My Friend, The Starfinder

In a new book from George Ella Lyon, a young girl listens to the tales of her elderly neighbor, who followed a falling star and brought it home. He also suceeded in finding the end of the rainbow. A simple, but wonderful story with spritely watercolor illustrations by Stephen Gammell, it may have honors coming someday.

2009 news: It is a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award.

The Shrouding Woman

Set in frontier Minnesota, this is the story of eleven year old Evie and her family. Her mother has died of consumption and Aunt Flo, her father's sister, joins the family. Aunt Flo is a shrouder, someone who prepares the dead for burial, an activity that repels Evie at first, but eventually her curiosity takes over and she becomes an assistant to Aunt Flo. A first novel for Minnesotan Loretta Ellsworth, this is a sensitive story about a little known aspect of frontier life.

Sister Anne's Hands

A special teacher can have a great impact on a child. This is the story of Sister Anne, a black nun sent to teach second grade at Anna's scchool in the early 1960's. A mildly racist event occurs, which Sr. Anne turns into a teaching moment, and Anna's life is never quite the same. Written by Marybeth Lorbiecki, illustrated by K. Wendy Popp, this is a gentle story with a valuable message.

Painting the Dakota: Seth Eastman at Fort Snelling

Students who are learning about early Minnesota history will find primary source material in the paintings of Seth Eastman. This book describes Eastman's life as an officer at Fort Snelling (he had several tours of duty there); and it also describes the lives of the Dakota indians in pre-territorial Minnesota. Reproductions of about 40 of Eastman's watercolors and paintings are included, and Eastman is credited with a high degree of accuracy in his portrayal of indian life. The book was written by Marybeth Lorbiecki. Additional resources can be found on the TPT website that accompanied the PBS documentary about Eastman at www.pbs.org/ktca/setheastman.

Canoe Days

Word pictures by Gary Paulsen, and paintings by Ruth Wright Paulsen describe a gentle ride in a canoe on a northern lake. The peacefulness, the animals of all kinds, and the pleasure of a day when everything is in harmony are all wonderfully described here. It's perfect for a quiet summer day!

North Star Numbers: A Minnesota Number Book

This book is a lot of things: a counting book about Minnesota, a book about the plants, animals and symbols of the state, and a look at several important historical events in the state's history. Readers will be able to count by ones and tens as they work their way through the book. Sidebars provide more information about the feature on each page. Written by Kathy-jo Wargin and illustrated by Laurie Caple, this is a nice introduction to the state for young readers.

The Windigo's Return

When members of an Ojibwe village begin to disappear, the elders believe that a Windigo (a shape-shifting giant) is to blame. But they cannot find a plan for ridding the viallage of this Windigo until a young girl suggests an idea. Not only does her plan work, but the story also provides an explanation for why mosquitos bite. Written by Douglas Wood, with acrylic illustrations by Greg Couch, this story could be the basis for a good campfire story in the summer.