Andrea Gilats' new book is Radical Endurance: Growing Old in an Age of Longevity.(Contributed / University of Minnesota Press)

Minnesota writer Andrea Gilats thought her new book Radical Endurance: Growing Old in an Age of Longevity was originally going to explore the issues of ageism that the Covid-19 pandemic brought to light. And while she does touch on that, the book turned out to be a more encompassing guide about the pitfalls and possibilities in growing old.

Radical Endurance spotlights the hard truths about old age, including ailing health, ageism, nursing homes, and the right to die. But Andrea also points out the pleasures and possibilities: encore careers, wisdom, and finding peace.

In a recent What We’re Reading interview, Andrea described how writing the book helped her come to terms with her own aging process (losing a spouse, chronic health issues) and she felt that she wasn’t alone in this. She explained, “I feel that I'm not the only one that these things have happened to, or that might feel that way. I was really trying to reach out into territory that would be shared among anyone that might read the book.”

Radical Endurance also touches on spirituality. In her essay “Afterlife,” Andrea describes how she wasn’t brought up to believe in an afterlife but carrying the grief of the death of her husband Tom with her into old age helped her heal—and this became a spiritual turning point for her.

“It helped me understand that the people we lose, we never lose. They are always with us and that is a spiritual dimension to being…I do believe that at some point, in some way, I will be reunited with him. I'm not specific about religion or anything [in the book], but I can't imagine that there cannot be a spiritual dimension to life.”

What advice does Andrea have for those in their old age?

“Be yourself. You're past the point of having to prove anything to anybody, and what we have that is not possible at younger ages is wisdom. So, affirm that for yourself and follow the path that makes you feel peaceful, comfortable, enriched and content. That's what life in old age is really about. It's about peace. It's about vitality. It’s about contentment.”

Learn more about Andrea Gilats and her books on her website.

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What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Katherine Rundell is the author of Impossible Creatures.(author photo: Nina Subin / Penguin Random House)

Mal is a girl living in the Archipelago, a cluster of unmapped islands where, until recently, magical creatures have thrived for thousands of years. Christopher is from plain old London, but he and Mal are about to embark on a wild journey to find out why creatures are dying and why magic is weakening in Katherine Rundell’s newest book Impossible Creatures.

Rundell is an English author whose previous books include Rooftoppers, Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, The Wolf Wilder, The Explorer, and The Good Thieves. In a recent What We’re Reading interview, she explained that growing up in Zimbabwe, Brussels, and London allowed her to see different ways of living and of finding joy and wonder.

For instance, speaking to living in Zimbabwe during the formative years of her childhood, Rundell explained, “I would see such beauty and a kind of beauty that has been so grossly eroded by the world… a kind of plea for children to learn to use the ‘wonder’ muscle to learn to look for, hunt out, seek and adore beautiful living.”

In Impossible Creatures, Rundell blends the fantastic with real world history. Leonardo da Vinci and Pliny the Elder are among historical figures that play a part in the story. Rundell admitted, “I always loved in mythical, fantastical stories with bits of the real world because they sow in your mind doubt about whether or not this in fact is history.”

But the focus of the story is on Christopher and Mal and the big adventure they embark on to try to save the Archipelago and magic. Mal in particular is smart and brave and tenacious. Writing Mal, Rundell admitted, “was one of the great pleasures of my professional life because I just loved writing a girl who is stubborn and alone, but ready to rise to that which the world asks of her. That was a real joy.”

Impossible Creatures does take on some more serious issue. There are some deaths in the story and an allusion to the devastating effects of the climate crisis. How to write about serious issues for children is something Rundell frequently thinks about.

“What can children bear? How much of the darkness of the world should we be offering them in books? … I think what you need to do is give them a sense that you are not mad to think that the world is hard and full of danger and peril because it is, and it will be a lie to say everything is fine. But the wonders of the world are so colossal that not to see them and salute them with your whole heart would be to misunderstand the world in the most fundamental way.”

Rundell noted that while some stories can teach children about loss, they also teach them to fight and have resilience and they’ll take these lessons with them into adulthood. She elaborated on these points in her 2019 book Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise (you can read an extract here), specifically how children's books are at its core, written for people who are vulnerable, without political power or money. And as the title argues, adults can still take away lessons and reignite their imagination by reading them.

Rundell explained, “I think in adulthood we can sometimes start to think of imagination, of imagining things which are not but might be, as an indulgence or a sort of optional extra, but imagination is the tool of ethics. It is the condition precedent for political change, for imaginative love.”

