Q&A With Diann Floyd Boehm

Mickey Mikkelson has connected me with international award-winning author of children & young adult books, Diann Floyd Boehm. Diann’s new book for children is Boomer Sees The Town. Diann also has a YouTube channel!

Q: Welcome to Book Notions, Diann! Would you please give a brief description of each of your books, beginning with your new release Boomer Sees The Town?

A: Boomer Sees The Town
Discover the first adventure in the Curious Bunny series!
In Boomer Sees the Town, Boomer the bunny leaves his forest home to explore the exciting sights, sounds, and surprises of the big city. This heartwarming story celebrates curiosity, imagination, and kindness.

The Little Girl in the Moon
Meet a “Moonling” little girl who lives in Tycho Town on the Moon! The Moonlings love Earth just as much as Earthlings love the Moon. Through lunar imagery and gentle storytelling, children learn that friendship goes beyond appearances. The phases of the Moon help introduce scientific ideas alongside themes of understanding and acceptance.

The Little Girl in the Moon and The Big Idea
In this follow-up story, the Little Girl in the Moon wishes for Earthling kind wishes to reach the stars. Together with her Moonling friends, she begins a special project to help those wishes soar. It’s a whimsical, layered story that both children and adults can enjoy on different levels.

The Little Girl in the Moon and Tycho Town
Children are invited to tour Tycho Town—an imaginative Moonling community named after the real Tycho Crater on the Moon. The story introduces new vocabulary words and creative world-building. My daughter Katherine illustrated the book beautifully, bringing our Moonling world to life.

The Moonling Adventures: Serengeti
The Little Girl in the Moon and her best friend, the Little Boy in the Moon, travel with their dogs, Shadow and Lola, to explore the Serengeti in Africa. Young readers learn fun facts about the animals and landscapes they discover. Katherine’s lively illustrations add wonderful three-dimensional depth to the story.

Harry the Camel
Harry is a camel who wishes he were a horse. Along his journey home through the desert—complete with an unexpected sandstorm—he learns a meaningful lesson about self-acceptance. Readers will enjoy finding out what Harry discovers about himself.

A Song of Peace
Tommy, a young boy, begins singing the word “Peace” over and over. When a video of him goes viral, people around the world join in. This story reminds readers—both children and adults—that one small voice really can make the world a better place.

Rise: A Girl’s Struggle for More
Inspired by the life of my grandmother Ruby, this young adult historical novel follows a determined young woman who wants to be both a businesswoman and a devoted wife and mother. Her courage to chase her dreams will inspire readers to believe in themselves and their purpose.

Ruby Takes Chicago

Ruby Takes Chicago is the sequel to Rise! A Girl’s Struggle for More. It’s the 1920s, and young Ruby Dinsmore leaves her hometown of Oilton, Oklahoma, and heads for Chicago to make her dreams come true. Once there, she faces the realities of a city still wrestling with Prohibition, protests, and the fight for women’s rights. Ruby meets like-minded women, and together they break through barriers until she lands the job she’s been working toward—while navigating the joys of friendship, first love, heartbreak… and the courage to open her heart again.

Q: What made you decide to write books for children and young adults?

A: My love of storytelling began when I was ten years old and performed in my first talent show. Seeing people smile filled me with joy—and I was hooked! Over the years, storytelling became a natural part of everything I did, whether on stage, in song, or in my classroom.

As a preschool and elementary teacher (and later teaching technology through 8th grade), I often invented stories to capture my students’ imaginations. One day while gardening, I realized I should start writing them down. I finished planting flowers, washed up, and sat down to write my first children’s story.

Writing for young readers feels like second nature because I understand how they think and what delights them. I’ve also written two young adult historical novels and hope to write more when inspiration strikes—stories that encourage teens to love themselves, dream big, and use their gifts to make the world brighter.

Q: What do you hope children and young adults learn from your books? Are you currently writing a sequel to Boomer Sees The Town?

A: Each story carries its own message, but across all my books, I hope readers learn to love themselves just as they are, show kindness to others, value peace, and keep their imaginations alive.

Yes! I have not only a sequel to Boomer Sees the Town in the works but also two more stories currently with my publisher. Boomer’s adventures have only just begun

Q: What advice do you have for parents who want to encourage their children—or teens—to read more?

A: It’s true that screens compete for our attention, but children still love stories. Here are a few ways parents can nurture that love:

• Visit the library together. Let children choose their own books and get their very own library cards—it’s an empowering first step toward building lifelong readers.
• Attend bookstore story times. Kids adore hearing stories read aloud and exploring new topics.
• Make bedtime reading special. Choose a fun story together; it’s a comforting ritual that also sparks conversation.
• Create a personal book nook. A small bookshelf in a child’s room can become their very own library.
• Save their childhood books. These treasures become keepsakes that they may one day share with their own children.
• Be a reading role model. When children see you reading, they learn that reading is both joyful and important.

 

Q: What’s it like running a YouTube channel? What’s your advice for anyone who wants to start their own?

A: I truly enjoy hosting my YouTube channel—it’s another way to combine my love of storytelling and my desire to inspire. There’s always more to learn, but it’s exciting to connect with people around the world.

If you have a message, you feel called to share, YouTube is a wonderful platform to reach others. There are plenty of helpful tutorials about starting and managing a successful channel—watch them, plan your content thoughtfully, and most of all, have fun sharing your voice!

Q: Would you please share your YouTube and social media links so readers can follow and subscribe?

A: I’d be honored for readers to connect with me and join my newsletter at www.diannfloydboehm.com.

YouTube: Diann Floyd Boehm Channel
Amazon: Author Page
X (Twitter): @diannfloydboehm
Facebook: Diann Floyd Boehm
Instagram: @diann_floyd_boehm
Pinterest: DiannFloydBoehmAuthor
LinkedIn: Diann Floyd Boehm