2026 Nominee List

In the Evening, We’ll Dance: A Memoir in Essays on Love & Dementia
by Anne-Marie Erickson
published by Holy Cow! Press

In her deeply personal and daringly original memoir, Anne-Marie Erickson lays bare the onset and eventual passing of her husband from dementia. Her writing is multidimensional, poetic as it weaves together fragments of word origins, mythologies, and Biblical passages. Infused with the author’s love and compassion, this compelling memoir pierces the mysteries of living and dying. Yes, it’s much about her husband’s tragic affliction, but it also moves beyond that to where we can gain invaluable lessons on how to love and endure in the face of a debilitating illness. Her memoir records her husband’s life and passing and how they learned to live and love despite this terminal disease. The author lives in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Tree Trek: A Daughter’s Walk Through Grief
by Stephanie Mirocha
published by Holy Cow! Press

In this memoir, Stephanie Mirocha weaves a blend of botany, philosophy, personal reflections and healing through nature from grief after the loss of her father. Trees provide the backdrop of friendly support she clings to as she revives her father’s educational Tree Trek. She “speaks for the trees,” bringing enthusiasm to the treks she leads. Each chapter focuses on the science of a different tree, connecting the reader with the beauty of nature, and the vitality that comes from listening to the guiding wisdom of one’s inner voice. The author lives in Aitkin.

The Scenic Route: Building Minnesota’s North Shore
by Arnold R. Alanen
published by University of Minnesota Press

Journey along Minnesota’s North Shore, the spectacular Lake Superior coastline from Duluth to the Canadian border, and travel through natural and cultural splendor. The North Shore Scenic Drive, the stretch of Minnesota Highway 61 that leads through tunnels and remarkable vistas, crosses rivers and streams and rocky divides as it makes its way through fishing villages, logging sites, tourist enclaves, Grand Portage National Monument, Superior National Forest, and numerous state parks that have made the North Shore a beloved destination for generations. This is the North Shore explored in The Scenic Route, a field guide to the cultural landscape that comprises one of the Midwest’s most famous byways. The author was rasied in Minnesota, but now lives in Wisconsin.

Chasing Wildflowers: An Adventurous Guide to Finding Minnesota’s Native Flowers in their Unique Habitats
by Phyllis Root; photos by Kelly Povo
published by University of Minnesota Press

Beyond Minnesota’s sunlit prairies and lush north woods, wonders of wildflowers bloom, gracing fens and forested swamps, sand dunes and the rocky North Shore, even ditches and abandoned mine dumps. Venturing farther afield than their first book Searching for Native Wildflowers, Phyllis Root and Kelly Povo set out to explore smaller, less-traveled habitats throughout the state and find these hidden gems of nature. Chasing Wildflowers brings us along on their pursuit of Minnesota’s native wildflowers. Featuring Povo’s gorgeous photographs and Root’s finely detailed descriptions of nearly 200 species, Chasing Wildflowers is both a handy guidebook and an entertaining chronicle of the thrills and occasional mishaps of the friends’ searches, from wading rivers and climbing rocky outcrops to getting their boots stuck in deep muck while on the run from an approaching storm. Here, readers will find twenty-eight of the orchids growing in Minnesota, forty-three of the state’s rare species, and flowers with names like Allegheny monkey flower, hairy false goldenaster, naked miterwort, and spoon-leaf sundew—as well as plenty of inspiration to set off on their own adventures. Neither botanists nor biologists, Root and Povo are wildflower enthusiasts determined to learn about native wildflowers wherever they can be found, providing readers with all the information they might need to find and identify rare and intriguing species in unexpected places. Along with their tales of adventure and exploration are resources and practical tips for your own outings, a glossary, and suggestions for helping preserve native habitats and wildflowers. A uniquely useful and engrossing resource for gardeners, naturalists, artists, hikers, photographers, and beyond, Chasing Wildflowers is the ultimate guide for anyone curious to learn more about our beautiful and surprising natural world.

