Book excerpt: As an American pilot joining the RAF during World War Two, you’ll experience many ups and downs, and no doubt you’ll discover what a ‘Mae West’ is for! Get used to the lingo, commands and controls, otherwise it’s time to bail out! Educational, informative and engaging, this book teaches children the risks taken and sacrifices made in World War II and puts the reader at the centre of the action. This title in the best-selling children’s history series, You Wouldn't Want To…, features full-colour illustrations which combine humour and accurate technical detail and a narrative approach placing readers at the centre of the history, encouraging them to become emotionally-involved with the characters and aiding their understanding of what life would have been like as a World War Two pilot. Informative captions, a complete glossary and an index make this title an ideal introduction to the conventions of information books for young readers. It is an ideal text for Key Stage 2 shared and guided reading and helps achieve the goals of the Scottish Standard Curriculum 5-14.