Celebrate the launch of the Shrew Detective!

Meet Minerva Shrew, the detective you didn’t see coming, probably because she is only two inches long, including her tail.

Although she is small, she wants to do big things, like solve the mysteries of life and the universe. In spite of her size, she has a capacious intellect, a vast vocabulary (attributable to her wallpaper, pages of a human dictionary), and, owing to her breakneck metabolism, a gigantic appetite for gourmet bug snacks!

Join the fun:

Get a sneak peek into THE SHREW DETECTIVE: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls at Red Balloon Bookshop, May 21 at 6 pm and Zenith Bookstore, May 23 at 11 a.m. with a short reading, a treasure hunt, a mystery game, and plenty of bug snacks (Lice Krispie treats? French flies? Croiss-ants?) Fun for tykes and grown-ups alike! 

What the reviews are saying:

“This pick will thrill advanced early readers and seems ready-made for family read-togethers. A pint-size and plucky delight!” — Booklist starred review

“a radiant series opener” — PW starred review

“a delightfully entertaining series opener. . . an intriguing and educational mystery” — SLJ starred review

“Wordplay, smart solution, a fantastic mystery, and shrew facts? Meet your new favorite detective!” — Kirkus starred review

Society of Midland Authors Announces 2026 Award Winners and Honorees

Snowshoe Kate is a honoree!

The Society of Midland Authors today announced its annual awards, honoring its choices for the best books by Midwestern authors published in 2025. In each category, a panel of literary judges chose a winner as well as honorees whose work was also deemed worthy of recognition.

Margi’s book, Snowshoe Kate and the Hospital Built for Pennies, was an honoree for the children’s reading round table award for children’s nonfiction.

The category winner was Laurie Lawlor, Many Voices: Building Erie, the Canal That Changed America. Other honorees include:
— Ruth Spiro, How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up
— Katie Venit, Cassini’s Mission: A Spacecraft, a Tiny Moon, and the Search for Life Beyond Earth

You can see the complete list of all 2026 winners here >

Snowshoe Kate is featured in Snowshoe Magazine!

Who knew there was a magazine dedicated to snowshoe enthusiasts?

It was wonderful to chat with reporter and avid snowshoer, Rick Stedman, about Dr. Kate. Margi was touched by this thoughtful review.

“Written as a fully illustrated picture book, Snowshoe Kate and the Hospital Built for Pennies is ideal for readers ages 6–9. But its message—community, perseverance, and compassion—resonates well beyond that range.

Available through major booksellers, this is a story that earns two thumbs up for its engaging narrative, rich historical detail, and heartfelt illustrations. It’s the kind of book that keeps readers engaged from start to finish—whether they’re six or sixty.

In fact, my grandson William, an avid reader, will soon be receiving a copy for his ninth birthday.”

You can read the full review and interview with Margi at www.snowshoemag.com >

2026 Arrowhead Libraries Tour: "We Are All Storytellers"

April 20 to May 9, 2026

The Arrowhead Library System is presents “We Are All Storytellers,” featuring Margi Preus.

These events are free and open to the public and will take place at various participating ALS libraries and host locations from April 20 to May 9, 2026.

Join Minnesota author Margi Preus for an engaging presentation that inspires young writers from Pre-K to 8th grade, as well as adults. This free event will explore the stories behind stories, involve a group storytelling activity, and provide valuable writing tips. Margi will highlight that everyone is a storyteller with a unique tale to share. The program lasts fifty minutes and is suitable for all ages.

"We Are All Storytellers" is sponsored by Arrowhead Library System, was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF).

For more information about Arrowhead Legacy Events, visit their calendar at www.alslib.info or like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/alslibinfo.

Windswept: Coming out in paperback, April 28, 2026

Margi Preus’s gripping middle-grade fantasy about a girl who must save the children of her world from being “windswept,” is coming out in paperback, April 28, 2026.

In Tag’s world, children are disappearing. “Youngers” who venture Outside are windswept—vanishing in the swirling snow—Tag’s sisters among them. Many have tried to find the lost children; all have failed. And since the Other Times, the Powers That Be seem intent on keeping it that way.
 
Little remains from those times: snippets of songs, heaps of plastic trash, and a few banned texts—including a book of fairy tales.
 
An unlikely crew of Youngers join forces—Boots, who can climb anything, Ant, who will eat anything, Ren, who will say anything, and Tag, who doesn’t appear to have any talent whatsoever. With their dubious skills, the fairy tales, a possibly magic ribbon, and an unwillingness to accept “that’s impossible,” they set off to rescue their windswept siblings in this spellbinding fantasy.
 
Includes a map and black-and-white illustrations by award-winning artist Armando Veve >