Her Place in the Woods: The Life of Helen Hoover
by David Hakensen
published by University of Minnesota Press

During the late 1950s through the early 1970s, Helen Hoover’s stories and essays of life in the wilderness on northern Minnesota’s Gunflint Lake, published in popular magazines and several bestselling books (including The Gift of the Deer in 1966 and A Place in the Woods in 1969), found millions of fans and earned her accolades alongside nature writers like Sigurd Olson, Rachel Carson, Sally Carrighar, and Calvin Rutstrum. Hoover’s own unlikely history of leaving a corporate career in Chicago for a small cabin without electricity or running water—with no interest in hunting or fishing—is just one chapter of the remarkable life that David Hakensen describes in Her Place in the Woods. This first complete biography illuminates how Helen Hoover (1910–1984) made a place for herself and for countless readers in, as she put it, the world of her time. Hoover defied convention. Self-trained and without an academic degree, she worked in the male-dominated metallurgical field as a researcher at International Harvester, where she solved a long-standing problem with the manufacture of discs for farm implements and earned a patent. She and her husband, Adrian, a commercial artist, had long dreamed of moving to a remote cabin in the woods. As they started the long return drive to Chicago after a summer spent on Gunflint Lake, they finally made the leap, quitting their jobs with a long-distance phone call from Grand Marais and figuring out the rest as they went. Her Place in the Woods captures both an awakening to the power and fragility of the natural world and the efforts and talents of an extraordinary woman defining herself as a writer. Though Helen Hoover would move on from the secluded North Woods, as she wrote in her final book, The Years of the Forest, “From this time on it would be both here and with me wherever I might be, as long as I should live.”

100 Things To Do in Duluth Before You Die
by Jay Gabler
published by Reedy Press

Duluth is Minnesota’s world port and “the Zenith City of the Unsalted Seas.” The vast expanse of Lake Superior is the city’s star attraction, but Duluth is also a city on a hill—with picturesque creeks, thrilling slopes, and extraordinary views. It’s a perfect vacation spot (bring your swimsuit), but it’s also an industrial powerhouse (take a harbor cruise to see why). See the city’s rich history on display at landmarks like the NorShor Theatre, and watch Duluth’s makers and artists design the future in places like the Lincoln Park Craft District. Witness transportation wonders such as massive freighters passing beside the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, the gorgeous route of the North Shore Scenic Railroad, and the innovative airplanes manufactured by Cirrus. Sample breweries like Bent Paddle, eat at a revolving restaurant, and don’t miss the must-see shops in Canal Park. Jay Gabler is an experienced writer who’s trusted by readers of Duluth’s daily newspaper to tell them what they need to know about the city’s arts and entertainment scene. He’s curated a Head of the Lakes bucket list like none other, with recommendations almost as fun to read as they are to follow. The author has been a resident of Duluth until recently.

Seven Survived Lake Superior The Sinking of the Thomas Friant January 6, 1924 and How the Crew Survived
by Michael Savage
published by Savage Press

January 6, 1924, dawned bitterly cold on North America’s inland sea. Lake Superior doesn’t give up its dead, but this day the seven men of the commercial fishing vessel Thomas Friant fought for their lives and denied the Grim Reaper a victory. Having won the battle of the waves, the crew faced another worthy opponent, Mother Nature, who tried her best to defeat them. This is the true story of the sinking of the Friant, yes, but it is also the story of a time when the ships were of wood, and the men were of steel. This is a story of three fishermen from Cornucopia, Wisconsin walking in on their own funeral, down the Minnesota shore east to home.

10 X 10 Photographs and Essays
by Marlene Wisuri
published by Dovetailed Press

10 X 10 Photographs and Essays is deeply rooted in Northern Minnesota by photographer, artist, author, teacher, Marlene Wisuri. Most of the photographs were taken here, where Marlene lives, and reflect the places and people of this area. The essays were written about the happenings and history of the place. The book contains the personal vision and literary musings of a lifelong Northern Minnesota resident.