Learn more about Katherine Rundell's Impossible Creatures here.

Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.

What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Children's librarian Tracy Kampa recommends new children's books. (Contributed / Publisher websites)

Two picture books based on true stories and three middle-grade books featuring boys overcoming struggles are among Tracy Kampa’s new recommendations. Tracy is the children’s librarian at the Grand Rapids Area Library and recently on What We’re Reading, she talked about these new books.

Gifts from the Garbage Truck by Andrew Larsen(Contributed / Publisher website )Picture Books

Gifts from the Garbage Truck: A True Story About the Things We (Don't) Throw Away, by Andrew Larsen, illustrated by Oriol Vidal.

New York City sanitation worker Nelson Molina became proficient at hearing different sounds from trash bags--sounds that indicated there was something inside other than trash. He started bringing his found treasures back to the sanitation garage where he put them up for display in the locker room and eventually the display found a home in a museum. The book includes a foreword by Nelson Molina.

Tracy’s take: “If you're looking for a great introduction to the importance of reducing our footprint or just looking for an inspirational story, don't miss Gifts from the Garbage Truck.” 

Wild at Heart by Evan Griffith.(Contributed / Publisher website)

Wild at Heart: The Story of Olaus and Mardy Murie, Defenders of Nature, by Evan Griffith, illustrated by Anna Braun.

This book tells the story of conservationists Olas and Mardy Murie and their work to protect the Arctic wildlife. Through their tireless advocacy, they were instrumental in the U.S. government passing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Tracy’s take: “I found their story inspiring, and I very much appreciated the back matter in the book, including notes on the native people of Canada and Alaska, a note on land conservation, and an especially intriguing note on the study of historical figures. I highly recommend.”

Book cover from John Schu's new book Louder Than Hunger.(Contributed / Penguin Random House)Middle-grade Books

Tracy also reviewed three middle-grade books that shared remarkable similarities: all three had boys as the main characters who faced life-changing circumstances. She noted, “All three boys were let down by people who should have been their champions. All three boys had strong, loving grandmothers. These are all survival stories, but in unexpected ways.”

Louder Than Hunger, by John Schu.

Mostly autobiographical and written in free verse, Louder Than Hunger follows Jake through his years-long battle with anorexia nervosa. Controlled by the voice telling him not to eat and to exercise more and to remember that he will always be a loser and that the voice is his only friend, Jake becomes alarmingly thin and is admitted into a treatment facility. The story follows Jake as he learns how to eat, to quiet the negative voice in his head, to make friends, and to live.

Tracy’s take: This is a story for everybody who has ever struggled with their mental health. This is a story for all of us. Please don't miss the stunningly wonderful, Louder Than Hunger, by John Schu.

Lisa Fipps' new book And Then, Boom!(Contributed / Penguin Random House )

And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps.

Joe's mom takes off whenever she gets the itch, leaving Joe and his grandma to fend for themselves, which they do, but not always with full bellies. After being unhoused and spending nights in their car, Joe and his grandma find a place at a local trailer park where they start to feel at home. But a series of events leaves Joe on his own until his secrets are finally discovered. And then, boom!: Joe has a new home.

Tracy’s take: This book-in-verse wonderfully tells the story of a boy you will be cheering for. I loved And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps.

Gennifer Choldenko's new book The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman.(Contributed / Penguin Random House )

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, by Gennifer Choldenko.

Eleven year-old Hank is left in charge of his three-year old sister Boo when his mother walks out. While this is not unusual, this time she doesn't come back. They are taken in by a friend of the family, Luann. But when they’re finally feeling settled in, Hank's mom returns, fresh from a stint in jail and completing a handful of days of a 90-day treatment sentence. Things fall completely apart before they are finally put to rights.

Tracy’s take: Hank is one resilient kid and I was hooked on The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, by Gennifer Choldenko.

Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.

What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Children's librarian Tracy Kampa (Contributed / Tracy Kampa)

A new picture book and four new middle-grade books are among Tracy Kampa's latest recommendations. Tracy is the children's librarian at the Grand Rapids Area Library and reviews books for What We're Reading.

Harold Hates to Hibernate, by Vern Kousky.

We first meet Harold the Bear in Vern Kousky's delightful Harold Loves His Woolly Hat. Harold has returned, but this time he has a big problem. Harold loves everything about fall, but soon it will be time to hibernate. Harold's crow friends help Harold get ready to hibernate, but to also assure him that they will never, ever forget him.

