts. "Why not me?" Her mother agrees: "You have to believe things will change. Otherwise they never will." A wordless montage across a double-page spread shows Loujain receiving flying lessons from her father. Soon, he is able to take her on daily practice flights at sunrise. Finally, one day, Loujain is ready for the longest flight yet--the journey to the field of a million sunflowers. Green's illustrations, rendered in acrylic gouache and colored pencil, are beautifully representational, using plant, flower, star, moon, and sky motifs to capture the flourishing of a young girl's potential and the scope of her ambition. Cowritten by AlHathloul's sister (also an activist), this inspiring story is capped off with a short, informative bio of Loujain AlHathloul and a profound letter to the reader about summoning one's courage to dream and create a better world. Poetic, moving, and empowering. (Picture book. 5-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
