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Soldier Sister, Fly Home
A tender and gripping novel about family, identity, and loss.
Fourteen-year-old Tess is having a hard enough time understanding what it means to be part white and part Navajo, but now she's coping with her sister Gaby's announcement that she's going to enlist and fight in the Iraq war. Gaby's decision comes just weeks after the news that Lori Piestewa, a member of their community, is the first Native American woman in US history to die in combat, adding to Tess's stress and emotions. While Gaby is away, Tess reluctantly cares for her sister's semi-wild stallion, Blue, who will teach Tess how to deal with tragic loss and guide her own journey of self-discovery.
Lori Piestewa was a real-life soldier who was killed in Iraq and was a member of the Hopi tribe. Back matter includes further information about Piestewa as well as a note by author Nancy Bo Flood detailing her experiences living on the Navajo reservation. A pronunciation guide to all Navajo vocabulary used within the text is also included.
Fourteen-year-old Tess is having a hard enough time understanding what it means to be part white and part Navajo, but now she's coping with her sister Gaby's announcement that she's going to enlist and fight in the Iraq war. Gaby's decision comes just weeks after the news that Lori Piestewa, a member of their community, is the first Native American woman in US history to die in combat, adding to Tess's stress and emotions. While Gaby is away, Tess reluctantly cares for her sister's semi-wild stallion, Blue, who will teach Tess how to deal with tragic loss and guide her own journey of self-discovery.
Lori Piestewa was a real-life soldier who was killed in Iraq and was a member of the Hopi tribe. Back matter includes further information about Piestewa as well as a note by author Nancy Bo Flood detailing her experiences living on the Navajo reservation. A pronunciation guide to all Navajo vocabulary used within the text is also included.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 2016
5 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Bo Flood
21 books12 followersThis author also goes by Bo Flood.
Nancy Bo Flood is an author, psychologist, teacher, and mother who writes about what she enjoys—children and foreign cultures. She has taught in several different cultures, including Japan, Saipan of Micronesia, Hawaii and Samoa. She lives on the Navajo Reservation in northern Arizona.
Nancy Bo Flood is an author, psychologist, teacher, and mother who writes about what she enjoys—children and foreign cultures. She has taught in several different cultures, including Japan, Saipan of Micronesia, Hawaii and Samoa. She lives on the Navajo Reservation in northern Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
October 16, 2022
Such an underrated middle grade book!!!
A story about two sisters, the older one has to enrol leaving her lovely horse in care of her younger sister who has absolutely less idea on how to do it.
But what matters is that we try, we keep trying for our loved ones no matter how difficult it gets.
This book is exactly that!
I just love the bond between the sisters and their relation with their grandparent.
Such a wholesome read.
I love Blue!!! Read the book to know why this book will leave you crying and smiling at the same time.
A story about two sisters, the older one has to enrol leaving her lovely horse in care of her younger sister who has absolutely less idea on how to do it.
But what matters is that we try, we keep trying for our loved ones no matter how difficult it gets.
This book is exactly that!
I just love the bond between the sisters and their relation with their grandparent.
Such a wholesome read.
I love Blue!!! Read the book to know why this book will leave you crying and smiling at the same time.
August 29, 2016
3.5 stars. Full review to come.
February 24, 2016
It took a while to get into this book. At first I was bored, but then the story started being more descriptive of the local customs of the Navaho, and the landscape, and that is when the story blossomed.
The books starts with a true event, the death of the first native woman in a foreign war (the Iraq War, Lori Piestew), and how the Navaho and Hopi of the area honor her. From there, the story. From there, the story follow Tess, whose sister is also gone off to be a soldier, because she wants to go to medical school, and enlisting is the only way her family can afford it.
Tess is half white, half Navaho (white on her father's side) and goes to a white high school. Her friends on the reservation call her a red apple, red on the outside, white on the inside, and rotten to the core. Her "friends" at the high school just call her Pocahantaus, and insulting names. She feels as though she doesn't belong in either world, and wonders which one she should be.
So, there are two things going on her, her sister off in foreign lands, and her coming to know herself. The first part of the book is that. The second book is her finding herself, when she goes off to the Sheep Camp with her grandmother (who is pretty hip, and wears green tennis shoes along with her native clothes). There she gets more in touch with herself and with the land.
The book is sprinkled with Navaho words, and the part of the book that happens at Sheep Camp is deeply moving and very well described. I keep wondering if the author had seen this, and was Navaho herself, it was that good. (Nancy Bo Flood is a teacher on the reservation). I was tottering between a three and a four star, until I got to the second half of the book. If there had been more of that, more of the beautiful vistas, and such, it could have even gone to five.
The book reminds me a little bit of "The Absolutley True Diary of a Part Time Indian, except it didn't go that way. We only hear a little bit about the school, and how hard it is to be there. As I said, it is almost as though it is two books, which isn't bad.
I want to thank NetGalley for providing this book for an honest review.
The books starts with a true event, the death of the first native woman in a foreign war (the Iraq War, Lori Piestew), and how the Navaho and Hopi of the area honor her. From there, the story. From there, the story follow Tess, whose sister is also gone off to be a soldier, because she wants to go to medical school, and enlisting is the only way her family can afford it.
Tess is half white, half Navaho (white on her father's side) and goes to a white high school. Her friends on the reservation call her a red apple, red on the outside, white on the inside, and rotten to the core. Her "friends" at the high school just call her Pocahantaus, and insulting names. She feels as though she doesn't belong in either world, and wonders which one she should be.
So, there are two things going on her, her sister off in foreign lands, and her coming to know herself. The first part of the book is that. The second book is her finding herself, when she goes off to the Sheep Camp with her grandmother (who is pretty hip, and wears green tennis shoes along with her native clothes). There she gets more in touch with herself and with the land.
The book is sprinkled with Navaho words, and the part of the book that happens at Sheep Camp is deeply moving and very well described. I keep wondering if the author had seen this, and was Navaho herself, it was that good. (Nancy Bo Flood is a teacher on the reservation). I was tottering between a three and a four star, until I got to the second half of the book. If there had been more of that, more of the beautiful vistas, and such, it could have even gone to five.
The book reminds me a little bit of "The Absolutley True Diary of a Part Time Indian, except it didn't go that way. We only hear a little bit about the school, and how hard it is to be there. As I said, it is almost as though it is two books, which isn't bad.
I want to thank NetGalley for providing this book for an honest review.
April 12, 2016
Tess, half Navajo and half white, lives on the rez with her family and wonders how to reconcile feeling too white for her home community but too Indian for her school in Flagstaff. Her beloved older sister, Gaby, enlists as a way to pay for college, and Tess spends the better part of a year letting anger and acceptance battle in her heart. She's helped in large part by her older sister's prized stallion, Blue, whose wildness and power have always frightened her.
This novel does many things well. Tess's inner conflicts are compassionately written. The scenery is described with clear admiration and love. The reader can only trust that Flood's apparent care and consultation has led to an accurate representation of Navajo culture and language.
Speaking as a white reader, two major elements stand out as cringe-worthy missteps: first, Tess's grandparents fit a highly stereotypical mold of "wise old Indian." They speak carefully and sagely--every utterance a gentle life lesson. They appear to have no flaws, and they radiate serenity. They're lovable, to be sure, but they feel unreal.
The second misstep: Tess's grandmother (the wise, never-wrong elder) tells Tess that the best way to deal with microaggressions is to laugh them off because the other person doesn't understand how hurtful it is. While that's a valid response, it's hardly the only reasonable one. Moreover, Tess is given a flash of revelation that maybe she's the one who is intolerant. It's an unfortunate--even if unintended--admonishment when the writer is white and using a respected person of color as a mouthpiece. It implies that the best and possibly only satisfactory choice is to "lighten up."
This book offers an otherwise respectful and eye-opening glimpse into rez life--one that so many unfamiliar readers would benefit from understanding.
This novel does many things well. Tess's inner conflicts are compassionately written. The scenery is described with clear admiration and love. The reader can only trust that Flood's apparent care and consultation has led to an accurate representation of Navajo culture and language.
Speaking as a white reader, two major elements stand out as cringe-worthy missteps: first, Tess's grandparents fit a highly stereotypical mold of "wise old Indian." They speak carefully and sagely--every utterance a gentle life lesson. They appear to have no flaws, and they radiate serenity. They're lovable, to be sure, but they feel unreal.
The second misstep: Tess's grandmother (the wise, never-wrong elder) tells Tess that the best way to deal with microaggressions is to laugh them off because the other person doesn't understand how hurtful it is. While that's a valid response, it's hardly the only reasonable one. Moreover, Tess is given a flash of revelation that maybe she's the one who is intolerant. It's an unfortunate--even if unintended--admonishment when the writer is white and using a respected person of color as a mouthpiece. It implies that the best and possibly only satisfactory choice is to "lighten up."
This book offers an otherwise respectful and eye-opening glimpse into rez life--one that so many unfamiliar readers would benefit from understanding.
September 4, 2016
This is a touching and at times sad account of a young half Navaho girl who looks after her older sister's horse. The elder sister has joined the Army after an injury lost her any chance of completing university on a running scholarship. But being overseas means that her big blue stallion will go crazy from lack of work. Her younger sister nervously accepts the responsibility.