Tracy's take: A wonderful seasonal picture book. Do yourself a favor and check out Harold Hates to Hibernate.

Black Girl, You Are Atlas, by Renée Watson.

Tracy's take: Have you ever found just the right words at just the right time? Renée Watson's stunning poetry provided just such a balm for my soul when I very much needed it... This absolutely necessary book is full of outstanding thought-provoking poems and I already have it on my Christmas list.

Magnolia Wu Unfolds it All, by Chanel Miller.

Tracy's take: Magnolia Woo works in her parent's New York City laundromat where she and her new friend Iris hatch a plan to return each sock to its rightful owner. Each sock leads Magnolia and Iris to people who have surprising stories, which in turn helps Magnolia understand that she, too, is part of this community and her story is one worth telling. I loved the time I spent with Magnolia the Sock Detective in Magnolia Woo Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller.

Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry.

Tracy's take: Another year, another new Lowry book. At age 87, I think she just keeps getting better.

Sophie Winslow delights that her best friend's name is also Sophie. Sophie Gershowitz is a neighbor and the two Sophies spend a lot of time with each other. It doesn't matter at all that while Sophie Winslow is 11, the other Sophie is 88. And is struggling a bit with her daily needs.

Lois Lowry always writes memorable characters and it will be a long time before Sophie, Sophia, Ralphie and Oliver leave my heart. This book is lovely. I hope you find time to check out Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry.

Not Quite a Ghost, by Anne Ursu. (Minnesota author)

Shortly after Violet and her family move into the strange old house on Katydid Street, she falls mysteriously ill and finds herself spending more and more time in her new room with the creepy fading wallpaper.

Tracy's take: Is Violet alone? Are you ready to find out? If you or anyone on your list enjoys a really great ghost story, don't miss Not Quite a Ghost by Anne Ursu.

Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.

What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Margie Mathison Hance is the author of the North Lakes Murder Mystery Series.(TYPE & TIMBER / Marjorie Mathison Hance)

Writing novels wasn’t something Marjorie Mathison Hance planned on pursuing, although she’d done a lot of business writing during her career as the national sales manager for Honeywell and as vice president at St. Catherine University.

In a recent What We’re Reading interview, Hance recounted how a year after her first husband died, she was at their family’s lake house on a rainy vacation by herself.

“I didn't know what to do with myself and I started thinking about all of these characters at our beach. And I wrote about them. Just for fun…My mother came out to the lake for a weekend, and I had her read it and she said, ‘Well, you can't print that.’ And I said, ‘Well, I don't plan to print that--I just did it for fun because I didn't have anything else to do.’ And then I thought, ‘Why not do something I could print?’”

Three books in Marjorie Mathison Hance's North Lake Murder Mystery Series.(Contributed / Marjorie Mathison Hance)

Hance’s daughters helped her along by buying her a course on writing murder mysteries at The Loft in Minneapolis, and she was off running--in 2018 her first book Murder at Pelican Lake was published. Hance followed that book with Cormorant in the Net (2021) and The Man Three Cottages Down (2022), all part of her North Lakes Murder Mystery Series. A new book in the series, Under the Ice, is due out in 2025.

The series protagonist is Carley Norgren, a woman who has suffered much loss in recent years: the death of her father, the loss of her job, and a breakup with her significant other who was the love of her life. She escapes to the lake to regroup. Hance explains, “Throughout these four books, you'll watch Carley’s relationships grow and change. [They] help her find herself, be vulnerable and grow over time.”

Hance noted that the character of Carley is not based on anyone in real life, but that she is really her own person. She explained, “There's a really weird process that happens in writing... It's as if the story goes on out here somewhere. And you walk into the story and you get to learn the characters. It's not like you just make them up. It's like they exist... And so as I got to know her over time, she took her own shape and was really her own person.”

You can learn more about Marjorie Mathison Hance and her books on her website.

Bonus content: Marjorie Mathison Hance talks with What We're Reading's Tammy Bobrowsky about what she loves about writing and connecting with her readers.

Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.

What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Plums or Nuts, Ojibwe stories from Larry Amik Smallwood told to Michael Migizi Sullivan, Sr. (Contributed / Minnesota Historical Society Press)

Well-known in the powwow circles throughout Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, Larry Amik Smallwood was also a renowned storyteller, expert on Anishinaabe culture and teacher of the Ojibwe language.

“I like to say he was a modern elder,” said Michael Migizi Sullivan Sr., Native American studies director at Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College in Hayward, Wisconsin.

