Call Me Floy

School Library Journal, April 2020: "Readers will be inspired by Floy's determined spirit as she flouts convention to realize her dream. . . VERDICT An ideal choice for summer reading lists and to support the "No Child Left Inside" initiative." Foreword Reviews, May/June 2020: "Enlivened by rich similes, the book’s Yosemite sweeps across the page. . . Restless, energetic Floy stands at the center of massive change—for herself, for the country, for Yosemite, for the Native Americans, and for the rights of women. Those vital forces come together in Joanna Cooke’s novel, driving Floy on her epic, complex coming-of-age adventure." Booklist,May 2020: "Floy was a real person, and this fictionalized account of her history also sensitively conveys how Indigenous peoples’ lives were changing as more settlers and tourists moved into Yosemite. Like-minded adventurers will root for mischievous, strong-willed, nature-loving Floy, learn Yosemite’s history, and acquire some survival tips, too." "I loved Floy's voice and how all the characters came together. Sally Ann was beautiful. I hearted Radish a lot. Congratulations! I can't wait to buy this for my library and give it to kids who are going to love it!" —Melissa Snider, librarian, Munger Mountain Elementary School "Call Me Floy held me captive between its pages as soon as I read the line, 'Half Dome is an altar to the stars and heavens above, and I must find a way to climb it, despite everything. If I don’t reach the top, something might always be missing inside me.' There is a great promise made in those words—a promise of beautiful, vivid language, and of a young character headed for a great adventure. Both kids and adults will recognize that feeling, that passion for something seemingly unattainable that we absolutely must have or achieve. There are so many moments in this story that moved me to tears, that made me laugh out loud, and that made me root for this heroine from page one until the end. Floy is a girl who feels very out of place and is struggling to find her way a time when girls were expected to ride sidesaddle in a dress and take up sewing, rather than galloping a horse through the night in pants and mountain climbing. These challenges are relevant to kids today and I am adding this to the list of Must-Reads for my parent-child bookclub. I recommend this book for all ages. Well done!" —Nanci Turner Steveson, award-winning author of Lizzie Flying Solo