At school the girl is not sure who she is or where she belongs. For summer she'll spend time with her grandmother herding sheep in a canyon, learning the traditional ways of life. But the wild country holds many dangers.
I recommend the tale for more mature young adults and anyone interested in reading about this way of life or about horses and landscape. There are beautiful pictures and the material was created by a teacher on a reservation with reference to Navaho elders.
I downloaded an ARC from Net Galley for an unbiased review.
At school the girl is not sure who she is or where she belongs. For summer she'll spend time with her grandmother herding sheep in a canyon, learning the traditional ways of life. But the wild country holds many dangers.
I recommend the tale for more mature young adults and anyone interested in reading about this way of life or about horses and landscape. There are beautiful pictures and the material was created by a teacher on a reservation with reference to Navaho elders.
I downloaded an ARC from Net Galley for an unbiased review.
September 2, 2016
Writing about the identity of a character whose identity is not your own is hard to do. The chances of it going awry are high, as is the case in Soldier Sister, Fly Home. The questions of what a "real Indian" is are overwrought and strike me as odd.
Coupled with the stereotyping (stoic Indians, fearless Indians, and wise Indians), this is not a book that I can recommend.
A full review is at American Indians in Children's Literature:
https://americanindiansinchildrenslit...
Coupled with the stereotyping (stoic Indians, fearless Indians, and wise Indians), this is not a book that I can recommend.
A full review is at American Indians in Children's Literature:
https://americanindiansinchildrenslit...
September 5, 2016
I’ve enjoyed many books by Nancy Bo Flood, and SOLDIER SISTER, FLY HOME, is no exception. This novel made me think more deeply about what it means, and how it feels to be bi-racial than any novel I’ve read before. Tess is half white, half Native American, but as she states herself, “They never saw me. They never saw Navajo or white - they only saw an Indian.” When her sister Gaby enlists in the army and is sent to Iraq, Tess is left to take care of Gaby’s horse Blue.
I’m a sucker for stories with intergenerational relationships, so I was pleased to find Tess heading off to camp in the canyon with her Grandma. Grandma is a wise woman and I enjoyed her perspectives. “When someone looks down on you, listen and learn. Walk with them.”
Tess struggles to learn what it means to be a real Indian. And although she doesn’t realize it in the moment, her sister’s horse Blue helps her find her way.
This is a lovely book for anyone who has ever felt out of place, or who has struggled to figure out exactly who they are. Bo Flood’s writing is engaging, and she displays a clear appreciation for the Navajo Nation. A good choice for middle school classrooms.
I’m a sucker for stories with intergenerational relationships, so I was pleased to find Tess heading off to camp in the canyon with her Grandma. Grandma is a wise woman and I enjoyed her perspectives. “When someone looks down on you, listen and learn. Walk with them.”
Tess struggles to learn what it means to be a real Indian. And although she doesn’t realize it in the moment, her sister’s horse Blue helps her find her way.
This is a lovely book for anyone who has ever felt out of place, or who has struggled to figure out exactly who they are. Bo Flood’s writing is engaging, and she displays a clear appreciation for the Navajo Nation. A good choice for middle school classrooms.
August 22, 2016
Tess, 13, is having a hard time trying to come to terms with just who she is. Part Navajo, part white, she doesn’t feel like she belongs in either world. Despite being a champion-fast runner, Tess’s teammates at the white school she attends in Flagstaff, Arizona, call her names like ‘Pokeyhontas,’ never seeing her as anything other than an Indian. But when she returns home to the Rez, she never feels Navajo enough.
Tess has been annoyed at her sister Gaby, 19, for joining the Army after her friend Lori Piestewa was killed in Iraq, the first Native American woman to fall in combat. Now, however, Tess can’t wait for Gaby to come home on a two week leave. Maybe Gaby can help Tess sort things out for herself. But Gaby is no sooner home, than she must tell her family that her two week leave has been cancelled, she is being deployed to Iraq, and only has a few days home.
Tess is beyond angry at her sister for leaving, an anger that is compounded when Gaby asks her to take care of Blue, her spirited stallion, and a horse that Tess simply does not like - and the feeling seems to be mutual.
For the first time, Gaby won’t be going with their grandmother to sheep camp at the bottom of the canyon for the summer. Tess, who has never spent the whole summer in the canyon with them, decides to accompany her grandmother, her sheep and mares, and Blue this year. Tess has never ridden Blue by herself, always just leading him by the reins. But on day, while out exploring the canyon with him, a cold, soaking rain begins and, remembering her grandmother’s words that a galloping horse is the fastest way home, Tess rides Blue back to camp. From then on, the two begin to make friends with each other. Now, Tess determines to find the secret waterfall where she and Gaby spent precious time together, and to send some sand from it to her sister - a reminder of those times.
Little by little, Tess begins to come to terms with who she is as she develops more confidence riding Blue and through serious talks getting to really know her grandmother, a woman who knows a lot about who she is and the people who see her a just an Indian.
When tragedy strikes, Tess is faced with a difficult decision, one that will require all the strength she has, but one that will ultimately allow Tess to begin to discover just who she really is.
Soldier Sister, Fly Home is more than just a good coming of age story about family, tradition, culture. It is also a story about 'home' in the literal and metaphorical sense. Above the canyon, the mesa, is home to the Tess who lives there in the world of school, cell phones, malls. As the summer goes by, the canyon, a world of hogans, animals, unfettered nature, slowly begins to feel like home to the Tess, who loves the beauty of it. And it is her grandmother who helps Tess reconcile these two different worlds within herself, to feel at home in both.
But it is Blue who finally takes Tess 'home.' Gaby has told Tess that if she ever got lost riding Blue, he would always find his home if she loosened the reins and let him. And he literally does, twice when they are out riding in the canyon. But Blue also takes Tess home in the figurative sense when she is forced to make a decision about him that will determine who she is from than on.
All of this is told in Nancy Bo Flood's beautiful lyrical storytelling style. I lived in Arizona for four years, and really fell in love the land. I think you will find some of the most breathtaking places on earth there. Flood's beautiful descriptions really made me feel an acute homesickness for the Arizona landscape. Flood has made her setting every bit as much a well-developed main character as she has Tess and her grandmother.
And while I loved Soldier Sister, Fly Home, I did think it was not without one flaw that really bothered me. I felt that Tess's grandmother was perhaps too stereotypical, sounding like the wise Indian speaking in aphorisms. Ironically, this seems to happen in the canyon than up on the mesa, where she seems more like a real character and less like a stereotype.
I should mention also that there are scenes in Soldier Sister, Fly Home that may upset readers sensitive to animals being killed, though it is never done gratuitously or cruelly in this novel.
A Writing Prompt Guide has been prepared by Nancy Bo Flood and can be download HERE
This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
Tess has been annoyed at her sister Gaby, 19, for joining the Army after her friend Lori Piestewa was killed in Iraq, the first Native American woman to fall in combat. Now, however, Tess can’t wait for Gaby to come home on a two week leave. Maybe Gaby can help Tess sort things out for herself. But Gaby is no sooner home, than she must tell her family that her two week leave has been cancelled, she is being deployed to Iraq, and only has a few days home.
Tess is beyond angry at her sister for leaving, an anger that is compounded when Gaby asks her to take care of Blue, her spirited stallion, and a horse that Tess simply does not like - and the feeling seems to be mutual.
For the first time, Gaby won’t be going with their grandmother to sheep camp at the bottom of the canyon for the summer. Tess, who has never spent the whole summer in the canyon with them, decides to accompany her grandmother, her sheep and mares, and Blue this year. Tess has never ridden Blue by herself, always just leading him by the reins. But on day, while out exploring the canyon with him, a cold, soaking rain begins and, remembering her grandmother’s words that a galloping horse is the fastest way home, Tess rides Blue back to camp. From then on, the two begin to make friends with each other. Now, Tess determines to find the secret waterfall where she and Gaby spent precious time together, and to send some sand from it to her sister - a reminder of those times.
Little by little, Tess begins to come to terms with who she is as she develops more confidence riding Blue and through serious talks getting to really know her grandmother, a woman who knows a lot about who she is and the people who see her a just an Indian.
When tragedy strikes, Tess is faced with a difficult decision, one that will require all the strength she has, but one that will ultimately allow Tess to begin to discover just who she really is.
Soldier Sister, Fly Home is more than just a good coming of age story about family, tradition, culture. It is also a story about 'home' in the literal and metaphorical sense. Above the canyon, the mesa, is home to the Tess who lives there in the world of school, cell phones, malls. As the summer goes by, the canyon, a world of hogans, animals, unfettered nature, slowly begins to feel like home to the Tess, who loves the beauty of it. And it is her grandmother who helps Tess reconcile these two different worlds within herself, to feel at home in both.
But it is Blue who finally takes Tess 'home.' Gaby has told Tess that if she ever got lost riding Blue, he would always find his home if she loosened the reins and let him. And he literally does, twice when they are out riding in the canyon. But Blue also takes Tess home in the figurative sense when she is forced to make a decision about him that will determine who she is from than on.