Michael Migizi Sullivan, Sr., worked on "Plums or Nuts" with Larry Amik Smallwood.(Krysten Sullivan / Minnesota Historical Society Press)

Sullivan worked with Smallwood on the book Plums or Nuts: Ojibwe Stories of Anishinaabe Humor. In a recent What We’re Reading interview, Sullivan noted how Smallwood stood out from other elders.

“We have a lot of our elders that teach us about harvesting and spiritual practices and our more traditional way of life. Amik was really, really versed on the modern stuff and how we talk about that in a good way.”

Sullivan was in sixth grade when he first met Smallwood. “I had a real interest in language, and I think he sensed that about me. When I was older, he really took me under his wing with language stuff and helped whip me in the shape,” explained Sullivan.

The book came about as a result of Sullivan and Smallwood’s work on the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary, a collaboration between several Ojibwe language teachers and the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. Sullivan would record Smallwood providing Ojibwe pronunciations for the dictionary.

While recording, ever the storyteller, Smallwood would want to tell a story. Sullivan recounted, “So I'd let him tell me the story, and they were always real short, funny, sort of punchline kind of stories. He got the idea after doing probably seven to eight of them.”

According to Sullivan, Smallwood said, “You know, we should type these up and get them into a book, a funny book.”

Smallwood would tell his stories, Sullivan would record, and they’d both work on the translations. The book was intended to be in Ojibwe and English. They were nearly done with the recordings and translations when Smallwood passed away in 2017. It took some time to regroup and get started again, but Plums or Nuts: Ojibwe Stories of Anishinaabe Humor was finally published in 2023.

Sullivan noted that there had been an “overwhelmingly positive” response to the book. Because of the recordings and work they’d done they were able to play Smallwood’s voice during readings. Sullivan explained, “He had a real signature baritone, a real grumbly kind of voice. That was a treat–him telling stories with his voice. And so everybody got to hear that.”

Learn more about Plums or Nuts: Ojibwe Stories of Anishinaabe Humor (Bagesaanag Maagizhaa Bagaanag) by visiting the Minnesota Historical Society Press. You can listen to the audio storytelling from Larry Amik Smallwood while you read the along with the book on the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary.

Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.

What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Writer Gregory Berns's new book is Cowpuppy.(Contributed / HarperCollins )

Located 50 miles south of Atlanta, Berns and his wife christened their new venture Talking Dogs Farm, named for Berns’s decade-long research with dogs, which resulted in the 2013 New York Times bestselling book, How Dogs Love Us.

Originally, he hadn’t planned on raising a herd of cattle. Or falling in love with their intelligence and personalities.

Berns’s experience with the farm and his cattle is chronicled in his new book, Cowpuppy: An Unexpected Friendship and a Scientist's Journey into the Secret World of Cows. In a recent What We’re Reading interview he explained that the decision to buy a farm was, in part, to “indulge my Green Acres fantasy and head to the country and try my hand at regenerative agriculture.”

Shortly after purchasing the farm Berns had an important decision to make: mow the large pastures with a tractor, buy goats or sheep to tend to it, or do nothing. He explained, “What I quickly discovered was when you find yourself lucky enough to have enough land, the primary goal initially is just how do you manage this land? If you do nothing, then nature starts taking it back very, very quickly.”

Berns initially purchased two small cows, but that’s not all he got. “The person dropped them off and informed me, ‘Hey, you're going to have a surprise pretty soon.’ So they were pregnant… We're in the thick of it real fast,” said Berns.

The original cows were named Ricky Bobby, Lucy, and Ethel, and their initial calves were named BB and Princess Xena, followed by Cricket, Luna, Walker, and Texas Ranger. Berns warned that cattle are very proficient at breeding. He said, “You leave a bull with females--nature takes its course.” They now have 10 total cows from the original 3.

As a neuroscientist and having recently done research on how dogs think, Berns was naturally curious about cow behavior. He observed and interacted with his cows, noting their many similarities to dogs.

Berns explained, “They are affectionate, and they like to have their neck scratched or they eventually rolled over for belly rubs. None of it was dependent on me feeding them because they live on a pasture--they're surrounded by food. So it's purely for that affection and social bonding, and that's really touching. And that's probably the main reason I wrote this book.”

Berns’s observations also revealed that cows are much smarter than most of us give them credit for. He noted, “You don't appreciate it unless you get close to them because most people's impression of them is from the side of the road. You just see them out there on the landscape, like they're not really doing much of anything. But they have fantastic memories. They can recognize people. They can recognize other cows that they know. And if I move one thing in the pasture, they notice it and they will investigate it.”

