Lily (and cast) welcome the Tall Ships to Duluth!

Caption: Ore boat goes under the bridge.

Thank you for joining us and helping us welcome the big ships with “Lily Leads the Way!”

How fun to celebrate Duluth's own "Lily Leads the Way" with the Tall Ships right in Lake Superior! This super fun storytime was a unique opportunity to bring Lily’s story to life. Thank you to all of our enthusiastic young actors who played all the boats and the bridge!

This event was sponsored by The Bookstore at Fitgers, Duluth’s beloved independent bookstore that specializes in Northeastern Minnesota regional books, and book readings and events for Duluth’s youngest readers.

Caption: Magri reads about how Lily leads the tall ships into the harbor with real tall ships in the background!

Caption: Coast guard cutter under the bridge!

Caption: Barque under the bridge!

Caption: Curtain call for our creative cast.

Caption: Blowing a horn to signal the bridge.

Caption: Margi signing books.

Actors wanted: Help Lily welcome the Tall Ships to Duluth!

The Tall Ships are Coming and Lily will Lead the Way!

WANTED: actors of all ages (young ones especially!) to portray sailboats, salties, sloops, schooners, and more for a little performance of LILY LEADS THE WAY. (No experience necessary—also no rehearsal needed). We hope to usher the tall ships into the Duluth harbor just like Lily does in the story!

WHEN? July 10 at 11:00 a.m.

WHERE? Lakeside Courtyard at Fitgers, Duluth, MN (indoors if weather is inclement)

WHAT? Storytime, Performance, Activities, Treats

SPONSORED BY: The Bookstore at Fitgers.

BONUS: Watch the Parade of Sail as the tall ships enter the Duluth harbor!!

West of the Moon: A Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far)

It is truly an honor to be included on this list!

Margi is over the moon that "West of the Moon" was named one of the Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far) by Kirkus Reviews. (And available once again (finally!) in paperback!)

This richly woven coming-of-age story, inspired by Norwegian folklore and the author's family history, centers on thirteen-year-old Astri, a goat girl sold by her own aunt and uncle for "two silver coins and a haunch of goat" to a nasty, old, hunchbacked goat-man named Svaalberd. Armed with a troll treasure, a book of spells and curses, and a possibly magic hairbrush, Astri makes a clever escape, retrieves her little sister, and sets off on a dangerous journey to America, over the Norwegian mountains, through field and forest, and in and out of folktales and dreams as they steadily make their way east of the sun and west of the moon.

As Margi explains in her author's note, the novel was inspired by her Norwegian great-great-grandmother, who immigrated to America in 1851, and includes reproductions of some of her great-great-grandmother's papers.

Coming in October 2025: Snowshoe Kate and the Hospital Built for Pennies

Dr. Kate Pelham Newcomb (or "Dr. Kate," as she was known to her patients) was a doctor in rural northern Wisconsin during the early 1900s, a time when very few women practiced medicine. Because the nearest hospital was over two hours away and the snowy roads were often impassable, Dr. Kate sometimes used snowshoes to reach her patients, which lead to her nickname, the "Angel on Snowshoes." She also traveled by snowmobile and even the snowplow!

In her years as a doctor, she delivered an astonishing 4,000 babies, and those same children later played a key role in the "Million Penny Parade," a massive grassroots fundraiser inspired by Dr. Kate's lifelong efforts to build a hospital in her community. Dr. Kate's dreams of being able to better serve her community finally came to fruition in 1954 when Lakeland Memorial Hospital opened — with Dr. Kate serving as chief of staff.

From Newbery Honor–winning author Margi Preus and illustrator Jaime Zollars, this picture book biography celebrates a woman who defied gender expectations and dedicated her life to helping the farthest reaches of her community.

Jaime Zollars is the illustrator of the middle-grade novel Wicked Nix and the artist behind the iconic covers of the Greenglass House series. She is also the author-illustrator of the picture book The Truth About Dragons. Her art has been recognized by American Illustration, Communication Arts, the Society of Illustrators, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, among others. She lives in Southern California.

Release date: October 28, 2025

Northwoods Writing Camp for Teen Girls

Summer 2025

Find your voice. Write your next chapter.

This five-day summer retreat is designed specifically for young writers. The experience of staying on an island to 'escape' distractions and discover their potential is truly magical for teen girls. Instead of writing to meet the requirements of a school assignment, campers learn to write their own stories for themselves.

Inspired by our guest authors and one another, this discovery process is transformative, helping girls to find their voices and gain the courage to pursue their dreams.

The dates for camp are June 11-15 or June 16-20. Applications open in December 18 and are due February 7. The cost for camp is $900. Scholarships are available to both new and returning campers.