All of this is told in Nancy Bo Flood's beautiful lyrical storytelling style. I lived in Arizona for four years, and really fell in love the land. I think you will find some of the most breathtaking places on earth there. Flood's beautiful descriptions really made me feel an acute homesickness for the Arizona landscape. Flood has made her setting every bit as much a well-developed main character as she has Tess and her grandmother.
And while I loved Soldier Sister, Fly Home, I did think it was not without one flaw that really bothered me. I felt that Tess's grandmother was perhaps too stereotypical, sounding like the wise Indian speaking in aphorisms. Ironically, this seems to happen in the canyon than up on the mesa, where she seems more like a real character and less like a stereotype.
I should mention also that there are scenes in Soldier Sister, Fly Home that may upset readers sensitive to animals being killed, though it is never done gratuitously or cruelly in this novel.
A Writing Prompt Guide has been prepared by Nancy Bo Flood and can be download HERE
This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
February 12, 2016
Tess is having a hard time coping with lots of parts of her life. She goes to a boarding school in Flagstaff where she feels alienated because most of the other students are white and make fun of her for being part Navajo. Her sister has decided to enlist in the military which is super scary because not only will she be far away, her sister's friend Lori, was the first Navajo soldier to be killed in the line of duty since World War 2. I like this one because of the vivid images of the Navajo nation. I hope that it's culturally appropriate (being a white girl, I'm not exactly an expert) but it was easy for me to visualize the terrain and appreciate the life that was portrayed. I liked it a lot.
August 29, 2016
This is a beautifully told, gentle yet thrilling tale of sisters in the Navajo nation, their grandmother (or shima sani), a horse, a canyon, death and life. The constant threat of loss when Tess's older sister, Gaby, leaves for war; the harsh yet beautiful desert setting; the insights into Navajo culture -- all bring richness to this coming-of-age story. The relationships engaged my heart fully. Danger is always present, and so is love. I recommend it highly.
October 29, 2016
This is a beautiful coming of age story of Tess, a biracial Navajo-White girl, who tries to understand and accept who she is. Her sister enlisted in the military and Tess has to deal with fear for her sister's safety while she at the same time feels abandoned by her. The story skillfully weaves together many themes and gives insights into Navajo culture. Great read.
November 16, 2016
Teshina, known as Tess, is fourteen and lives on the Navajo reservation in Arizona. Her mother is Navajo and her father is white, and Tess is having a hard time figuring out who she really is. She has no friends either on the reservation or in the predominantly white high school she goes to in Flagstaff. Her parents insisted she would have more opportunities if she attended the Flagstaff school, even though she has to board in town during the week (the book never says where she stays) and come home on weekends.
Tess is a champion track and cross-country runner, but even this hasn't helped her to make friends; she feels that her teammates only see "an Indian" when they look at her, not a Navajo, not a white, and not even Tess.
Tess's only friends are her family, and her closest friend is her older sister Gabriella, six years older. Gaby struggled in school and did not learn to read till junior high, but she too is a track star and got a track scholarship to Northern Arizona University and plans to become a doctor.
But everything changes when Gaby breaks her leg and ankle while racing her beloved horse, Blue. Unable to run competitively anymore and in danger of losing her scholarship, Gaby enlists in the army just as the war in Iraq begins, much to Tess's anger and dismay. Tess becomes even more upset after the death of Lori Piestewa, a real-life Hopi soldier who became the first Native American woman to be killed in combat on foreign soil and who was a good friend of Gaby's.
The story actually begins with Tess very reluctantly accompanying her family to Lori's memorial ceremony on the reservation. Gaby soon arrives home on leave from boot camp in Texas, but announces that orders have been changed and she is to be sent to Iraq in the next few days. Tess is furious and feels betrayed, and feels guilty for feeling that way, but she does promise Gaby that she will care for and ride Gaby's horse Blue.
Tess has never been as enthusiastic about horses as Gaby is, and she has never liked Blue, and blames him for Gaby's injury and her subsequent enlistment. Gaby insists that Tess must learn to trust Blue's horse sense and at the same time stand up to him and show him that she is not afraid of him and that he must mind her. Blue is no more fond of Tess than she is of him and on her first attempt to make friends with him without Gaby nearby, Blue accepts the sweet oats she offers him and then promptly bites her.
Every year, Shima Sani, Tess's grandmother, spends the summer at sheep camp, grazing her herds of sheep and goats in the canyons. Gaby has usually accompanied her, but this year Tess volunteers, and takes Blue along; her mother's horses are ready to breed and they will also be near sheep camp.
Tess has always greatly admired her grandparents; her grandfather was a Marine in WWII, and a code-talker no less. Both he and Shima (the Navajo term of respect for grandmother) are completely at home in both the Navajo traditions and the modern world, and Tess is eager to learn from them.
And so Tess and Shima spend long, quiet days isolated with the sheep, the goats and the horses in the canyon. Grandpa trucks in supplies when he can, but due to heavy rains, he's often unable to make the drive. Tess is always thinking about Gaby, praying to the Navajo spirits "or anybody who's listening" to keep her safe, and gradually, she and Blue begin to get along. Finally, Tess works up the courage to ride him, and goes off in search of a particularly pretty spot in a side canyon that she and Gaby had enjoyed years earlier, a place with a small waterfall and a crystal-clear pool. It's on this ride that a flash flood approaches, and Tess finally trusts Blue enough to let him lead the way to high ground.
Tess matures a lot during that summer; not only does she gain a new respect for Blue, she also begins to realize that she does not have to choose between being Navajo and being white, that the two sides of her can exist together in harmony. And she realizes that just as the white kids at school haven't really seen her as anything but an Indian, she too has failed to see them as anything other than white, and that she can change that and be happier because of it.
Then one day, Blue, attracted to the nearby mares, breaks out of his corral and leads his new mate, Bandit, off to a distant mesa for mating. Tess manages to lead Bandit home, with the expectation that Blue will follow, but when he fails to turn up she goes back to search for him.
Tragically, Blue has been badly injured in a rockslide, and Tess must make the hardest decision of her life. Will Gaby ever forgive her? Will Tess ever forgive herself?
The book is beautifully written and the depictions of traditional Navajo beliefs and ways of life are well-drawn; the author lived and taught on the Navajo reservation for fifteen years, and her love and respect for the land and its people comes through loud and clear. There's a note about the Navajo language at the end and a glossary, though Flood makes clear that the sounds of the language are impossible to map out phonetically in English, so I'm glad I wasn't reading it aloud, as I'd surely make a mess of it.
I felt like the book left a lot of things undeveloped and unexplored; for instance, where and with whom did Tess stay when she was in school in Flagstaff? We meet her white father, who works in Phoenix, and he is well-liked and respected on the reservation, but we don't learn very much about him, how he came to be married to Tess's mother, what his thoughts are on living in two different worlds. Some of the dialogue seemed stiff or stilted too.
But the more I think of it, the better I like the book. It's not an easy, feel-good read; the overall tone is very sad, but there is also a lot of hope throughout.
August 14, 2016
Author Nancy Bo Flood, is back with another book inspired by her life on the Navajo Nation. "Soldier Sister, Fly Home" is dedicated to Lori Piestwea, the first Native American woman to die in combat on foreign soil. Beautiful, poetic, and timely, "Soldier Sister, Fly Home" pays homage to sisters, Navajo life, and American war heroes.
Tess, the first person protagonist, and her older sister, Gaby, have been very close their entire lives. Both are talented runners, until Gaby suffers an accident which puts an end to her college prospects. As a result, not wanting to burden her family, she enlists in the army as a way to eventually get to college, where she wants to study to be a doctor. When she is deployed to Iraq, she asks Tess to care for her beloved horse, the fiery Blue. Tess reluctantly agrees, as she and Blue have had a tenuous relationship. When she joins her Shima Sani for the summer at sheep camp, she and Blue gradually learn to trust one another and to "fly." Though the story focuses on Tess's journey, there is plenty of action here which builds the tension in "Soldier Sister, Fly Home." Flood makes great use of foreshadowing to urge the reader on. This is an engaging, fast read.
I loved the characters, both human and animal - especially Tess, Gabby, Blue and Shima. Tess struggles to figure out who she is - white or Navajo or both. As a result, she struggles to fit in, to find her place in the world, and to fly.
I loved Flood's use poetic, lyrical language. The symbolism of the raven, which first appears on page four and then throughout the story, is especially compelling. Flood does a stellar job of bringing life in Tuba City, Arizona, to life for the reader. Like author Nancy Bo Flood, Tess too is a convincing poet. Imagery such as the following is simply perfect:
p. 103 - "Storm clouds kept piling up and moving over the canyon. Slanting rain blurred the horizon. Heavy drops thumped and pinged on the hogan's roof."
p. 109 - "Sometimes the only sounds were the murmuring of the stream and the intermittent chorus of toads. Other times the night air was busy, alive with bleating, horses nickering, rocks tumbling down, rattling against one another. Every once in awhile, the wind whistled through the cottonwoods, and branches scraped against one another, making soft sighs or spooky moans."
p. 111 - "His whole neck vibrated, and his loud squeal swirled around camp like an invisible dust devil."
