Kathy-jo Wargin

"Alfred Nobel was the man who founded what became known as The Nobel Prizes. Nobel also invented dynamite, becoming very wealthy from his invention. Saddened by its use for harmful destruction, Nobel left his fortune to create yearly prizes for those who have rendered the greatest services to mankind"--Provided by publisher.

Alfred Nobel

The man behind the Peace Prize

A Lesson in Knowing God is Always with You. Frank and Beans are camping in the backyard. But when the sun goes down, Frank hears all kinds of scary noises. And Beans is so scared he runs right out of the tent! What will Frank do now that he’s alone?

Level 2

Frank and Beans and the Scary Campout

Almost everyone has heard of the Nobel Prize, a collection of prizes awarded for accomplishments in science, medicine, literature, and peace. But few people know about the man who established the award and for whom it is named, Alfred Nobel. Alfred Nobel was born in Sweden in 1833. A quick and curious mind, combined with a love of science and chemistry, drove him to invent numerous technological devices throughout his long life. But he is perhaps most well known for his invention of dynamite. Intending it to help safely advance road and bridge construction, Nobel saw his most famous invention used in the development of military weaponry. After a newspaper headline mistakenly announces his death, Nobel was inspired to leave a legacy of another sort. The Man Behind the Peace Prize tells the story of the enduring legacy of Alfred Nobel.Kathy-jo Wargin is the bestselling author of more than 30 books for children. Among her many awards for her work are an International Reading Association Children's Choice Award for The Legend of the Loon and an IRA Teachers' Choice Award for Win One for the Gipper. She lives in the Great Lakes area. Zachary Pullen's character-oriented picture book illustrations have won awards and garnered starred reviews. He has been honored several times with acceptance into the prestigious Society of Illustrators juried shows and Communication Arts Illustration Annual of the best in current illustration. Zachary lives in Wyoming.

The Man Behind the Peace Prize

The intriguing facts and faces, history and places of Wisconsin are revealed to readers young and old in B is for Badger: A Wisconsin Alphabet. From its leaders in fine arts and architecture (Georgia O'Keefe and Frank Lloyd Wright) to its pioneers in nature conservation (John Muir and Aldo Leopold), Wisconsin has been an influence on major movements in education, industry, and use of natural resources. Brought to life with lyric rhymes and expressive, original artwork, B is for Badger showcases for natives and visitors alike the splendors of Wisconsin.Born in Tower, Minnesota, Kathy-jo Wargin has spent a great deal of time in the upper Midwest. Previously, she teamed up with illustrator Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen on the award-winning Legend series, including The Legend of the Lady's Slipper (Upper Midwest Bookseller's Favorite). B is for Badger is her fourth state alphabet book. She lives with her family in Petoskey, Michigan.Renee Graef is new to the Sleeping Bear Press family but is very well known as a children's book illustrator for the American Girls collection with Pleasant Company. She has also illustrated for Boyd's Bears and is the illustrator of HarperCollin's My First Little House series. Renee attended the University of Wisconsin and the University of Madison; she lives in Milwaukee with her family.

A Wisconsin Alphabet

B is for Badger

The letters of the alphabet are represented by words, set in short rhymes with additional information, relating to the state of Minnesota.

A Minnesota Alphabet

V is for Viking

Read Along or Enhanced eBook: Have you seen an otter at play in the water? It's long and it's trim and it knows how to swim. It rolls and it spins. It twists and it grins. What if one day that otter jumps out of the water? Would you ask him to play? What if that otter follows you home? Would he bounce on the chairs? Would he skid down the stairs? The author-illustrator team who created Scare a Bear and Moose on the Loose will once again have readers laughing and guessing. This time the hilarity involves an otter out of water!

Read Along or Enhanced eBook

Otter Out of Water

Renee Graef

The letters of the alphabet are represented by words, set in short rhymes with additional information, relating to the state of Wisconsin.

Presents rhyming sentences for each letter of the alphabet that remind the reader of God's blessings in springtime.

