Family memories and Johnny’s Pheasant: Two questions with Cheryl Minnema, winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award

Earlier this month, author Cheryl Minnema (Johnny’s Pheasant) was awarded the 2020 Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding writing in a picture book. This annual award is given by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), a library of the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Minnema’s book, which features illustrations by Julie Flett, has … More Family memories and Johnny’s Pheasant: Two questions with Cheryl Minnema, winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award

Jack Zipes: "Fairy tales evolve and spread in strange ways."

BY JACK ZIPESUniversity of Minnesota I first came across Pyotr Yershov’s fairy-tale poem, The Little Humpbacked Horse, when I was preparing my fairy-tale postcards for publication in my book Tales of Wonder. Among the Russian postcards in my collection, I kept finding cards illustrating The Little Humpbacked Horse by different gifted artists, often with short texts … More Jack Zipes: "Fairy tales evolve and spread in strange ways."

Wildflower Series #3: A day full of prairie

Butterfly weed, like other milkweeds, is a host plant for monarch butterflylarvae, who eat the leaves. Unlike other milkweeds, this one has clear sapand flowers that range from pale yellow-orange to vivid orange to deep red. BY PHYLLIS ROOT AND KELLY POVO We’ve been to the big woods to see the springtime flowers, we’ve been … More Wildflower Series #3: A day full of prairie

Spring abloom: Scouting for wildflowers in Minnesota’s great outdoors (Wildflowers Series #1)

If you’re scoping out Minnesota’s woods, chances are good you’ll run intoDutchman’s breeches this time of year. The flower gets its name because theblossoms look like tiny breeches drying upside down on a line. Our new book, Searching for Minnesota’s Native Wildflowers, is officially out this month—and we’ve already begun this year’s searching in the bursting … More Spring abloom: Scouting for wildflowers in Minnesota’s great outdoors (Wildflowers Series #1)

Discovering Fairy-Tale Postcards: The Adventures of a Scholarly Scavenger

BY JACK ZIPESUniversity of Minnesota Once upon a time, when the famous scientist Albert Einstein was teaching at Princeton University, a tiny old woman approached him as he was walking home after a class he had just taught. She was schlepping a skinny young boy of about six who was dragging his feet. “Mr. Einstein,” … More Discovering Fairy-Tale Postcards: The Adventures of a Scholarly Scavenger

Sky Blue Water writers’ seasonal traditions and Minnesota food experiences. (Part 2 of 2)

Sky Blue Water: Great Stories for Young Readers is a one-of-a-kind collection of short stories that celebrate Minnesota’s vibrant storytelling tradition. A rich and often under-appreciated part of this tradition is youth storytelling. This collection celebrates young adult and intermediate fiction from some of Minnesota’s most beloved authors, emerging talents, and many more. In this … More Sky Blue Water writers’ seasonal traditions and Minnesota food experiences. (Part 2 of 2)

Sky Blue Water writers’ favorite places to read, write (or not write), and get inspired. (Part 1 of 2)

Sky Blue Water: Great Stories for Young Readers is a one-of-a-kind collection of short stories that celebrate Minnesota’s vibrant storytelling tradition. A rich and often under-appreciated part of this tradition is youth storytelling. This collection celebrates young adult and intermediate fiction from some of Minnesota’s most beloved authors, emerging talents, and many more. In this … More Sky Blue Water writers’ favorite places to read, write (or not write), and get inspired. (Part 1 of 2)