I loved the life lessons which are so poignantly relayed to the reader, much of it by her Shima. We learn about racism, bullying, the power of nature, sisterhood, the importance of ceremony, courage, family, the consequences of war, respect for life, and on and on.
p. 42 - "Stop right there, little sister. You know better than to talk about death. Talk can make things happen.'"
p. 47 - "'We learn more from our mistakes than from what we do right. Nothing wrong with that.'"
p. 48 - "'All life is sacred, Tess. We give, we take. All part of the journey.'"
p. 49 - "'All those questions inside you, no mater how far you run or where you hide, the questions follow.'"
p. 50 - "'Life to death to life.'"
p. 70 - "'No, Tess, we choose. We can laugh or bite. Laughing is better for the belly.'"
p. 71 - "Sometimes we have to leave home to find it."
p. 88 - "'Take water. Always. The canyon doesn't forgive mistakes No second chances.'"
p. 106 - "'We have many parts, Tess. We walk many paths, wear many shoes. Sometimes moccasins, sometimes sneakers. Some paths cross. Some come together."
p. 107 - "'When you were little and you looked at my goats, they all looked the same.Now you see each one. You learned. We can all learn...we meet one goat from the herd that butts our old ideas. Makes us put on new glasses.'"
p. 109 - "No one there really knew me. But I didn't know them either. They saw Indian, but when I looked at them, what did I see? I never really looked. Maybe it didn't need to be that way...the parts didn't have to keep fighting."
p. 112 - "'We've had a lot of rain, Tess. Unusual for this time of the year. Remember, if gives life and takes it. Water in some of the side canyons might be running high.'"
p. 122 - "I closed my eyes and heard the fluttering beat-beat of her heart. So many different kinds of heartbeats, drumbeats. Life and death."
p. 123 - "'We all make mistakes. Only the Creator is perfect.'"
p. 140 - "'And then we must accept the journey. Often I have prayed for acceptance. The second dawn at the day's end, unto the blue skies, there's a beginning, and there's an ending - all in sacredness and beauty.'"
p. 145 - "'Maybe what's hardest of all is doing what we swore we would never do. And then we have to make a choice.'"
I loved the symbiotic relationship between the humans and nature, which is so significant in the Indian culture.
A great read! Highly recommended!
Tess, the first person protagonist, and her older sister, Gaby, have been very close their entire lives. Both are talented runners, until Gaby suffers an accident which puts an end to her college prospects. As a result, not wanting to burden her family, she enlists in the army as a way to eventually get to college, where she wants to study to be a doctor. When she is deployed to Iraq, she asks Tess to care for her beloved horse, the fiery Blue. Tess reluctantly agrees, as she and Blue have had a tenuous relationship. When she joins her Shima Sani for the summer at sheep camp, she and Blue gradually learn to trust one another and to "fly." Though the story focuses on Tess's journey, there is plenty of action here which builds the tension in "Soldier Sister, Fly Home." Flood makes great use of foreshadowing to urge the reader on. This is an engaging, fast read.
I loved the characters, both human and animal - especially Tess, Gabby, Blue and Shima. Tess struggles to figure out who she is - white or Navajo or both. As a result, she struggles to fit in, to find her place in the world, and to fly.
I loved Flood's use poetic, lyrical language. The symbolism of the raven, which first appears on page four and then throughout the story, is especially compelling. Flood does a stellar job of bringing life in Tuba City, Arizona, to life for the reader. Like author Nancy Bo Flood, Tess too is a convincing poet. Imagery such as the following is simply perfect:
p. 103 - "Storm clouds kept piling up and moving over the canyon. Slanting rain blurred the horizon. Heavy drops thumped and pinged on the hogan's roof."
p. 109 - "Sometimes the only sounds were the murmuring of the stream and the intermittent chorus of toads. Other times the night air was busy, alive with bleating, horses nickering, rocks tumbling down, rattling against one another. Every once in awhile, the wind whistled through the cottonwoods, and branches scraped against one another, making soft sighs or spooky moans."
p. 111 - "His whole neck vibrated, and his loud squeal swirled around camp like an invisible dust devil."
I loved the life lessons which are so poignantly relayed to the reader, much of it by her Shima. We learn about racism, bullying, the power of nature, sisterhood, the importance of ceremony, courage, family, the consequences of war, respect for life, and on and on.
p. 42 - "Stop right there, little sister. You know better than to talk about death. Talk can make things happen.'"
p. 47 - "'We learn more from our mistakes than from what we do right. Nothing wrong with that.'"
p. 48 - "'All life is sacred, Tess. We give, we take. All part of the journey.'"
p. 49 - "'All those questions inside you, no mater how far you run or where you hide, the questions follow.'"
p. 50 - "'Life to death to life.'"
p. 70 - "'No, Tess, we choose. We can laugh or bite. Laughing is better for the belly.'"
p. 71 - "Sometimes we have to leave home to find it."
p. 88 - "'Take water. Always. The canyon doesn't forgive mistakes No second chances.'"
p. 106 - "'We have many parts, Tess. We walk many paths, wear many shoes. Sometimes moccasins, sometimes sneakers. Some paths cross. Some come together."
p. 107 - "'When you were little and you looked at my goats, they all looked the same.Now you see each one. You learned. We can all learn...we meet one goat from the herd that butts our old ideas. Makes us put on new glasses.'"
p. 109 - "No one there really knew me. But I didn't know them either. They saw Indian, but when I looked at them, what did I see? I never really looked. Maybe it didn't need to be that way...the parts didn't have to keep fighting."
p. 112 - "'We've had a lot of rain, Tess. Unusual for this time of the year. Remember, if gives life and takes it. Water in some of the side canyons might be running high.'"
p. 122 - "I closed my eyes and heard the fluttering beat-beat of her heart. So many different kinds of heartbeats, drumbeats. Life and death."
p. 123 - "'We all make mistakes. Only the Creator is perfect.'"
p. 140 - "'And then we must accept the journey. Often I have prayed for acceptance. The second dawn at the day's end, unto the blue skies, there's a beginning, and there's an ending - all in sacredness and beauty.'"
p. 145 - "'Maybe what's hardest of all is doing what we swore we would never do. And then we have to make a choice.'"
I loved the symbiotic relationship between the humans and nature, which is so significant in the Indian culture.
A great read! Highly recommended!
September 17, 2016
SOLDIER SISTER, FLY HOME: Recommended for schools and libraries, a beautifully told family story
SOLDIER SISTER, FLY HOME, written by Nancy Bo Flood, is an engaging novel that begins with a powerful prologue. When the narrator, Tess, (now thirteen) was a ten-year-old, she saw a man shoot a raven for no apparent reason, and she swore she’d never fire a rifle again. In the intervening time, Tess has begun to realize that even the most heartfelt promises are sometimes broken. Life is way more nuanced and complicated now that she’s older. Tess, like many young teenagers, is concerned about her place within her family as well as her place in the wider world.
Despite the six-year difference in their ages, Tess and her older sister, Gaby, have always been close. Growing up on the Navajo Nation with their Navajo mother and white father was sometimes a challenge, and the two girls supported each other. It was Tess who helped her beautiful big sister learn to read, while Gaby advised Tess to ignore the kids who teased her at the predominately white boarding school she attended. Gaby also encouraged Tess to run – so she, too, could become a track star and win a college scholarship. But as the story begins, things have changed drastically.
Gaby has lost her scholarship because she’s no longer a competitive runner due to a bad fall and injury caused by Blue, her difficult stallion. In order to pay for college, Gaby has joined the Army and finished boot camp, leaving Tess to deal with a mixture of emotions. Although Tess can understand the call of duty, she’s terrified that Gaby might never come home again since she’s being sent to Iraq. What if Gaby is killed like Lori, the Hopi soldier, who died in combat while in Iraq? And to make matters worse, Gaby asks Tess to take care of Blue while she’s away. The stallion scares Tess, but she is determined to support her big sister. So, despite her ambivalence toward Gaby’s decision to enlist, Tess accepts responsibility for the horse, hoping that she’ll learn to appreciate him as much as Gaby does.
When tragedy strikes near the end of the novel, Tess must break the promise she’d made to herself when she was ten. This is a tough scene to read, but it is true to the unpredictability of stallions and the harsh nature of the setting.
For fifteen years, the author lived on the Navajo Nation, and she drew on her experiences there to create believable characters who will appeal to many readers in fifth through eighth grade. Tess’s first person account of her summer feels authentic whether she’s describing the setting, her perceptive grandmother, or the butchering of several animals. Much of Tess’s growth as a character occurs while she’s with her Navajo grandmother, helping to care for the sheep, goats, and horses in an isolated canyon—a job that had been Gaby’s before she enlisted. Their grandmother is wise and not hesitant to offer advice (along with a bit of humor), including how to see people as complex individuals and not as just one thing or another. She even points out that each of her goats had been a nonentity to Tess, just a part of a look-alike herd, until Tess learned their personalities along with their names. Although adult readers may find the theme too obvious, younger readers who’re struggling to establish their own identity may understand Tess and appreciate getting to know her as she faces the challenges of growing up.
