# The People Could Fly

**Author:** Virginia Hamilton
**Grade range:** Grades 4–8
**First published:** 1985
**Page count:** 38
**Genre:** Juvenile Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780553507812`
**ISBN-10:** `0553507818`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-people-could-fly
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

“THE PEOPLE COULD FLY,” the title story in Virginia Hamilton’s prize-winning American Black folktale collection, is a fantasy tale of the slaves who possessed the ancient magic words that enabled them to literally fly away to freedom. And it is a moving tale of those who did not have the opportunity to “fly” away, who remained slaves with only their imaginations to set them free as they told and retold this tale. Leo and Diane Dillon have created powerful new illustrations in full color for every page of this picture book presentation of Virginia Hamilton’s most beloved tale. The author’s original historical note as well as her previously unpublished notes are included. Awards for The People Could Fly collection: A Coretta Scott King Award A Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice A School Lib

## Where this book is assigned

### Coretta Scott King Author Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade — [source: Coretta Scott King Author Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1986 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coretta_Scott_King_Award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade — [source: Coretta Scott King Author Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1986 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coretta_Scott_King_Award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade — [source: Coretta Scott King Author Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1986 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coretta_Scott_King_Award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade — [source: Coretta Scott King Author Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1986 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coretta_Scott_King_Award)
- **recommended** · 8th grade — [source: Coretta Scott King Author Award (American Library Association), via Wikipedia — 1986 winner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coretta_Scott_King_Award)

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