Blooming Hollyhocks: Tales of Joy During Hard Times
by Naomi Helen Yaeger
published by Beaver’s Pond Press

Set in rural Minnesota during the Great Depression and World War II, Blooming Hollyhocks shares the true story of Janette Minehart, the author’s mother. Through hardship and hope, family and faith, this intimate narrative nonfiction captures the resilience of an earlier generation. It illustrates the trials of the Great Depression and the joy of small towns and families. It also discusses how immigrants whether first or second generations shaped Minnesota. Naomi lives in Duluth.

Messages from Mom: A Catalyst For Spiritual Awakening
by Christy Rounds
published by Christy Rounds

Growing up in Two Harbors, Minnesota, along the North Shore of Lake Superior, Christy developed a strong connection to nature. In 2018, during a 10-day quest in the Inyo Mountains of California, she had a profound spiritual experience. With hands riveted to the earth, wave after wave of ecstasy poured through her body, and a voice said, “Whether you had the perfect mother, a terrible mother, or no mother at all is irrelevant. All love pales in comparison to the love of the One Mother.” Messages from Mom is a collection of channeled material received through the voice she perceive as the Earth Mother. The author currently resides in Two Harbors.

Sister City Diplomacy: Community Engagement in U.S.–Russian Relations from the Cold War to Today
by Douglas C. Nord
published by University of Wisconsin Press

In 1987, Duluth, Minnesota, and Petrozavodsk, in what is now Russia, officially joined hands as sister cities. Douglas C. Nord tells the stories of their collaboration in the context of the late Cold War, covering in substantial detail the lived experiences of city officials, community leaders, academics, and average citizens who worked to bridge the divide between the United States and the Soviet Union. What circumstances supported or undermined efforts to conduct people-to-people diplomacy? What internal difficulties emerged, and how were they overcome? And what were the short-term effects and long-term consequences of the relationships forged in these postindustrial cities, across an ideological divide as deep and wide as the ocean that separated them? Sister City Diplomacy offers a historical account of citizen diplomacy set in a unique political and social environment. But in its theoretical grounding and informed arguments, this study speaks to much broader and contemporary concerns, both in terms of United States–Russian relations today and with regard to the challenges and opportunities of community-based diplomacy in general. Lessons learned along the shores of Lakes Superior and Onega in the last days of the Cold War hold great value given the heightened tensions of current geopolitics.

Natural Connections 3: A Web Endlessly Woven
by Emily M. Stone
published by Cable Natural History Museum

A shimmering web of relationships connects everything. With humor, curiosity, and scientific detail, Emily Stone’s third book takes you poking around the Northwoods in search of the web’s most delightful strands. Through stories about the memory of chickadees, a spider princess, the love lives of timberdoodles, and ghost pipe’s surprising value, you’ll find that all Beings are endlessly connected in life and beyond death. In a web so immense, you’ll feel tiny and insignificant, but also part of something wonderful. The author resides in Silver Bay.

True North Cabin Cookbook Volume 2: Seasonal Recipes from a Cozy Kitchen
by Stephanie Hansen
published by Minnesota Historical Society Press

Once again, bestselling cookbook author and media personality Stephanie Hansen sets at her midwestern table to celebrate life in the northland with charming tales and delicious dishes for the colder months of the year. She shares stories and recipes centered around her cabin on True North Island on Burntside Lake near Ely. The recipes in this volume are meals from the cabin to savor through the chillier months of the year.

Pushing the River: An Epic Battle, a Lost History, a Near Death, and Other True Canoeing Stories
by Frank Bures
published by Minnesota Historical Society Press

In this collection, award-winning writer Frank Bures tells true stories as varied as the waters, weather, and rhythms of a canoe trip. From the terror of two kayakers who barely escaped the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire in the Boundary Waters to two young campers who experienced a supernatural scare in Canada’s Quetico Provincial Park in the 1970s to the author’s own miraculous rescue, Bures shares varied takes on what happens when you push the river. It centers on the lost history of the Paul Bunyan Canoe Derby, an annual 450-mile race run on the Upper Mississippi from Bemidji to Minneapolis.

