Full Flight

February 7, 2022
Schumacher’s (Amelia Unabridged) slow-burn romance follows high schoolers Anna James and Weston Ryan, who both read as white and yearn for a life away from Enfield, portrayed as “one of those absurdly small Texas towns” where football is paramount. Since gossip is the town’s “lifeblood,” Weston left the teens’ high school to escape rumors surrounding his parents’ divorce and another involving his having chopped down Enfield’s memorial tree. He’s now returning for his senior year, but the occurrences have shaken him. Anna, meanwhile, struggles to navigate her overbearing, financially stressed parents. When the two are paired to play a duet in marching band, their introspective tendencies and quirks make for a powerful and surprising connection. Their differences inspire each other, too: Anna is a motivated student, but struggles in band and often reverts to people pleasing, while Weston, a driven musician, struggles academically. Alternating first-person chapters slowly lay out the believably wrought teens’ obstacles and budding feelings for one another in this character study that’s interspersed with mentions of mental health and an extended metaphor about a nearly extinct bird searching for family. Ages 12–up. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary.

May 13, 2022

Gr 9 Up-Anna James is trying to prove herself as a saxophonist. After joining her school's marching band, she enlists the help of Weston Ryan, whose musical abilities are as well-known as his reputation as an outcast. In their small Texas town, where football is like a religion, the members of the Enfield Marching Band have their own goal: winning the local contest and making it to the state competition. As Weston guides Anna through the duet they're assigned, Anna returns the favor by helping Weston with his academic work. What begins as a practical arrangement turns into something much more. Their relationship flourishes despite Weston's broken family life and Anna's overprotective parents. When tragedy strikes, Anna is forced to make sense of something that ended before it had the space to grow. Schumacher skillfully captures young love, highlighting the romantic gestures and flirty text messages that cause butterflies. Although the main characters have intimate interactions, there is an innocent quality to their courting. While some teens may balk at this tame romance and the old-fashioned family activities scattered throughout, others will find the traditional touches appealing. The vibe changes drastically toward the end, and readers are likely to be shaken by the sudden tragedy. The author, however, writes beautifully about grief, revealing its unpredictable and all-consuming power. VERDICT A sweet romance that also deals with tragedy, this work is recommended for libraries where romance and realistic fiction is in demand.-Karin Greenberg

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Starred review from January 1, 2022
What happens when you find someone who truly sees you as you are? In her small Texas town, Anna James wears Christmas socks year-round and secretly worries she's never going to be good enough. She's struggling to perform her part of a marching band duet and risks having it assigned to someone else. But Weston Ryan--the other half of the duet and a social outcast accused of destroying the school's memorial tree--reluctantly agrees to help her practice. Weston excels in music but, distracted and upset by his parents' recent divorce, has trouble keeping his grades up. As Weston and Anna grow closer and inevitably fall for each other, Anna lies to her parents about where she's spending time, knowing they wouldn't approve of her seeing him. Echoing beautifully throughout the novel is Weston's imagining of the last Kauaʻi ʻōʻō bird, the final survivor of his species who in 1987 flew toward a scientist's recording of a bird call, searching for family who would never come. Schumacher's gorgeous writing immerses readers in the aching emotions of close friendship and first love before delivering a gut punch of an ending. Told in alternating first-person perspectives, the narrative memorably portrays anxiety and depression without explicitly naming either, weaving these subjects into well-drawn everyday scenes. Main characters are implied White. A powerful, unforgettable story of loneliness and belonging. (Fiction. 12-18)

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