The Wind Still Blows: Alyssa Colman on Researching Her Dust Bowl–Set Middle Grade Novel.

This article focuses on Alyssa Colman's forthcoming middle grade novel, *Where Only Storms Grow*, which is set during Black Sunday, a devastating dust storm on April 14, 1935, amid the Dust Bowl era. Colman's research revealed the Dust Bowl as a man-made ecological disaster caused by decades of unsustainable farming practices combined with drought, leading to widespread soil erosion and health crises like dust pneumonia. Drawing parallels between the Dust Bowl and current climate challenges, the novel centers on characters who remain on their struggling farms, exploring themes of survival and adaptation. The story aims to educate young readers about historical environmental mistakes and inspire action toward sustainable land stewardship today.