Perpich: A Minnesota Original
by Ben Schierer with Lori Sturdevant
published by Minnesota Historical Society Press

The story of Minnesota’s longest-serving governor and his role in propelling the state to the global stage, woven together from interviews with many of its most influential civic leaders. Rudy Perpich, Iron Range native, was one of a kind. As Minnesota’s longest-serving governor, he built bridges where others saw impassible divides: between rural and urban life, labor and business interests, local politics and international trade. Rudy Perpich: A Minnesota Original explores the life and legacy of one of the state’s most consequential political figures. Crafted from oral histories of influential leaders—including Paul Wellstone, Marlene Johnson, James Oberstar, Joan Growe, Mark Dayton, Sandra Gardebring Ogren, Roger Moe, and Arne Carlson, it reveals how Perpich’s political fortunes mirrored those of the state. It follows Perpich from his youth on the Iron Range, to his political forays on the school board and in the statehouse, and his decade-spanning stints in the governor’s mansion (a residence he once tried to sell). A tale of globetrotting economic tours, major construction projects, and support for education and the arts, it is also the story of bocce-ball, failed chopstick factories, and even USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev. Schierer and Sturdevant examine the qualities and quirks that allowed Perpich to develop policies that crossed geographic and partisan boundaries. Rudy Perpich is a portrait of a unique civic leader, who left an indelible mark on the state. The author is the former mayor of Fergus Falls.

A Lesser Light: A Novel
by Peter Geye
published by University of Minnesota Press

It’s 1910, and Theodulf Sauer has finally achieved a position befitting his ego: master lighthouse keeper at a newly commissioned station towering above Lake Superior. When his new wife, Willa, arrives on the first spring ferry, it’s clear her life has taken the opposite turn: after being summoned home from college to Duluth when her father dies, she and her scheming mother find themselves destitute, and Willa is rushed into this ill-suited arranged marriage before she can comprehend her fate. As the lighthouse station establishes, the new relationship teeters between tense and hostile, with little mutual understanding or tenderness. Willa takes solace in her learned fascination with the cosmos, especially (despite her husband’s suspicion of the event) in viewing the imminent Halley’s Comet. Under ominous night skies, Theodulf stands sentry over the lake, clinging to long-ago and faraway memories of happiness that fill him with longing and shame. Into this impasse, a clairvoyant girl and her resolute uncle emerge from across the cove. They see through the Sauers’ thin façade and, by turns and in different ways, convey promise, sympathy, and insight that counter Willa’s despair. Armed with renewed self-determination, Willa forges a path to happiness. But before she can grasp it, tragedy comes to their remote beacon, and her future plunges toward a dark unknown. Set against a brooding and beautiful landscape, A Lesser Light is a story about industry and calamity, science versus superstition, inner desire countered with societal expectations—and the consequences when these forces collide in the wilderness of rapid social change.

Listening Point: A Novel
by David J. Backes
published by Beaver’s Pond Press

David Backes devoted his life to the people, history, and wilderness of Northeastern Minnesota. As the biographer of Sigurd Olson, he deeply embodied the spirit of the Northwoods and carried Olson’s philosophy into his own life and work. “Listening Point: A Novel” was intended not only to be his first work of fiction, but also a way to introduce a new audience to the beauty of the Northwoods and the enduring legacy of Sigurd Olson. While many readers already knew Backes through his nonfiction writing, this novel allowed him to reach beyond that audience and inspire even more people to develop the same appreciation and connection to the region that he cherished so deeply. Throughout the novel, Backes frequently references Sigurd Olson, while the story itself is rooted in the iconic Listening Point historical site that inspired the book’s title. Backes consistently encouraged others to discover their own “Listening Point” – a place of reflection, connection, and understanding within the natural world – and this novel continues that message. Through vivid depictions of the Northwoods and numerous references to Ely, the book, published posthumously, reflects how completely David Backes lived and breathed the landscape he loved.

