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Minnesota Highlights 2007 |
For more information concerning these and other Minnesota authors visit the Metronet website featuring Minnesota authors and illustrators.
AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATORS
Wells, Eva / Wishing I Was Fishing / Beaver's Pond Press
Wishing I was fishing is a charming story about a young boy's first spring fishing trip with his father. The pair go through the steps of preparing the boat, getting onto the lake, and catching the first fish of the year, the son's interest in his father's pastimes intensifies. This book will pique any child's interest in pursuing a hobby with a parent. (Publisher Description)
Huebscher, Judy / Andy and Pancake / Beaver's Pond Press
A fascinating tale of a young boy and his first pet hamster, Andy and Pancake is about friendship and adventure. In an entertaining story, Judy Huebscher addresses the issue of responsibility in caring for a pet. Children from preschool age to third grade can connect with a boy yearning for his very own pet and a little hamster determined to choose his new home. (Publisher Description)
Sommerdorf, Norma / Red River Girl / Holiday House
Minnesota author Norma Sommerdorf takes readers to 1846 in her novel, Red River Girl (Holiday House). After the death of her Ojibwe mo ther, 13-year-old Josette Dupre must assume the care of her two younger brothers as they travel with their French voyageur father from the Red River settlement in Canada to the newly-established town of St. Paul. Josette despairs that she will ever have a chance to return to school, but her ability to speak several languages brings her to the attention of Harriet Bishop, a pioneer in Minnesota education. Although Josette's character is fiction, Sommerdorf includes lots of historical detail about life in the era for both Indians and white settlers. As such, the book could supplement the elementary school curriculum about Minnesota history and serve as a read-aloud choice for classroom teachers.—KP
Thomas, Jane Resh / Blind Mountain / Houghton Mifflin
Blind Mountain Minnesota author, Jane Resh Thomas, often uses outdoor settings for her novels, as she does in her latest, Blind Mountain (Houghton Mifflin). This adventure/survival story for middle-grade readers establishes a scenario that includes plenty of tense moments, when wrong decisions could lead to injury or death. Twelve-year-old Sam Flynn reluctantly accompanies his father and their dog, Mac, on a day of climbing off the established trail in the Montana Rockies. His high-achieving surgeon father continually belittles Sam for his lack of confidence, considers Sam a "sissy" for wanting to play in a band, and never offers a word of praise. Sam resents his fa ther's demands. However, after Sam accidentally releases a pine branch that whips into his fa ther's eyes, Dr. Flynn is temporarily blinded. Now it is up to Sam to lead them down the unfamiliar mountain. With limited food and supplies, they must make camp for the night. Sam soon realizes that in addition to dangers from the elements, a cougar is stalking them. He and his fa ther must cooperate to survive. What is admirable about Thomas' characterization is that while fa ther and son manage to bend a little and appreciate one another's qualities, there is no magic bonding that occurs. By the time they reach a logging road where a truck stops to take them home, they have acquired grudging mutual admiration, but whe ther the change is permanent or temporary remains unresolved.—KP
Casanova, Mary / You're Some Dog / Farrar, Straus and Giroux
You're Some Dog! was written by Minnesota author Mary Casanova. George has a good life. A long time ago he was a bouncy pup, but now he spends his days doing quiet things- resting in a hammock and catching a thousand scents on the wind. His pace is steady and slow, but still, he feels special. Then- Ya - yippity, yappity, yeep-yeep-yeep! – a stray dog bristling with energy lands on George's doorstep and wiggles himself right into George's family. Racing, leaping, zipping from here to there. This dog has so much get-up-and-go the family names him Zippity. And soon it's Zippity this! And Zippity that! Why, Zippity can even do tricks! What's a good old dog to do to show that he's still... some dog? (Excerpted from book jacket)
Casanova, Mary / You're Some Dog / Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Dogs have gone missing!
