Posts by Nancy Bo Flood
‘The Beast’ moves and changes lives
In No-Name Baby, adoption becomes part of the story. In reality, some children face danger before finding new lives in new places. La Bestia, or “The Beast,” is a nickname…
Read MoreWater music is enjoyed, above and below
Water makes me want to celebrate. It seems I’m not alone. Check out the joyous sights and sounds a floating orchestra discovers from an audience of whales. (Thanks to Linda…
Read MoreThe Navajo know not all rains are created equal
In Water Runs Through This Book, I note that the Navajo separate rains into “male” and “female.” Guess which kind of rain brings floods and other problems to places like…
Read MoreNo more thirsty lawns! Xeriscaping is the answer.
Not all plants are greedy water gobblers. Xeriscaping is the art of planting only drought resistant, low-water-use plants, which can cut water consumption by 60 percent. Here’s an introduction to…
Read MoreRodeo excellence begins with the right lariat
In Cowboy Up! Ride the Navajo Rodeo, entrants may get to know their favorite lariat almost as well as their horses. Is a rope just a rope? Not in rodeo!
Read MoreYoung rodeo competitors seek a trophy they can wear
In Cowboy Up! Ride the Navajo Rodeo, young entrants learn that champions are rewarded with decorative belt buckles. In the early days of rodeo, many contestants were former boxers. If…
Read MoreCoconuts sustain Warriors in the Crossfire
Find a coconut, find hope. That’s how Joseph and Kento respond to stockpiled coconuts, all while worrying about food and freedom. Modern cooks might deal with the coconut differently, turning…
Read MoreGhost crab materializes in Warriors in the Crossfire
Joseph and Kento find their island of Saipan becoming a World War II battleground in Warriors in the Crossfire. As they hide on the beach, a ghost crab is one…
Read MoreItalian marble links past and present in No-Name Baby
Sophie’s grandfather’s World War I death was marked with a small headstone of Italian marble “from our homeland,” said her Nonna. The famous marble has a history dating back centuries.
Read MoreNo-Name Baby highlights olive oil’s magic
In No-Name Baby, Nonna and Aunt Rae treat a bottle of olive oil like a magic potion. The family baptized their new baby with the prized oil sent by a…
Read MoreWill water bring an unhappy ending to the story of Shishmaref, Alaska?
Climate change. Climate disruption. Coastal erosion. What does it all mean? To the people of Shishmaref, Alaska, it means EVERYTHING.
Read MoreMarveling at the mystery of sandstone
“From one grain of sand, I became a mountain.” Those words are part of my tribute to sandstone in Sand to Stone and Back Again. Beginning in the late 1800s,…
Read MoreMeet the Monument Valley ‘mittens’
Between the borders of Arizona and Utah, two wind-carved sculptures look like giant, matching mittens. The pair provided inspiration for Sand to Stone and Back Again. In fact, these buttes…
Read MoreAn author’s thankful Thanksgiving
I’m thankful to teachers, librarians, booksellers, fellow authors and (most of all) readers on this day we give thanks. May you feast on good books throughout this festive time. Enjoy…
Read MoreRemembering Esther ‘Million Dollar Mermaid’ Williams
She made generations dream of being in the water. Esther Williams was ready to compete in the 1940 Olympics, only to see World War II cancel her dream. Hollywood helped…
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