Berns’s previous research with dogs prepared him for trying to train cows using positive reinforcement. But it works a bit differently with cattle. With dogs, training is usually done with food as incentive. But cattle live in pastures where they are surrounded by food. Berns said, “They do like sweets and so I can give them things like sweet feed or what we call “cattle cubes” as rewards. And that's how I started. I actually trained them to come to a dog whistle. And then paired that with a treat. So they learned that and then some of them learned their name…the principles are basically the same.”

Cows are having their moment--a simple search on social media revealed no shortage of videos of people keeping cows as pets. Berns noted, “A lot of the ones that have a lot of views are these miniature cows, especially miniature Scottish Highlands, which are these big, fluffy creatures. Some people call them Ewoks because they look like those from Star Wars.” Berns’s own cows are miniature zebus, an Asian variety.

While miniature cows may be adorable, smart, and loving, they are still cows. “Keeping a pet cow is not for many people,” Berns warns. “Even the smallest of them still properly weigh 150 lbs., so they're larger than pretty much any dog. They eat grass, so keeping them indoors is difficult and probably not in their best interest. You have to have outside space. And they really are very social--they like to be with other cows. They can bond to people and other animals too, but they do need a herd of some type. So that can't be your only one.”

Berns has owned Talking Dogs Farm for about 4 years now. He admitted that learning to run a farm was among the things in his life that had the steepest learning curve along with an immense amount of knowledge needed–right up there with his experience attending medical school and training to be a physician. At 4 years in, though, he has “no regrets, whatsoever.”

More about Gregory Berns's new book, Cowpuppy.

Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.

What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Tracy Kampa and Tammy Bobrowsky discuss Jasmine Warga's A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall.(Contributed / Tammy Bobrowsky)

Jasmine Warga's new book A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall features Rami, a boy who accompanies his mother, who is a cleaner at a museum, to work. He often sits in the galleries and ponders the art while his mother is working. While he is welcomed by the museum director, other staff, in particular a security guard, are not happy he is there. An important painting goes missing and Rami meets a familiar looking ghost.

Here’s our new What We’re Reading feature: a mini-book club conversation between Grand Rapids Area Library children’s librarian Tracy Kampa and What We’re Reading producer Tammy Bobrowsky.

This conversation has been edited for clarity.

Tammy: This is such a fun story. It's a mystery, and there's so many great mystery elements in it. But it's also got some mystical aspects to the story, too, which I found really intriguing. And that's kind of fun when you have something that's not really a full-blown fantasy, paranormal or magic story, but when you just have like a touch of it--I thought that worked really nicely.

Tracy: I thought it did, too. And in this instance, other than the potential ghost. We also have a turtle named Agatha. What did you enjoy about Agatha?

Tammy: That's a great name for a turtle, right? She sees and she knows what’s going on, but how does a turtle communicate that? She's a big part of the story even though she's just a little turtle.

Tracy: And she's a little turtle who lives in the garden. She never leaves her garden, but she is the one who drives the plot to where it needs to go, which I find fascinating. The other thing I thought was really intriguing about the characters in the story is that the author chose to take Rami, the young main character, and essentially strip everybody away from him. His father had abandoned him. We find out that his best friends have now rejected him, and he’s kind of just alone with his mother. I think that that works very well to make Rami so alone that he is open to a friendship with Veda, another classmate that he normally wouldn't be open to. I think that was a great platform to launch the two of them off on their adventures.

Tammy: Yeah, it's also a big motivator. Rami decides that he needs to solve this mystery of who took the painting, and I feel like all of those elements motivated him to get to the bottom of what happened.

Tracy: Absolutely. And interestingly enough, Veda already wanted to get to the bottom of it. She first thought that it must have been stolen by a rich man, because that's what rich men do--they go and steal paintings from museums. Turns out she was wrong. Turns out, Agatha the turtle knew who did it. But we don't find that out until the very end.

So did the connection between H.F. Bottomtow (who was the artist of the painting) and the ghost girl ring true for you? Did you think that that was a true connection?

Tammy: I have to give some props to Jasmine Warga because there were times when I was like, ‘OK, there's got to be a connection between this person and this person and this person,’ and then a couple chapters later, I'd be ‘OK. There's not a connection, but maybe there's a connection with these other people.’ So I think she really knows her mystery writing in that she kept me guessing a lot. Obviously, we don't want to give away too much, but the connections made sense at the end when they revealed themselves to us and they were a great way to wrap the story up together with. So I was happy with how it turned out. She did a really good job getting us to keep turning that page and trying to figure out ‘who dun it.’ How about you?