Unfinished Business
by Janet Kay
published by Janet Kay

Angela is haunted by family secrets and visits from the spirit of her deceased grandmother, Angelique, who mysteriously disappeared six decades ago. The grandmother she never knew. Recovering from a traumatic divorce, Angela yearns for a fresh start in life. She escapes to her estranged mother’s home on the North Shore of Lake Superior where she becomes obsessed with solving the mystery of her grandmother’s disappearance – despite her mother’s inexplicable fears and objections. A strange force leads her to a cabin on Gunflint Trail in Minnesota’s Northwoods where she uncovers clues about her grandmother’s life. She also reconnects with Thomas, her long lost soulmate from a past lifetime. Together they embark upon a journey that leads them to Isle Royale and Voyageur’s National Parks where they make startling discoveries that shatter all they thought they knew about the mysterious Angelique. Finally, they are able to help Angelique complete her unfinished business upon this earth and move on into the spirit world.

On the Wings of la Noche
by Vanessa L. Torres
published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

This book is set in Duluth Minnesota. It is about a teenage girl who can’t let go of her first love after an accidental drowning in Lake Superior takes her life. Death waits for Estrella (Noche) Villanueva. In her human form, she is a lonely science girl grieving the tragic accidental drowning of her girlfriend, Dante Fuentes. At night, she is a Lechuza who visits her dead girlfriend at the Lake Superior, desperate for more time with her. The longer Dante’s soul roams the earth, the more likely it is that she will fade into the unknown, lost forever, but Noche cannot let go . . . That’s when a new kid comes to town, Jax, another science nerd like Noche. They connect in a way she can’t ignore, seemingly pulled together by an invisible thread. For the first time, Noche begins to imagine a life without Dante. As Noche’s heart begins to beat for two people, her guilt flares. Then, she finds herself at risk of losing both Jax and Dante, and Noche is forced to question her purpose as a lechuza and everything she has ever believed in. Northern MN culture is at the forefront of the book, as well as nature themes and hockey culture. The author was born and raised in Minnesota and often returns.

Ghost Town Run
by Luke Moravec
published by Luke Moravec

Toby just wanted to sleep. Midnight races. Time oddities. Monsters. They all collide when fourteen-year-old Toby Heckler is dragged out of bed and reluctantly tags along with his track-star cousin, Seth, on nightly excursions around their hometown of Brighton. Together they discover that, after midnight, time slows and supernatural creatures emerge. Despite the paranormal happenings, a series of late-night foot races are introduced and soon teams of neighborhood kids are carelessly bounding about the late-night world. But the joy and freedom of summer nights disappears quickly. As more hidden dangers are revealed, it is Toby who must stay awake, push himself to his physical limit, and face his greatest fears. Ghost Town Run blends mystery, humor, and cosmic horror into an original adventure for all ages. The author lives in Duluth and has borrowed many names and places in his book to create the physical space and the atmosphere of northeastern Minnesota, his home for more than 25 years.

The Path of Totality
by Marie Zhuikov
published by Cornerstone Press

A young man is mystified by why he can’t see an eclipse. A scammer falls for a woman he is targeting. A nondescript gray house hides a secret from a curious woman walking her dog. A girl discovers a mummified Viking bog boy while on a birding tour. A college student gets trapped in a biosphere after hours. Hemingway’s stolen early stories are found in New Jersey. Singing in the shower takes on a whole new meaning. And a librarian develops her own theories about the influence of trees. United by the power of appearances to deceive and captivate, Marie Zhuikov’s tales glisten with the magic and menace of everyday lives. She lives in northeastern Minnesota.

Strings
by Jan Merritt
published by Jan Merritt

A pandemic is spreading across the globe. A national lockdown looms in the United States. A Southern journalist sees a chance to protect her health and jumpstart her career by escaping north to a Minnesota wilderness. Feisty and wary of entanglement, she piques the interest of a bored Native American rock star on his way home. Robby Song’s career may be on hold, but Grace Wheeler is on a mission to build hers. To Robby, she’s an intriguing challenge. To Grace, he’s a distraction she’s not ready to handle. But the brutal Northwoods winter is coming. Grace flees back south . . . to soul-searching isolation and a puzzling middle-of-the-night call. STRINGS is set mostly on the North Shore, in Grand Marais, and around Gunflint Lake. The author, who lives in South Carolina, has strong connections to the area and has spent countless summers here, being the great-granddaughter of Leonidas Merritt – credited with discovering iron ore on the Mesabi Range.