Author Nancy Bo Flood did not leap carelessly on the “diversity” bandwagon. She spent years immersed in the culture of her characters. In addition, she’s written many books that reflect her dedication to honing her craft. SOLDIER SISTER, FLY HOME will provide a mirror for some children and open a door for others. The author has received a grant from the Society of Book Writers and Illustrators that will enable her to visit Navajo schools where she intends to promote writing and literacy.
SOLDIER SISTER, FLY HOME, written by Nancy Bo Flood, is an engaging novel that begins with a powerful prologue. When the narrator, Tess, (now thirteen) was a ten-year-old, she saw a man shoot a raven for no apparent reason, and she swore she’d never fire a rifle again. In the intervening time, Tess has begun to realize that even the most heartfelt promises are sometimes broken. Life is way more nuanced and complicated now that she’s older. Tess, like many young teenagers, is concerned about her place within her family as well as her place in the wider world.
Despite the six-year difference in their ages, Tess and her older sister, Gaby, have always been close. Growing up on the Navajo Nation with their Navajo mother and white father was sometimes a challenge, and the two girls supported each other. It was Tess who helped her beautiful big sister learn to read, while Gaby advised Tess to ignore the kids who teased her at the predominately white boarding school she attended. Gaby also encouraged Tess to run – so she, too, could become a track star and win a college scholarship. But as the story begins, things have changed drastically.
Gaby has lost her scholarship because she’s no longer a competitive runner due to a bad fall and injury caused by Blue, her difficult stallion. In order to pay for college, Gaby has joined the Army and finished boot camp, leaving Tess to deal with a mixture of emotions. Although Tess can understand the call of duty, she’s terrified that Gaby might never come home again since she’s being sent to Iraq. What if Gaby is killed like Lori, the Hopi soldier, who died in combat while in Iraq? And to make matters worse, Gaby asks Tess to take care of Blue while she’s away. The stallion scares Tess, but she is determined to support her big sister. So, despite her ambivalence toward Gaby’s decision to enlist, Tess accepts responsibility for the horse, hoping that she’ll learn to appreciate him as much as Gaby does.
When tragedy strikes near the end of the novel, Tess must break the promise she’d made to herself when she was ten. This is a tough scene to read, but it is true to the unpredictability of stallions and the harsh nature of the setting.
For fifteen years, the author lived on the Navajo Nation, and she drew on her experiences there to create believable characters who will appeal to many readers in fifth through eighth grade. Tess’s first person account of her summer feels authentic whether she’s describing the setting, her perceptive grandmother, or the butchering of several animals. Much of Tess’s growth as a character occurs while she’s with her Navajo grandmother, helping to care for the sheep, goats, and horses in an isolated canyon—a job that had been Gaby’s before she enlisted. Their grandmother is wise and not hesitant to offer advice (along with a bit of humor), including how to see people as complex individuals and not as just one thing or another. She even points out that each of her goats had been a nonentity to Tess, just a part of a look-alike herd, until Tess learned their personalities along with their names. Although adult readers may find the theme too obvious, younger readers who’re struggling to establish their own identity may understand Tess and appreciate getting to know her as she faces the challenges of growing up.
Author Nancy Bo Flood did not leap carelessly on the “diversity” bandwagon. She spent years immersed in the culture of her characters. In addition, she’s written many books that reflect her dedication to honing her craft. SOLDIER SISTER, FLY HOME will provide a mirror for some children and open a door for others. The author has received a grant from the Society of Book Writers and Illustrators that will enable her to visit Navajo schools where she intends to promote writing and literacy.
September 11, 2016
Nancy Bo-Flood shows well the importance of ceremony in the Navajo world, and begins the story with the tribe saying goodbye to a fallen warrior, a young mother who was killed in action. She lets Tess, a half-white, half Navajo young woman tell her story of the way things are with her as a “mixed-up” young adolescent. She is a runner, doesn’t want to attend this first ceremony, but she does. We learn then that there is more turmoil in Tess, not knowing exactly where she belongs, who she is. This is certainly a common worry in many kids, and Tess is no different. The great thing about this story is that it tells about a Native American, connecting the same feelings with others growing up.
Tess attends a white school near the reservation, feeling invisible unless called a “squaw”, but those kids on the reservation also have names for her: “a red apple, red on the outside, white on the inside, and rotten to the core.” She doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. And now her older sister Gaby, whom she thought would be in college in that same town where her school is, has had an accident with Blue her beloved horse while barrel-racing and loses her scholarship. The family struggles about the money, and Gaby joins the army. Tess is devastated, has a tough time saying goodbye, and ignores the special protection ceremony. But she does promise to take care of Blue for Gaby.
Gaby has left, school is out, and the turmoil continues as she decides to accompany her grandmother to the summer sheep camp. A trip to town shows Tess’s grandmother, Shimá, the Navaho name for grandmother. She is a wise elder who not only cares for the sheep and other animals, but a respected weaver, and a learner. She surprises Tess as she pulls her toward the new coffee shop in town, to send an e-mail message to Gaby. More and more, Tess learns about her grandmother, with wise words and big surprises. (There is a longer name for grandmother shown in the glossary, a wonderful help with the sprinkling of Navajo words throughout the text.)
The description of the journey to the sheep camp is scary, and I’ve traveled some trails like that when hiking in my own mountains. Tess’s words guide us down the scrambling rocks and narrow paths, leading Blue, a strong stallion, and following the sheep and her grandmother with two mares. They finally arrive at the bottom, the camp’s Hogan, where her grandmother grew up. With the description, it’s beautiful to imagine living in this remote area, but bit-by-bit, I also see it’s a lot of work. With fire lit, and a meal eaten, Tess is a little bored, notices that there are books there, and pulls out a poetry collection by Emily Dickinson. Here begins the real learning, with Dickinson’s words, the experiences riding Blue and a tragedy that was not meant to happen. I don’t want to spoil the rest of the book. The descriptions bring images of this place vividly. Despite rain and wind, I felt such calmness from imagining being there, greeting the sun, caring for the animals, and reading together in the Hogan at night. “We stayed in the middle of the dry riverbed. The top layer of sand spread out smooth--like a page in a book full of stories but no words. Footprints big and small crisscrossed the wash. Tiny tiptoe tracks made by stinkbugs, zigzag trails of lizards, and even a few slithering curves, probably the meandering tracks of a bull snake.”
It’s a story of relationships near and far, and even with a few e-mails, the sisters’ love for each other shows through. There are things unexpected, and wisdom in the telling. I enjoyed this book very much.
Tess attends a white school near the reservation, feeling invisible unless called a “squaw”, but those kids on the reservation also have names for her: “a red apple, red on the outside, white on the inside, and rotten to the core.” She doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. And now her older sister Gaby, whom she thought would be in college in that same town where her school is, has had an accident with Blue her beloved horse while barrel-racing and loses her scholarship. The family struggles about the money, and Gaby joins the army. Tess is devastated, has a tough time saying goodbye, and ignores the special protection ceremony. But she does promise to take care of Blue for Gaby.
Gaby has left, school is out, and the turmoil continues as she decides to accompany her grandmother to the summer sheep camp. A trip to town shows Tess’s grandmother, Shimá, the Navaho name for grandmother. She is a wise elder who not only cares for the sheep and other animals, but a respected weaver, and a learner. She surprises Tess as she pulls her toward the new coffee shop in town, to send an e-mail message to Gaby. More and more, Tess learns about her grandmother, with wise words and big surprises. (There is a longer name for grandmother shown in the glossary, a wonderful help with the sprinkling of Navajo words throughout the text.)
The description of the journey to the sheep camp is scary, and I’ve traveled some trails like that when hiking in my own mountains. Tess’s words guide us down the scrambling rocks and narrow paths, leading Blue, a strong stallion, and following the sheep and her grandmother with two mares. They finally arrive at the bottom, the camp’s Hogan, where her grandmother grew up. With the description, it’s beautiful to imagine living in this remote area, but bit-by-bit, I also see it’s a lot of work. With fire lit, and a meal eaten, Tess is a little bored, notices that there are books there, and pulls out a poetry collection by Emily Dickinson. Here begins the real learning, with Dickinson’s words, the experiences riding Blue and a tragedy that was not meant to happen. I don’t want to spoil the rest of the book. The descriptions bring images of this place vividly. Despite rain and wind, I felt such calmness from imagining being there, greeting the sun, caring for the animals, and reading together in the Hogan at night. “We stayed in the middle of the dry riverbed. The top layer of sand spread out smooth--like a page in a book full of stories but no words. Footprints big and small crisscrossed the wash. Tiny tiptoe tracks made by stinkbugs, zigzag trails of lizards, and even a few slithering curves, probably the meandering tracks of a bull snake.”
It’s a story of relationships near and far, and even with a few e-mails, the sisters’ love for each other shows through. There are things unexpected, and wisdom in the telling. I enjoyed this book very much.
March 13, 2016
Did I enjoy reading Soldier Sister, Fly Home by Nancy Bo Flood? Yes, mostly. But not completely. I can see how there are certain scenes in this one that would greatly upset readers.
