The amazing story of pilot Tammie Jo Shults, adapted for young readers! Tammie Jo worked hard, had faith, stayed true to herself, and overcame every obstacle on her journey to becoming a navy pilot. Years later, those lessons served her well as she was put in the right place at the right time to safely land a crippled plane and save 148 lives.

Tammie Jo Shults grew up wanting to be a pilot. She worked hard but faced many obstacles and challenges along the way that threatened to derail her dreams. Doing the next right thing kept her spirit alive as she persevered to find her special calling—to serve God and the world around her.

Tammie Jo’s path eventually led her to join the navy, where she became one of the first women to fly the F/A-18 Hornet. Her specialized flight training in fighter aircraft honed her skills to a razor’s edge. After eight years, she left the military, flew for the forest service in California fighting forest fires for a season, and then went to work for Southwest Airlines flying Boeing 737s.

Tammie Jo wasn’t scheduled for flight 1380 on the morning of April 17, 2018. In fact, she and her husband, Dean, also a Southwest pilot, had traded trips so she could attend their son’s track meet. Then the unthinkable happened. A catastrophic engine failure in her Boeing 737 caused an explosion that severed hydraulic and fuel lines, tore away sections of the plane, punctured a window, and took a woman’s life. In the midst of the emergency, Tammie Jo stayed calm. She wrestled the crippled plane safely to the ground, and in doing so, saved many lives. No doubt God had prepared her and placed her right where she needed to be that day.

Nerves of Steel (Young Readers Edition) is for all young readers who work hard to chase their dreams and are excited for the adventure ahead.

Includes a photo insert, glossary, engaging graphics, and sidebars that explore topics related to planes, pilots, and a military career.

Captain Tammie Jo Shults