High Flight: A Story of World War II

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

High Flight chronicles the life of John Gillespie Magee, born in
Shanghai in 1922, the son of American missionaries to China. At school
in England, John’s love of literature and poetry became evident when
he won the Rugby Poetry Prize. When World War II broke out, John was
continuing his education in Connecticut. Determined to defend the
country he considered “home” yet unable to return to England, John
joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. At Manning Depots in Toronto, St.
Catharines, and Trenton, Magee trained to be a fighter pilot.
Eventually, he was posted to Lincolnshire, England, where, flying solo
in his Spitfire, he was inspired to write his famous poem, “High
Flight,” dated September 3, 1941. Three months later he died at age
19—the result of a training accident.

High Flight also provides us with a glimpse of life in Britain during
wartime, including its blackouts, bombings, and rationing. Though not a
fighting hero of World War II, Magee was a vibrant, fun-loving young
man, eager for adventure. We can only guess where his great talent may
have led. We do know, however, that nearly 60 years after his death, his
poem “High Flight” continues to be a source of inspiration and
comfort to its readers, and in this version, it is enhanced by Michael
Martchenko’s detailed, colorful illustrations.

This book should, along with its companion, In Flanders Fields: The
Story of the Poem (1996), be part of the core collection of every school
and public library. Highly recommended for all ages.