Tracy: Yeah, very much so. I thought that element of the story for a while is what kept me turning the pages wondering, ‘Could they be connected and how are they connected?’ And we're not giving anything away by telling you that H.F. Bottomtow, the artist of the painting, spends much of this story in a coma, and that's an important element to this story.

I also like to take note of really great thoughts anytime I read a book and I just loved this quote that Hannah the artist said as a girl: “Art was a wish you made with your hands.”

Tammy: I'm so glad you said that because I wrote that down too!

Tracy: I just think it's beautiful and I think it applies to all sorts of art. And it applies to what we as humans strive to do.

Tammy: I did a little background searching into Jasmine Warga and she got an art history degree in college and this story is set in an art museum. So, I'm wondering if she kind used some of that knowledge that she gained in college to write this story. I thought that was an interesting tie-in.

Tracy: That was awesome. I also really love how self-aware this book is and I love when sometimes a book will take it upon themselves to break the 4th wall and talk to the reader personally. When they were talking about Agatha the turtle, Jasmine Warger writes, “The turtle, of course did not answer. This is a story with lots of mysterious and strange things, but it is not a story that features a turtle who can speak with humans.”

Tammy: She's keeping it real!

Tracy: And that's an important element of the story--why not just put it out there? If you need to figure out what the turtle is doing, you're going to have to use your brain because the turtle is not going to tell you!

Tammy: So Tracy, would you recommend this book and why?

Tracy: I would recommend this book because I think it is a really well-developed middle grade mystery. There's a few times in this book when you and I said, ‘Ohh, I wasn't expecting that.’

I love how you can take a young boy who was all alone and a girl who is known as being too talkative, too powerful, and too much (which is actually somebody that I can relate to very, very well) and put them together and make them equal partners in solving this. And all along we're watching Rami develop as a young man-- how in the end he is able to talk to his mother about things that he needs to talk to her about, where at the beginning of the story he just could not. I love seeing that character development. What about you?

Tammy: Oh yes, absolutely. This is a big recommendation and for all the reasons you talked about. But also--I didn’t get the sense that the author was talking down to children. Just straightforward treating these characters as if they were real people and I appreciated that.

Learn more about Jasmine Warga’s A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall.

Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.

What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Jill Hannah Anderson is the author of Closer to Home.(Contributed / Jill Hannah Anderson )

As a writer, Jill Hannah Anderson got her start writing articles for Her Voice, the quarterly magazine published through the Brainerd Dispatch. After 10 years of that, and as her kids began heading off to college or getting married, she thought, “Maybe I could write a book.”

And write she did. Jill’s fourth book, Closer to Home was recently published, and her next book is in the first round of edits with her publisher.

Closer to Home is set in the 1970s and is the story about a woman from Missouri on the run after witnessing the brutal murder of her boyfriend. In a recent What We’re Reading interview, Jill described her protagonist, Joleigh Moore, as resilient, looking for stability and love.

Luck leads Joleigh to Grandfield, a small town in southern Minnesota where she carefully carves out a new life, from making money trapping leeches to making good friends and feeling secure enough to start planning for the future.

Jill found inspiration for Closer to Home from her own life. Joleigh’s skill in trapping leeches was inspired by a friend Jill’s who had trapped leeches for decades, and throughout the book there are references to popular music of the time. Jill is a music lover and made a Closer to Home playlist based on the songs mentioned in the story.

With her father in the military, Jill’s family moved around quite a bit while she was growing up, but they eventually ended up in the Twin Cities area for several years. It became a real home for Jill, but in her senior year of high school, her family moved once more, this time to the Detroit Lakes community.

She explained, “I was devastated. I was 17. I had to go with them. And for years in my heart, I wanted to go back home.”

Jill set Closer to Home in 1977, the same year that her family moved and then realized that she was writing the story, in part, for herself.

She said, “It wasn't until I was finishing this story that I realized that [the Twin Cities] wasn't home anymore. None of my family was there. I hadn't lived there for years. The neighborhood had changed. I had changed. And I think that without realizing it, that was an important part of the story for me--to understand that your home is not necessarily where you think it is… Home is people, not a place.”

Learn more about Jill Hannah Anderson and her books on her website.

Looking for a good book recommendation? Want to recommend a book you've just read? Check out our What We're Reading page on Facebook, or text us at 218-326-1234.

What We're Reading is made possible in part by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.