God's Springtime Alphabet

K is for Kite

The great Gitchee Manitou has sent Nanabush the Giant Hare to the new north country to give the first animals their names and special markings. But trickster that he is, Nanabush prefers to play silly games. When Ahmik the Giant Beaver lures Nanabush into a chase across the newly formed land and water, their game etches out a beautiful wonderland of islands and ponds and lakes. Readers young and old will enjoy the legend behind the creation of the state whose very name Wisk-on-sin means "place of the beaver."Kathy-jo Wargin's most recent picture book honoring the spirit of Wisconsin is The Legend of Old Abe: A Civil War Eagle. Her other books include B is for Badger: AWisconsin Alphabet and The Legend of the Lady's Slipper (Upper Midwest Bookseller's Favorite). Afrequent speaker throughout the country, Kathy-jo lives with her family in Petoskey, Michigan. David Geister also collaborated with Kathy-jo Wargin on The Legend of Minnesota and The Voyageur's Paddle. David is a popular visitor at schools with his costumed portrayals of historic characters. A Wisconsin native, he now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Legend of Wisconsin

“For God made the Earth—He made everything! He makes all the wonders each season will bring. He changes the colors on leaves big and small, red, brown and yellow to tell us it’s Fall. He turns the fields into ribbons of Gold, sparkling with frost as the autumn grows cold.” Destined to become a family keepsake, this unique, jacketed hardcover celebrates the wonders of an entire season. With help from the alphabet, preschoolers journey through God’s harvest blessings—in the process discovering just how much there is to be thankful for! The fun is infectious as they learn to appreciate autumn for its beauty and bounty, opportunities to celebrate with friends and family, and traditions like barn dances, corn mazes, pumpkin carving, and more.

God's Harvest Alphabet

P Is for Pumpkin

Annie Appleford

Presents for each letter of the alphabet something associated with the state of Michigan, from "apple blossom" to "Detroit Zoo."

A Michigan Alphabet

M Is for Mitten

Do you know how to scare a bear? Would you bang pots and pans? Would you rattle some cans? Would you shout? Would you yell? Would you ring a loud bell? Do you know how to scare a bear? How would you scare a bear out of your cabin? Or out of your fishing boat? How about away from your campfire? And what if he climbed in your bunk? Would the bed go kerplunk? From the author-illustrator team who created Moose on the Loose comes yet another example of the high jinks and hilarity that happens when wildlife wanders indoors. In this contest of wills, who will win? And once again, by story's end, young campers will know exactly how to scare a bear!

Scare a Bear

Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

Illustrations and rhyming text introduce people, places, and things associated with the state of Illinois, each accompanied by a more detailed explanation.

An Illinois Alphabet

L Is for Lincoln

Leaving port from Superior, Wisconsin on a sunny November day, the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald is looking forward to a routine crossing of deep Lake Superior. Heading for a port in Cleveland, the giant transport ship is loaded with ore that will be used to build cars. But disaster is building in the wind as a gale storm begins to track after the great ship. This suspenseful retelling of the last hours of the doomed vessel pays homage to all sailors who traverse deep waters, in fair skies and foul. Atmospheric paintings from award-winning artist Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen bring the story to life.The author of the best-selling books The Legend of Sleeping Bear and The Legend of Mackinac Island, Kathy-jo Wargin aims to help young readers notice the most intricate details of a story by adding the nuances that create magic and wonder in a good tale. She lives in the woods of northern Michigan with her family. The Edmund Fitzgerald is her 10th book with Sleeping Bear Press. Born in the Netherlands, Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen, or "Nick" as he prefers to be known, studied at the Royal Academy of Arts in Holland. He immigrated to the United States in 1976. The Edmund Fitzgerald is Nick's 13th children's book with Sleeping Bear Press. The Legend of Sleeping Bear was Nick's first book and has sold more than 200,000 copies.