I'll start with what I did love. I loved the main character, Tess. She's a complex character, and this is her coming-of-age story. She's struggling to answer the "Who am I?" question. She's half Navajo, half-white; she doesn't feel comfortable anywhere. (When she's attending a mostly-white school, she feels out of place, she feels like she has been labeled as "Indian" as "other." And when she's at home on the reservation, she again feels out of place, like she isn't "Indian" enough.)
But she isn't completely clueless. Here are a few truths she knows to be true: 1) she LOVES to run. 2) she LOVES her family. 3) She doesn't understand how her older sister, Gaby, could join the army and go fight a war in Iraq. 4) She misses her sister terribly, and worries that something horrible might happen to her sister. She doesn't want to pretend that she's proud of her sister and happy to have a warrior sister. 5) She is scared of horses, particularly her sister's stallion, Blue. But scared as Tess is, she promised her sister, Gaby, that she'd take care of Blue while she was away.
The novel opens with the community coming together to mourn or memorialize a fallen soldier--the first Native American woman to die in combat: Lori Piestewa. Soon afterwards, her sister comes home supposedly for a two week leave. Tess is thrilled; she's got plans to spend as much time as possible with her sister. But that isn't to be: her sister will be leaving for Iraq in just a day or two.
In addition to focusing on the relationship between sisters, this one also focuses on Tess' relationship with her grandparents--particularly her grandmother. This relationship was lovely to see developed.
What didn't I love? There were a few scenes that were rough if you're an animal lover. For example, one scene has Tess slaughtering in great, graphic detail a sheep. It is a scene that comes at the end of a very emotional climax. And perhaps it is supposed to be scene as celebratory and significant. But to me, it was way too much. I won't mention the second scene because that would spoil the novel, something I wouldn't want to do.
Is it "fast" or "slow"? I don't know that it's fair to phrase it just like that. I know that some readers are ALL about the action: fast-paced, action-packed, adventure-filled DRAMA. But I know that other readers--myself included--focus more on characters: character development, exploring relationships between characters through dialogue, building authentic, believable settings, etc. I'd say that Soldier Sister, Fly Home is character-driven with a handful of intense scenes.
I'll start with what I did love. I loved the main character, Tess. She's a complex character, and this is her coming-of-age story. She's struggling to answer the "Who am I?" question. She's half Navajo, half-white; she doesn't feel comfortable anywhere. (When she's attending a mostly-white school, she feels out of place, she feels like she has been labeled as "Indian" as "other." And when she's at home on the reservation, she again feels out of place, like she isn't "Indian" enough.)
But she isn't completely clueless. Here are a few truths she knows to be true: 1) she LOVES to run. 2) she LOVES her family. 3) She doesn't understand how her older sister, Gaby, could join the army and go fight a war in Iraq. 4) She misses her sister terribly, and worries that something horrible might happen to her sister. She doesn't want to pretend that she's proud of her sister and happy to have a warrior sister. 5) She is scared of horses, particularly her sister's stallion, Blue. But scared as Tess is, she promised her sister, Gaby, that she'd take care of Blue while she was away.
The novel opens with the community coming together to mourn or memorialize a fallen soldier--the first Native American woman to die in combat: Lori Piestewa. Soon afterwards, her sister comes home supposedly for a two week leave. Tess is thrilled; she's got plans to spend as much time as possible with her sister. But that isn't to be: her sister will be leaving for Iraq in just a day or two.
In addition to focusing on the relationship between sisters, this one also focuses on Tess' relationship with her grandparents--particularly her grandmother. This relationship was lovely to see developed.
What didn't I love? There were a few scenes that were rough if you're an animal lover. For example, one scene has Tess slaughtering in great, graphic detail a sheep. It is a scene that comes at the end of a very emotional climax. And perhaps it is supposed to be scene as celebratory and significant. But to me, it was way too much. I won't mention the second scene because that would spoil the novel, something I wouldn't want to do.
Is it "fast" or "slow"? I don't know that it's fair to phrase it just like that. I know that some readers are ALL about the action: fast-paced, action-packed, adventure-filled DRAMA. But I know that other readers--myself included--focus more on characters: character development, exploring relationships between characters through dialogue, building authentic, believable settings, etc. I'd say that Soldier Sister, Fly Home is character-driven with a handful of intense scenes.
November 16, 2017
The heroine of this book is a Navajo girl named Tess who is going through changes in her life as she worries about her sister Gaby who is enlisting in the military. The book incorporates a real life person into the plot- Lori Piestewa a Hopi / Mexican American woman who served in the military and was killed during the Iraq War. As an American Indian myself, and a former children's librarian- I enjoyed this book on so many levels. I am from a military family and books that portray a military family accurately; with all that we have to face daily are rare. I am also American Indian and find it refreshing for a book with American Indian characters to be set in the present day or very recent past. Way too many books about us are set in the past with a Western or Pioneer theme.
Now here is a book which shows an American Indian military family. The book also, focuses on Lori Piestewa, the first American Indian woman to die in combat overseas while serving in the military. Lori's real life story as well as that of the fictional Tess are wonderfully written with authenticity, cultural accuracy and compassion.
Nancy Bo Flood has lived among Indigenous communities for years and has had the support of those communities when she has written stories and books about them. Whether about indigenous Pacific Islanders or American Indians of the southwest.... Nancy writes true and genuine representations. I saw recently that the father of Lori Piestewa has passed away... and the Piestewa family contacted Nancy to let her know about this. Nancy had become very close with the family while researching and writing "Soldier Sister, Fly Home."
Nancy Bo Flood, has worked with children with disabilities, has become beloved and accepted by different Indigenous communities and has a deep love for the American southwest. She has lived in different parts of the world and is an activist for clean waters supplies and an advocate for access to such water supplies. She has a deep commitment to the people she cares about and the lands where she lives. I and many other American Indians like myself; admire and respect Nancy's work.
I highly recommend "Soldier Sister, Fly Home."
Now here is a book which shows an American Indian military family. The book also, focuses on Lori Piestewa, the first American Indian woman to die in combat overseas while serving in the military. Lori's real life story as well as that of the fictional Tess are wonderfully written with authenticity, cultural accuracy and compassion.
Nancy Bo Flood has lived among Indigenous communities for years and has had the support of those communities when she has written stories and books about them. Whether about indigenous Pacific Islanders or American Indians of the southwest.... Nancy writes true and genuine representations. I saw recently that the father of Lori Piestewa has passed away... and the Piestewa family contacted Nancy to let her know about this. Nancy had become very close with the family while researching and writing "Soldier Sister, Fly Home."
Nancy Bo Flood, has worked with children with disabilities, has become beloved and accepted by different Indigenous communities and has a deep love for the American southwest. She has lived in different parts of the world and is an activist for clean waters supplies and an advocate for access to such water supplies. She has a deep commitment to the people she cares about and the lands where she lives. I and many other American Indians like myself; admire and respect Nancy's work.
I highly recommend "Soldier Sister, Fly Home."
February 20, 2017
This book is about a girl named Tess. Ever since she was little she would go to the shooting range and practice shooting with her father. One day a guy there shot a bird and she never went back again. Her sister hated guns. She would never touch one never talk about one never wanted to use one. One day her sister got deported to Iraq. Tess was devastated. Her sister was her best friend and she didn't want anything to happen to her. Tess got made fun of at school a lot for being half Indian. Her sister was the only person she wanted to talk about it with, and now her sister would be gone for a long time. Tess got mad at her sister. She wondered why her sister would do this? She hated guns. Tess asked her sister and the only reason she was doing it was so that she wouldn't have to pay for college. Tess's sister wanted to be a doctor and that means a lot of money to pay for medical school. Their family wasn't exactly rich. Her dad had to have to jobs to pay for college and Gaby(Tess's sister) felt horrible. Of course Gaby wanted to help her country and all but she really wanted to be a doctor and she knew that that meant money. So when Gaby left she asked Tess to take care of her favorite horse Blue. Tess was terrified of Blue. Tess of course said yes because she loved Gaby but she didn't know how she would do it. After Gaby left her grandmother was going to go to sheep camp in the canyon. Tess decided to go with and take blue. So while they were in the canyon Tess became to love Blue. They went for rides and they became to trust each other. One day Blue got out of his fence. He started running and Tess was so worried. She followed his tracks and he had fallen when he was running and broke both of his front legs. He would not survive. She had to put him out of his misery. Tess was going to have to tell Gaby. When she checked her email the next day there was an email from Gaby. Gaby asked if there was something wrong or if something happened. When Tess told her what happened she wasn't mad at all. She understood that there was nothing that Tess could have done. Gaby knew something had happened and she knew it was Blue's fault. Tess and Gaby are real sisters. They love each other no mater what.
I did not like this book. It was way to sad for me. I hate thinking about dead animals and there was a lot of death in this book. If you like a sad book then read this but I would not recommend this to people. I would give it a 1 star.
I did not like this book. It was way to sad for me. I hate thinking about dead animals and there was a lot of death in this book. If you like a sad book then read this but I would not recommend this to people. I would give it a 1 star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2016
Soldier Sister, Fly Home
The prologue for Soldier Sister, Fly Home by Nancy Bo Flood starts with a poem
Feathers fly,
Carrying a heartbeat.
