Nancy Barbara Bond, American author of children’s books, celebrates her birth date on Jan. 8, 1945, in Bethesda, Md. Her dad was a librarian and her mother an elementary school teacher.

Nancy grew up near Concord, Mass. but when she was eight, her family spent a year in London. She graduated in 1966 from Mount Holyoke College with a B.A. in English Literature and in 1972, she received a graduate degree from the College of Librarianship in Wales.

In 1973, Nancy became head librarian at the Gardner, Mass. library and began writing her first book, “A String in the Harp,” published in 1976. This fantasy novel with a bit of folklore set in Wales received many awards, including a Newbery Honor Book and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book in 1977.

“The Best of Enemies,” published in 1978, and “Country of Broken Stone,” published in 1980, were only the beginning of many award-winning books she wrote. Each of her books is tied firmly to a location playing an important part in the growth of the book. Her books represent true to life people dealing with change and conflict.

Her interests have always been nature, children’s books and Britain.

A couple of her meaningful quotes are: “The worst is being alone and not having someone with whom I can share life, someone who sees the world from the same narrow ledge I’m standing on and who understands without always having to be explained to.” – Nancy Bond, “Country of Broken Stone” “It isn’t always easy to trust people you love – not because you don’t love them enough but because you don’t want them to be wrong and get hurt. But getting hurt is a part of life, and so, thank God, is trust.” – Nancy Bond, “A String in the Harp”