The Song of the Bell

The Edmund Fitzgerald

From the author of V is for Viking: A Minnesota Alphabet and North Star Numbers: A Minnesota Number Book comes yet another reason to enjoy learning about this north woods state. Kathy-jo Wargin's poetic puzzles are perfectly paired with dual photos of Minnesota scenery and landmarks. Taken by Great Lakes photographer Ed Wargin, one in each pair of photos has undergone a slight change. Can you spot the difference? This visual treat is a charming way to acquaint beginning readers with the great state of Minnesota and its wonders.In addition to penning the first book in this new series, I Spy with My Little Eye Minnesota, Kathy-jo Wargin's other books celebrating the Great Lakes region include the 2001 IRA Children's Choice Award winner The Legend of the Loon and The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell. Ed Wargin has been a working artist for nearly twenty years, having started his successful career in commercial advertising photography. Ed's work has been published in numerous magazines and publications throughout the world. He and Kathy-jo, along with their son, Jake, live in Petoskey, Michigan.

Minnesota

I Spy with My Little Eye Minnesota

“White snowy Angels with wide sweeping wings — Let’s find the wonders that God’s winter brings.” Children explore the delights of winter from A to Z in this charming book that celebrates the season’s blessings: from the sparkle of lights to the warmth of a quilt and the scent of fresh-baked cookies. As children review the alphabet, they discover the joy and beauty of wintertime, whether revealed in the bustle of the holidays or the quiet of a snowy walk. S is for Snowman is the latest installment in Ms. Wargin’s alphabet-centered picture book series that includes K is for Kite, F is for Fireflies, and P is for Pumpkin.

God's Wintertime Alphabet

S Is for Snowman

This level 2 I Can Read book written by Kathy-jo Wargin is a must-have for early readers! Teaching a lesson in knowing God is always present, readers follow young animal-lover Frank, in a fun adventure. While camping alone with his dog Beans, Frank begins to hear sounds that make him question whether or not he should go back into the house.

The fantastic Legend team of Kathy-jo Wargin and Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen have another beautiful book to add to the Sleeping Bear and Mackinac Island stories. A Grandmother's love for her grandchildren is magically portrayed in "The Legend of the Loon". A perfect addition to your collection, this book remains true to the heartwarming qualities you've come to expect from these legendary storytellers.

The Legend of the Loon

It started with a mother's love... Fleeing from a forest fire, a mother bear urges her two cubs into the watery shelter of a vast body of water. Though it will be difficult, she knows if they can swim across to the opposite shore, they will be safe. With calls of encouragement and steadfast love, Mother Bear guides her cubs across the great lake, Lake Michigan. And the story of what happens once Mother Bear reaches the far shore becomes the legend behind the natural wonder known as Sleeping Bear Dune. In 1998 writer Kathy-jo Wargin and nature artist Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen combined their talents to bring The Legend of Sleeping Bear to life. Published to wide acclaim, the book was soon named the Official Children's Book of Michigan.

The Legend of Sleeping Bear

What would you do with a moose on the loose? Would you chase him, or race him, or stand up to face him? What would you do with a moose on the loose? What would you do with a moose in your yard? Or in your house? How about in your room? Or in your tub? Would you give him two boats? Would you see if he floats? What would you do? Colorful, comic artwork highlights the hilarity that ensues when wildlife wanders indoors. Can boy best beast? By story's end, young readers will know exactly what to do when a moose goes on the loose! Kathy-jo Wargin is the bestselling author of more than 30 books for children. Among her many awards for her work are an IRA Children's Choice Award for The Legend of the Loon and an IRA Teachers' Choice Award for Win One for the Gipper. Kathy-jo lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota. John Bendall-Brunello began drawing at quite a young age, and especially loves illustrating animals and children, capturing movement and life within simple and bold compositions. He has illustrated over 60 children's books. John lives part of the year in Cambridge, England, and part in Cannes in the south of France.

Kathy-jo Wargin

Books

Your next favorite book is out there