The Cave: Poems
by Ryan Vine
published by Texas Review Press

Born, raised and still living in Duluth, MN, poet Ryan Vine has been preoccupied with the northeastern Minnesota landscape for most of his adult life. When one or more of the following are not the direct emotional concepts of his work, northeastern Minnesota’s history, culture, heritage and lifestyle come through in his images and metaphors. In the first poem of the book, the speaker is tick checking his kids. In the third poem, the speaker is sitting in Tischer Creek. There are sumac, images of swimming in a great lake and a poem titled “40 Below,” and that’s just the first section of the book. Other titles include: “St. Margaret Mary’s, Morgan Park, 1987” & “Duluth” & “Lake Superior Scenic Railroad” & “Sugar Bush,” to name a few.

High Fire Danger: Poems of Love and Nature
by Marie Zhuikov
published by Poetry Harbor

In High Fire Danger, Marie Zhuikov meditates on the transformative power of love and the magic and menace of nature. Written over the past 38 years, Zhuikov’s enchanting poems offer unique insights and cutting humor. They take readers from her home in Minnesota to far-flung locales across the Great Lakes, Canada, Scotland, the Caribbean and even to another planet. These accessible poems are filled with the heat and longing of romantic love, but also a deep love for family, community, and nature. Marie has lived in Duluth all of her life and several of the poems deal with issues of this region like wildfire season, Lake Michigan, white-tailed deer, Indian Pipe plants, hunting, Marcia Hales’ former Christmas Light display on Park Point, the Apostle Islands, spring in Duluth, fog, the St. Louis River, Piedmont, Wisconsin Point, trail cams, Ojibwe horses, marsh marigolds, migrating swans, and Lake Superior.

Tossed Stones Clearly Know Where To Fall
by Pete Heiden
published by Friesens Inc.

This collection of poetry strongly reflects the history, culture, heritage, and lifestyle of northeastern Minnesota and the surrounding region through both the author’s personal connection to the landscape and the themes woven throughout the work. Having lived and worked across the region from the Iron Range to the North Shore, the author brings an authentic voice and deep understanding of place to the poems. These poems are richly grounded in the natural world of northern Minnesota, exploring the changing seasons, weather patterns, forests, lakes, and wildlife that define life in the region. Themes of resilience, community, belonging, and connection to nature are woven throughout the collection capturing the unique culture, values, joys, and challenges of those who call this area home. Whether based in Minnesota or elsewhere in the country, the issues explored in poems are common and familiar. These poems offer readers a vivid portrayal of the region’s character and spirit. The author continues to live and raise his family in Northern Minnesota, maintaining a close relationship with the land, communities, and traditions that shape the area’s identity. Through its celebration of place and its thoughtful exploration of the people, environments, and experiences that make northeastern Minnesota distinctive, this book serves as a meaningful representation of the region’s heritage, culture, and contemporary lifestyle.

The Seasons
by Gregory Opstad
published by Finishing Line Press

This collection is a love letter to the BWCA, Gunflint Trail, Lake Superior, and the surrounding area. It traces the life-long experiences of growing up and growing old in this pristine wilderness through poetry and short fiction from the eyes of an old man who saw it all. Whether it’s the beauty of a single thimbleberry, the chilling realization of a bear following your steps on a trail, or the challenge of spending a winter alone in the north woods, these images portray real and imagined life “up north” through each season of the year.

House of Dreams
by Jan Chronister
published by Poetry Harbor

During the past fifty years, Jan Chronister often worked and lived in Duluth. She is intimately connected to the history and culture of poetry in the region. Jan founded the Thunderbird Review at Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College in 2013 and currently publishes local poets under the imprint of Poetry Harbor, carrying on a legacy that began in Duluth back in 1989. In her book, the poet reflects on a world where hearts often break yet we still believe in dreams.