Fly home.
Blue horse. Lii’ Dootl’izhii.
and ends with a vow from Tess that she will never shoot a rifle again. I’m fond of prologues like this that tantalize one into a book.
Tess, half-Navaho and half-white, searches for where she fits in the two worlds she travels between. Early in the book, she points out a common mistake of lumping all Native Americans together in one group, “They (schoolmates) never saw me. They never saw Navaho or white – they only saw an Indian.”
Central to the story is her six-year-older sister’s enlistment in the military after she failed to get a scholarship that would help her go to school. Gaby returns home on leave in splotchy army fatigues with her beautiful dark hair that had hung below her waist sheared short. Gaby had sworn never to cut it, but this is an accommodation to that other world.
Gaby’s deployment threatens the sister tie that includes younger Tess teaching her older sister to read at night before she enters junior high using Archie comic books. Now Gaby asks her to bond with her feisty horse Blue while she is away. A summer at sheep camp with Blue and Shima Sani, her grandmother, in traditional Navaho dress (except for her Day-Glo tennis shoes) helps her begin to answer some of the questions about who she is and where she belongs. Tess and I found wisdom in Grandpa’s philosophy, “Yes, we sing when life comes into this world. We sing when life travels out.”
The author lived and taught in the Navaho community for fifteen years and brings a sense of authenticity to this story that includes practices specific to that culture along with issues common to any coming-of-age story. Back matter includes information about the Navaho language, definitions and pronunciations of Navaho words, and a brief tribute to Lori Piestewa, a member of the Hopi tribe and the first Native American military woman to die in combat on foreign soil. Lori’s contribution is mentioned briefly in the beginning of the book.
I read the book which goes on sale August 23 in an ARC furnished by Net Galley. It is a good read for middle grade and up.
The prologue for Soldier Sister, Fly Home by Nancy Bo Flood starts with a poem
Feathers fly,
Carrying a heartbeat.
Fly home.
Blue horse. Lii’ Dootl’izhii.
and ends with a vow from Tess that she will never shoot a rifle again. I’m fond of prologues like this that tantalize one into a book.
Tess, half-Navaho and half-white, searches for where she fits in the two worlds she travels between. Early in the book, she points out a common mistake of lumping all Native Americans together in one group, “They (schoolmates) never saw me. They never saw Navaho or white – they only saw an Indian.”
Central to the story is her six-year-older sister’s enlistment in the military after she failed to get a scholarship that would help her go to school. Gaby returns home on leave in splotchy army fatigues with her beautiful dark hair that had hung below her waist sheared short. Gaby had sworn never to cut it, but this is an accommodation to that other world.
Gaby’s deployment threatens the sister tie that includes younger Tess teaching her older sister to read at night before she enters junior high using Archie comic books. Now Gaby asks her to bond with her feisty horse Blue while she is away. A summer at sheep camp with Blue and Shima Sani, her grandmother, in traditional Navaho dress (except for her Day-Glo tennis shoes) helps her begin to answer some of the questions about who she is and where she belongs. Tess and I found wisdom in Grandpa’s philosophy, “Yes, we sing when life comes into this world. We sing when life travels out.”
The author lived and taught in the Navaho community for fifteen years and brings a sense of authenticity to this story that includes practices specific to that culture along with issues common to any coming-of-age story. Back matter includes information about the Navaho language, definitions and pronunciations of Navaho words, and a brief tribute to Lori Piestewa, a member of the Hopi tribe and the first Native American military woman to die in combat on foreign soil. Lori’s contribution is mentioned briefly in the beginning of the book.
I read the book which goes on sale August 23 in an ARC furnished by Net Galley. It is a good read for middle grade and up.
October 13, 2016
When you are fourteen-years-old, how do you deal with an identity that is confusing and loss that is nearly inconceivable? If you are Tess in Nancy Bo Flood's middle grade novel, Soldier Sister, Fly Home, you talk to your Navajo grandparents, because your mom works at the hospital; and your dad is in Phoenix because he got a promotion at his computer company; and the white kids at the school in Flagstaff bully you because they see you as Indian, not Navajo or white; and your big sister, Gaby, is serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq.
The day before Gaby deploys, she asks her little sister, Tess, to take care of her stallion, Blue. Tess is frankly scared. "Show him who's boss," Gaby advises, and her grandmother agrees. Tess practices being in charge until it comes naturally. She and Blue become bonded.
The Navajo world, specifically sheep camp, teaches her to embrace the earth and to appreciate the give and take of nature. Her grandmother encourages her to take the best of both cultures and make them her own.
Author Nancy Bo Flood tells this story in vivid, expressive language. Accessible to middle-grade students of both cultures, the story grabbed and held me, and I am old enough to collect social security. Tess's voice and earnestness are authentic and readers will empathize with her fears and support her growing confidence. I loved the grandparents who guided Tess and shared their culture so lovingly, and the way Tess bonded with Blue. Her story took me back to when I was in middle school (AKA junior high), even though I am not Navajo, never owned a horse, never had a sister in the army, and didn't know my grandparents.
It isn't always easy to show deep feelings in simple sentences. Nancy Bo Flood has done a marvelous job. Girls and their grandparents will love this book.
Soldier Sister, Fly Home is dedicated to the memory of Lori Piestewa, who was a member of the Hopi tribe and also Mexican American. Lori was the first Native American woman in US history to die in combat on foreign soil. She died on March 23, 2003 and was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal and the Purple Heart.
by B. Lynn Goodwin
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
The day before Gaby deploys, she asks her little sister, Tess, to take care of her stallion, Blue. Tess is frankly scared. "Show him who's boss," Gaby advises, and her grandmother agrees. Tess practices being in charge until it comes naturally. She and Blue become bonded.
The Navajo world, specifically sheep camp, teaches her to embrace the earth and to appreciate the give and take of nature. Her grandmother encourages her to take the best of both cultures and make them her own.
Author Nancy Bo Flood tells this story in vivid, expressive language. Accessible to middle-grade students of both cultures, the story grabbed and held me, and I am old enough to collect social security. Tess's voice and earnestness are authentic and readers will empathize with her fears and support her growing confidence. I loved the grandparents who guided Tess and shared their culture so lovingly, and the way Tess bonded with Blue. Her story took me back to when I was in middle school (AKA junior high), even though I am not Navajo, never owned a horse, never had a sister in the army, and didn't know my grandparents.
It isn't always easy to show deep feelings in simple sentences. Nancy Bo Flood has done a marvelous job. Girls and their grandparents will love this book.
Soldier Sister, Fly Home is dedicated to the memory of Lori Piestewa, who was a member of the Hopi tribe and also Mexican American. Lori was the first Native American woman in US history to die in combat on foreign soil. She died on March 23, 2003 and was awarded the Prisoner of War Medal and the Purple Heart.
by B. Lynn Goodwin
for Story Circle Book Reviews
reviewing books by, for, and about women
May 2, 2017
Synopsis: "A tender and gripping novel about family, identity, and loss.
Fourteen-year-old Tess is having a hard enough time understanding what it means to be part white and part Navajo, but now she's coping with her sister Gaby's announcement that she's going to enlist and fight in the Iraq war. Gaby's decision comes just weeks after the news that Lori Piestewa, a member of their community, is the first Native American woman in US history to die in combat, adding to Tess's stress and emotions. While Gaby is away, Tess reluctantly cares for her sister's semi-wild stallion, Blue, who will teach Tess how to deal with tragic loss and guide her own journey of self-discovery.
Lori Piestewa was a real-life soldier who was killed in Iraq and was a member of the Hopi tribe. Back matter includes further information about Piestewa as well as a note by author Nancy Bo Flood detailing her experiences living on the Navajo reservation. A pronunciation guide to all Navajo vocabulary used within the text is also included."
My Review: I picked this book up on a whim, and I am so glad that I did! This is a great story that hits on so many levels, emotions and current issues. In this book we follow a young Navajo girl who is biracial (white/Native American Navajo) who is really struggling to meld the parts of her life at a boarding school and her home on the reservation, she is trying to find just who she is and in the crucial time her sister enlists in the military just after a friend was killed in action (this character was based on a real life female Native American soldier killed in Iraq). This is a great coming of age story with diverse beliefs and traditions. I think it is important to be aware that there are prejudices against races that you don't hear about on the news and middle grade readers are at that age where they are starting to make the decision on who they will be and how they will treat others around them.
Fourteen-year-old Tess is having a hard enough time understanding what it means to be part white and part Navajo, but now she's coping with her sister Gaby's announcement that she's going to enlist and fight in the Iraq war. Gaby's decision comes just weeks after the news that Lori Piestewa, a member of their community, is the first Native American woman in US history to die in combat, adding to Tess's stress and emotions. While Gaby is away, Tess reluctantly cares for her sister's semi-wild stallion, Blue, who will teach Tess how to deal with tragic loss and guide her own journey of self-discovery.
Lori Piestewa was a real-life soldier who was killed in Iraq and was a member of the Hopi tribe. Back matter includes further information about Piestewa as well as a note by author Nancy Bo Flood detailing her experiences living on the Navajo reservation. A pronunciation guide to all Navajo vocabulary used within the text is also included."
