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Grace was pushed off a ladder when she was six years old by a boy who subsequently apologized. However, the fear stuck with her, and she has been afraid of heights ever since. She dreams of being a parachutist in the military like her mother. When she goes to the air show on the military base, her dreams are solidified, and Grace knows that this is what she wants to do in the future. She works to overcome her fear of heights by starting small with a jump off her porch and working her way up to the slide she had once fallen from. When the boys at school say that only men can become parachutists, Grace sticks up for her dreams and tells them about how her mother was a parachutist. She attends Bailey’s Parachute Camp where she gets to participate in a flight-and-jump simulation. Grace does a great job, and she knows she will make a great parachutist one day.
In an inspiring story about following your dreams and never giving up, the protagonist bravely fights her fear of heights to achieve her goals of flying through the air like a bird as a parachutist in the military. This book demonstrates the power of setting your eyes on a future goal and working to overcome obstacles along the way. Grace is a courageous character who also embodies the idea that girls wear combat boots too. From the stories about her mother to Grace’s own journey through parachutist camp, readers will view the power of women in military service. With lots of girl power and colorful, realistic illustrations, Grace’s story is a poignant one for middle-grade readers who have big dreams.