Irrevocable Wholeness: Poems and Meditations to Hold it All
by Kyle Leia Heyesen
published by Driftwood Press

During the past fifty years, Jan Chronister often worked and lived in Duluth. She is intimately connected to the history and culture of poetry in the region. Jan founded the Thunderbird Review at Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College in 2013 and currently publishes local poets under the imprint of Poetry Harbor, carrying on a legacy that began in Duluth back in 1989. In her book, the poet reflects on a world where hearts often break yet we still believe in dreams.

Ellie’s Pursuit of The Mighty Fitz
by Mckenzie Lee Williams
published by Mckenzie’s Mommy

Ellie’s Pursuit is a children’s book aimed for ages 8-12. Ellie Anderson is a curious and imaginative fifth-grader who loves learning about history. The week before spring break, Ellie has nothing to bring for the last show-and-tell before middle school. She hears the hit song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and is inspired to take a trip with her quirky Grandma Gigi to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum to see the bell of the Mighty Fitz. Along the way, she meets a cast of unique characters who share their stories and memories of that fateful night. This is a children’s chapter book honoring the Edmund Fitzgerald. The book was written, illustrated and edited by UWS alumni. *The author, Mckenzie Lee Williams of Maricopa, Ariz., tragically passed away on June 9, 2024. This book was published by her mother posthumously in her honor.

A is for Agates – A Lake Superior Alphabet Book
by Patti Baraks; illustrated by Lisa Perrin-Kosmo
published by Beaver’s Pond Press

A is for Agates is a heartfelt lyrical tribute to Lake Superior. Loving rhymes and stunning illustrations will walk you through the Big Lake alphabet and help to explore its flora, fauna, landmarks, and cultural heritage; a glossary helps to further inform readers about the wonders of the Lake. This book features landmarks such as Split Rock Lighthouse, estuaries such as the St. Louis River Estuary, Isle Royale ferry rides, and the Quetico Superior Region. The author is originally from Superior, Wis., and resides part time in the area. The Illustrator is from the Two Harbors area.

Snowshoe Kate and the Hospital Built for Pennies
by Margii Preus; illustrated by Jaime Zollars
published by ABRAMS Kids

Dr. Kate Pelham Newcomb was a doctor in rural northern Wisconsin during the early 1900s, a time when very few women practiced medicine. Because the nearest hospital was over two hours away and the snowy roads were often impassable, Dr. Kate frequently traveled by snowmobile, sometimes the snowplow, and even snowshoes to reach her patients, which lead to her nickname, the “Angel on Snowshoes.” In her years as a doctor, she delivered an astonishing 4,000 babies, and those same children later organized a penny drive, a massive grassroots fundraiser to build a hospital for Dr. Kate and their community. Success was realized in 1954 when Lakeland Memorial Hospital opened — with Dr. Kate serving as chief of staff. The author is from Duluth.

The Naming of Aki
by Thomas Peacock; illustrated by Allison Horner
published by Minnesota Historical Society Press

This retelling of a traditional Ojibwe story celebrates what First Human and First Wolf see, taste, hear, smell, and touch as they wander Aki, the Earth, to be the namers of things.
The story begins: “In the time soon after the creation, Nimaamaa Aki, Mother Earth, was new and without names, so the Creator called upon First Human to walk upon Aki, the Earth, and name all things.” First Human sets off on a journey that will take him to every corner of Aki and introduce him to all creatures, plants, landforms, and emotions. It’s a meaningful and joyful trek—and one best taken with a companion. The Creator calls upon Ma’iingan, Wolf, to join First Human so they can explore together.
As they walked Aki and grew in their friendship and respect for each other, they saw how all things were beautiful, how everything was connected and related to the other, and that each had a purpose and reason for being. For everything is sacred. All things come from the Creator’s dream. And to honor the Creator and all of creation, they gave everything the most beautiful of names.
Author Thomas Peacock is a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe and lives in the northeastern Minnesota region and northwestern Wisconsin. This story is a retelling of an Ojibwe creations story.