My Review: I picked this book up on a whim, and I am so glad that I did! This is a great story that hits on so many levels, emotions and current issues. In this book we follow a young Navajo girl who is biracial (white/Native American Navajo) who is really struggling to meld the parts of her life at a boarding school and her home on the reservation, she is trying to find just who she is and in the crucial time her sister enlists in the military just after a friend was killed in action (this character was based on a real life female Native American soldier killed in Iraq). This is a great coming of age story with diverse beliefs and traditions. I think it is important to be aware that there are prejudices against races that you don't hear about on the news and middle grade readers are at that age where they are starting to make the decision on who they will be and how they will treat others around them.
June 13, 2017
When we first meet 13-year-old Tess, she's at the rifle range with her father. A man there shoots a raven from off a telephone pole, and Tess vows never to use a rifle again. Besides, she has more important things to do; her sister is coming home on leave from the Army, but first she and the other Navajos need to honor the late Lori Piestewa, the first Native American woman to die in combat.
Tess is horrified to learn that her sister, Gaby, will only be with them for a few days as she's being deployed -- and even more horrified when Gaby makes her promise to look after Blue, Gaby's horse. Blue scares Tess, and she wants nothing to do with him. Still, she promises.
There is a lot to unwrap in this coming-of-age story, even as Tess learns to do things she doesn't want to do .. and comes to grips with being half-Navajo/half-white. There are some sensitive themes in the book about death, and I would recommend that parents be prepared to have discussions with younger teens who might choose to read this book. I would not recommend it for readers less than 13 years of age.
Author Nancy Bo Flood lived on the Navajo Nation as a teacher for 15 years, and she draws on her experiences there to create a rich look at the culture. Her story-telling skills are first-rate, and she has created some well-developed characters. I particularly liked Tess' grandmother, or Shimá Sáni, who is full of both philosophical wisdom and surprises.
Nicely done.
Tess is horrified to learn that her sister, Gaby, will only be with them for a few days as she's being deployed -- and even more horrified when Gaby makes her promise to look after Blue, Gaby's horse. Blue scares Tess, and she wants nothing to do with him. Still, she promises.
There is a lot to unwrap in this coming-of-age story, even as Tess learns to do things she doesn't want to do .. and comes to grips with being half-Navajo/half-white. There are some sensitive themes in the book about death, and I would recommend that parents be prepared to have discussions with younger teens who might choose to read this book. I would not recommend it for readers less than 13 years of age.
Author Nancy Bo Flood lived on the Navajo Nation as a teacher for 15 years, and she draws on her experiences there to create a rich look at the culture. Her story-telling skills are first-rate, and she has created some well-developed characters. I particularly liked Tess' grandmother, or Shimá Sáni, who is full of both philosophical wisdom and surprises.
Nicely done.
February 17, 2017
There’s so much to love about SOLIDER SISTER, FLY HOME. It’s a growing pains kind of story about a girl’s struggle to find her true self. But it’s also about dynamic family love, the beauty of the Southwest, and horses. Tess captured my heart right from the start (actually the whole family did, especially Tess’ grandmother). Like all young teens, Tess is trying to figure out who she is, all while trying to reconcile being half Navajo and half Anglo. The writing was poetic, and reminded me of OWL IN THE CEDAR TREE by Natachee Scott Momaday.
I came away with a renewed appreciation of the Diné people, and I found a new author to follow. I’m so impressed by the amount of research and care Nancy Bo Flood put into writing this
portrayal of the Diné. And I’m hoping there will be a sequel, because I want to know about a certain unborn foal. SOLDIER SISTER, FLY HOME is a five star delight.
I came away with a renewed appreciation of the Diné people, and I found a new author to follow. I’m so impressed by the amount of research and care Nancy Bo Flood put into writing this
portrayal of the Diné. And I’m hoping there will be a sequel, because I want to know about a certain unborn foal. SOLDIER SISTER, FLY HOME is a five star delight.
July 21, 2017
Tess and her older sister, Gaby, are far apart in age, but close and share everything. Until Gaby enlists and Tess' anger threatens to change everything, especially when their friend Lori, the first Native American woman to die in combat on foreign soil.
Gaby and Tess have always been torn between two worlds - not white enough to be accepted in their Flagstaff high school, but not Navajo enough to be accepted on the Reservation. But at least they had each other and had dreams together. When Gaby enlisted, Tess found it hard to understand.
When Gaby asked Tess to care for her wild stallion, Blue, Tess had to dig deep to be the sister she needed to be. When tragedy struck, Tess wasn't sure their relationship could survive.
A short, easy-to-read, look at the conflicts felt by Native Americans in the modern world. A story of family, history, tradition, honor, courage, and compassion for others. A nice, quick story that lingers. Realistic.
Gaby and Tess have always been torn between two worlds - not white enough to be accepted in their Flagstaff high school, but not Navajo enough to be accepted on the Reservation. But at least they had each other and had dreams together. When Gaby enlisted, Tess found it hard to understand.
When Gaby asked Tess to care for her wild stallion, Blue, Tess had to dig deep to be the sister she needed to be. When tragedy struck, Tess wasn't sure their relationship could survive.
A short, easy-to-read, look at the conflicts felt by Native Americans in the modern world. A story of family, history, tradition, honor, courage, and compassion for others. A nice, quick story that lingers. Realistic.
January 12, 2017
I really enjoyed this book about a part Navajo/part white teen, Tess, who has to spend the summer on her own when her sister, Gina, not only enrolls in the Army, but then is deployed to Iraq. Tess learns who she is, how to befriend her sister’s dreaded, half-wild horse, Blue, and mostly how to forgive and let things go.
I loved not only the diversity of this book but also the close family relationships portrayed that are so often missing in teen fiction. I loved her poetry and her voice. The descriptions are beautiful. I also loved the included pronunciation guide to the Navajo language included in the text.
Also, there is information about Lori Piestewa who, a real-life soldier, was killed in Iraq (the first native woman killed in a foreign war) and was a member of the Hopi tribe.
I loved not only the diversity of this book but also the close family relationships portrayed that are so often missing in teen fiction. I loved her poetry and her voice. The descriptions are beautiful. I also loved the included pronunciation guide to the Navajo language included in the text.
Also, there is information about Lori Piestewa who, a real-life soldier, was killed in Iraq (the first native woman killed in a foreign war) and was a member of the Hopi tribe.
March 23, 2017
Soldier Sister, Fly Home by Nancy Bo Flood was a book that I really enjoyed. I discovered it when my librarian recommended it to me because I like (okay, love) horses, but this book turned out to be much more. Tess is a half-Navajo, half-white girl living on a Navajo reservation in Arizona. When her sister, Gabi, goes off to war, she asks Tess to take care of her horse, Blue. Tess wants nothing to do with Blue and wants even less her sister to go off to war. Her sister gone, Tess decides to go to sheep camp with her grandma, where Tess learns many things. I liked this book because it has a great lesson for readers. The only part I didn't like about this book was (spoiler here) when Gabi's beloved horse, Blue, tragically dies, which was very sad for a horse lover like me. All in all, this is a great book for horse lovers and anyone looking for a good read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2016
A beautiful story featuring Tess, a 13-year-old half-Native American girl who is coping with her sister Gabby's decision to enlist in the Army. See, Gabby's friend Lori just died, and she was the first Native American Woman to die in the line of duty on foreign soil. Before she leaves, Tess promises Gabby that she will take care of Gabby's horse, Blue. As she learns more about her roots, she bonds with the horse. This is also a story about mortality, and all that a teen can imagine about the subject. A great exploration of tough topics for middle-grade readers.
Native Americans, Coming-of-age, Horses, Siblings, Death
Native Americans, Coming-of-age, Horses, Siblings, Death
September 5, 2017
Teshina is young teenage Navajo girl. Her family s half white and she lives in Flagstaff, Arizona. During the summer, she visits her grandparents on the Navajo Reservation. A ceremony is being held for Lori, a Hopi woman who died in Iraq War. The first Native American woman who died on foreign soil. It makes Teshina sad because her sister Gaby is in Iraq now. Teshina or Tess, is looking after Gaby's horse Blue and riding in the desert canyon near her home, as well as learning Navajo language and customs from grandma. Tess experiences several life changing events that help her grow up and understand life and death more easily.
April 29, 2016
This narrative is an animal story that feels very familiar, a la Gary Paulsen's The Haymeadow or Wilson Rawls's Where the Red Fern Grows, but it's also very unfamiliar, in that it focuses on a 13 yo half-Navajo, half-white protagonist whose older sister has just been deployed to Iraq. I welcome this blend of old- and newness.
It's a book that says 10+ on its flap copy, but I am definitely keeping it in my middle grade section.
It's a book that says 10+ on its flap copy, but I am definitely keeping it in my middle grade section.
October 31, 2016
This is the story about Tess, a half white, half Native American middle school student who lives on with her Native American relatives and goes to school with white students. Her sister, Gaby, was always there for her to help her with her problems. Gaby enlisted in the military and was sent overseas. Tess has to learn to get by without her sister and take care of her sister's horse whom Gaby does not trust. This is a good story, but a little predictable.
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