(Dog Watch Series) by Mary Casanova : Fall is not Kito's favorite time of year—too many strange smells and spooky sightings. All if it makes Kito nervous: something bad is going to happen. At the fire hydrant his fears are confirmed. Missy and Muffin are missing! No one has seen them for days. They could have just wandered off, but Kito doesn't believe it. When four puppies also disappear, Kito is sure they've all been dog-napped! Kito, Chester, and the rest of the Dog Watch team set out to find the dog-napper and rescue their friends—before it's too late! (Excerpted from Mary Casanova's Web site.)
Bauer, Marion Dane / A Mama for Owen / Simon & Schuster
Owen the baby hippo and his mama
were best friends. They loved to play hide-and-seek on the banks of the Sabaki River in Africa. That was all before
the tsunami came and washed Owen's world away. But after the rain stops, Owen befriends Mzee, a grayish brown
tortoise. He plays with him, snuggles with him, and decides he just might turn out to be his best friend and a
brand-new mama. Inspired by the tsunami of 2004, acclaimed storyteller Marion Dane Bauer and celebrated illustrator
John Butler depict this heartwarming true tale of healing, adoption, and rebirth -- with splendid illustrations and
oodles of love. (From the publisher.)
Ellsworth, Loretta / In Search of Mockingbird / Henry Holt
Sometimes the things that need to be discovered aren't so easily found at home. Erin is certain that this is true in her case. A book is all that connects Erin to her mother, who died when she was a baby. But how much can Erin really learn about her mother from a tattered copy of To Kill a Mockingbird? On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, Erin decides it's finally time to find out. And so begins her bus journey from Minnesota to Alabama in search of Harper Lee, the reclusive author of Mockingbird. In a novel full of quirky characters, strange coincidences, and on-the-road adventures, Loretta Ellsworth deftly traces a unique voyage of self-discovery.
Loretta Ellsworth is the author of the acclaimed middle-grade novel The Shrouding Woman. A former schoolteacher and mother of four grown children, Loretta lives in Lakeville, Minnesota. (From the publisher, excerpted from Barne and Noble's web site.)
St. Anthony, Jane / Grace Above All / Farrar, Straus and Giroux
What's that pink thing out on the lake? Grace realizes with horror that the distant pink smudge on the water is
her youngest sister, Beth, drifting farther and farther offshore atop an inflatable raft. There's no time to lose,
and Grace never dawdles anyway. Struggling through the cold waves, Grace gradually closes in on her terrified sister.
At that moment, boys are the last thing on Grace's mind. But a boy turns up to assist in the rescue. And he's
really handsome. Together Frankie and Grace tow Beth back to safety, and Grace begins to hope that maybe –
despite having to take care of three younger siblings, despite an oblivious mother smoking her brains out, despite
the ancient great-aunt and her mysterious daughter – maybe this summer vacation won't be so bad after all.
In the companion to The Summer Sherman Loved Me, a determined heroine discovers that she can
indeed rise above it all. (Excerpted from Amazon.com web site.)
About the Author
JANE ST. ANTHONY's debut novel was The Summer Sherman Loved Me , which School Library Journal, in a starred review, called "a refreshing coming-of-age story." She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
McGhee, Alison and Peter H. Reynolds / Someday / Simon & Schuster
Elegantly written, beautifully imagined, and deeply moving without a shred of sentimentality, this picture book for all ages traces a mother's hopes and dreams for her young daughter. Moving fluidly from the not-so-distant past ("one day") to the hopeful future ("someday"), Alison McGhee's spare, poetic text captures key moments in the life of a beloved child. Peter Reynolds's expressive watercolors are the perfect complement, conveying in uncluttered lines a full gamut of complex emotions, from joyful exuberance and wistful longing to the crushing sorrow of first heartbreak. Lovely, lyrical, and packing an unexpected emotional wallop, this book is one of the best crossover reads of the season -- and an absolute must for mothers and daughters. (Excerpted from Barnes and Noble's web site.)
