When a young girl sees a young bird, she starts to get a strange feeling. And though she thinks she cannot fly, her mother tells her there is a way. As this young girl is like her Granny Liza, who would not stay rooted to the ground and would “slip the bonds of earth” and continue the journey of their ancestors. Poetic prose accompanies a two part story in We Could Fly by Rhiannon Giddens.
The first is the surface story of literally flying from the earth, and traveling. The second is that it is a symbol of one of two things: the first, the young girl is ready to leave home, or at least explore outside her home. She is ready to learn, and find her place in the world. Or it is that her people have not been able to fly, and it has been a few brave souls that have resisted “staying down” or “staying put” and have flown to show the world what they are capable of.
The art of Briana Mukodiri Uchendu is airy and light. It has business in the colors and details, yet it seems to float. If they were food they would be warm apple pie, real vanilla ice cream and a small slice of sharp cheddar cheese. They are comfortable to look at and to also read. The illustrations support the story, but do have a spirit of their own. While I have not yet read Build a House (illustrated by Monica Mikai) We Could Fly is a companion title. 
