Up in the Air
With themes of confidence, trust, guilt, and forgiveness, Meyers has crafted a novel that will inspire children and adults alike.
Ever since she can remember, ten-year-old Melody has always wanted to fly. And when she leaps off a swing in the park one day and lands in the mystical realm of Chimeroan, her dream finally comes true. She is given a pair of wings. She can fly!
Yet, dreams do come with a price. Even with wings, Melody realizes she cannot outfly the memories of her past. In Chimeroan, Melody is forced to come to terms with her part in her father’s accident. She must choose between the two things that have become the world to her: keeping her wings or healing her father.
From Within
In the midst of the events leading up to the Black Power Movement in Trinidad in 1970, twelve-year old Alex Donaldson struggles to get comfortable in her own skin. She’d give anything to have a lighter, beautiful complexion like her mother and two siblings.
One stormy night, she and Granddad discover that a Soucouyant is living down the road. Soucouyants suck people’s blood like vampires. With a kiss, they take control of a person.
It’s best to ignore them; chances are they’ll return the favor. Then her brother does the one thing she cannot resist. He dares her to get the Soucouyant skin.
Alex’s attempt to acquire the skin brings her to the attention of Mrs. Henry. To make things worse, Alex learns that Mrs. Henry used to be Granddad’s girlfriend. Mrs. Henry wastes no time in giving Granddad a peck on the cheek and worms her way back into his heart.
Though wary of Mrs. Henry, Alex finds her intriguing. Mrs. Henry is everything Alex dislikes about herself: dark complexioned, big breasted, plump. But that doesn’t bother her. She walks with pride and confidence. She is fun! She calls Alex beautiful. Alex starts to believe in herself. Is she wrong about Mrs. Henry?
Yet Mrs. Henry is hiding something. Many things she says don’t add up, and Granddad is acting like he is under some sort of spell. Alex has to uncover the truth about Mrs. Henry, or Granddad and her family might be the Soucouyant’s next victims.
What Readers Are Saying About Up In The Air
“Beneath the story of Melody, who wants to fly so desperately she is summoned to the land of Chimeroan to earn her wings, there is a backstory of a child seeking to escape unbearable pain and guilt… Loaded with rich sensory images, quirky characters and unpredictable plot twists.”
“Ann Marie Meyers builds a breathtaking world when Melody jumps to Chimeroan, and gives her wings to fly. This middle-grade reader is full of all types of mystical creatures, and tied together with a remarkable coming of age story that is guaranteed to raise your spirits.”
“The characters in this book were interesting to read about. The reader feels like they’re flying right with melody and the problems that she must solve. This was a great book that I couldn’t wait to finish.”
“What a delightful story! How many of us would like to fly and in the process fix everything that is wrong? Children and adults alike will soar into the imaginary world of Chimeroan and come out believing in themselves.”