Greenspon, Thomas / What To Do When Good Enough Isn't Good Enough / Free Spirit
Perfectionism may seem like a worthy goal, but it's actually a burden. When you believe you must be perfect, you live in constant fear of making mistakes. Most children don't know what perfectionism is, yet many suffer from it. Nothing they do is ever good enough. School assignments are hard to start or hand in. Relationships are challenging, and self-esteem is low. Written to and for ages 9–13, this book helps kids understand how perfectionism hurts them and how to free themselves. Includes true-to-life vignettes, exercises, and a note to grown-ups. (excerpted from Free Spirit Press web site.)
LaRochelle, David / The End / Scholastic
From the Publisher:
"...And they lived
happily ever after." So begins David LaRochelle and Richard Egielski's wacky original fairy tale THE END,
which traces the courtship and marriage of a handsome knight and a beautiful princess . . . backwards! Before
we reach the beginning, we meet a temperamental giant, a beleaguered cook, a dragon who's scared of bunny rabbits,
an oversized tomato, and an impish figure on a flying pig who just might be the cause of all the madness. It's a
conventionally perfect and perfectly unconventional take on the fairy tale -- guaranteed to convert the Grimmest
reader to giggles. (excerpted from Barne's and Noble website)
Gutman, Dan / Casey Back at Bat / MN illustrator Steve Johnson / HarperCollins
From School Library Journal (excerpted from Amazon. Com):
Starred Review.
Kindergarten-Grade 4—In this winning picture book, Gutman revisits and updates Thayer's classic baseball poem.
This time around (and much to everyone's surprise), Casey hits a fly ball that soars out of the park and keeps on
going. It crosses the Atlantic Ocean and has an unfortunate encounter with a tower in Pisa before continuing on to
the Sphinx in Egypt. Streaking through time, it passes dinosaurs (and sends them to their ultimate fate) and
astronauts before heading back to Earth. The ride is uproarious from start to finish, and Gutman's broadly humorous
verse hits all the right notes. This Casey is perfect for his role: smug, dense, and deliciously ripe for his
comic send-up. "His arms, his legs, his neck, his lips-his teeth had muscles too./They rippled from his little
toe up to his eyes of blue." Johnson and Fancher's paintings have a playfully nostalgic look, with a mix of
textured papers and newsprint splashed across the surfaces of uniforms. Though "there's still no joy
in Mudville," this is a fun read-aloud, and it will have baseball fans of all ages cheering. Gutman has
reaffirmed the appeal of Thayer's classic.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
Hautman, Pete / All-in / Simon & Schuster
Book Description(excerpted from Amazon.com)
"You know how they
say you can't climb out of a hole till you hit bottom?" "Yeah?" "I'm trying to find the
bottom." At seventeen, Denn Doyle isn't old enough to gamble legally, but thanks to his talent for
reading tells, he's made a fortune -- and along the way, he's upset some of the most notorious Texas holdem
players in Las Vegas, including Artie Kingston, who had already lost his nightclub to Denn. But now Denn's luck
has run out and he's just about broke. His only chance is a million-dollar, winner-take-all tournament at Artie's
new casino, but Denn can't play unless he comes up with the $10,000 entry fee. Denn's future all comes down to one
hand of poker.
National Book Award-winning author Pete Hautman introduced Denn Doyle in No Limit, of which School Library Journal said, "Fast paced and powerfully delivered...as taut and suspenseful as a high-stakes game." Here he deals another hand of love, luck, and greed in the high-stakes world of poker.
Crocker, Nancy / Billie Standish Was Here / Simon & Schuster
CAN ONE UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP SAVE A LIFE?
Billie Standish has pretty much no one. Her parents are too caught up in their own lives, and the only two girls in town her age want nothing to do with her. When it looks like a nearby levee might break, and Billie's elderly neighbor, Miss Lydia, is the only other person besides her family to stick around, a friendship is born out of circumstance. What happens during that time, in that empty town, is a tragedy that Billie can't bear alone. Can the love of one woman nearing the end of her life save the life of a young woman just at the beginning of living hers? (excerpted from Amazon.com web site.)
