Michigan Kids Books

M Is for Mitten: A Michigan Alphabet (Discover America State by State) By Annie Appleford, Michael Glenn Monroe (Illustrator) Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781886947733
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: Sleeping Bear Press - September 15th, 1999

Illustrated by Michael G. Monroe

Where was the first mile of highway paved? Who was the 38th President of the United States? What is the nation's most remote National Park? What was the first bottled soda pop in this country? Find the answers to these questions and many more in "M is for Mitten: A Michigan Alphabet. "

Author Annie Appleford has written "M is for Mitten: A Michigan Alphabet" to acquaint children with the most important people, places and items that have helped mold Michigan into the tremendous state it is. Rich with gorgeous paintings by Michigan artist Michael Monroe, "M is for Mitten" is both educational for older children and entertaining for youngsters who will surely be dazzled by the diverse and colorful illustrations from cover to cover.

Kids can climb an Evergreen tree, hop on the back of a Robin, fly with him of the Mackinac Bridge through the Upper Peninsula for a visit to Isle Royale, before going to Detroit to drink Vernor's and then to Battle Creek to eat Kellogg's cereal. They can paddle in a birch bark canoe with Native Americans in and out of our many Harbors and then head to Lansing for a visit to the Capital. "M is for Mitten: A Michigan Alphabet" is an all expense paid trip from shore to shore through the Great Lakes State, and you won't need a map - just look at your hand.


Chickadees At Night By Bill O. Smith, Charles R. Murphy (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Bill O. Smith, Charles R. Murphy (Illustrator)
$18.85
ISBN: 9780615569727
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: Sleepytime Press - March 15th, 2012

Who knew that chickadees were party birds, fun-loving and frisky as flying puppies? Chickadees At Night is a book for all who love beauty and the natural world, who love family snuggles, and not least of all it's a bedtime flight of fancy for lovers of whimsy and tickled tummies. Lyrical, clever text. Gorgeous illustrations.


$18.95
SKU: 9780989523806

Chickadees bend and weave tall pines into a bright snowy dome for a forest animal celebration in winter. Told in rhymed verse


$19.35
SKU: 9780989523844

There's big, BIG trouble at the North Pole the month before Christmas. The Wheel-O-Matic is going wacky. A truck is stuck in the Candy Cane Forest, and even the reindeer forgot how to stop! But the biggest problem of all? A jolly someone, I won't say who (but his favorite color isn't blue), needs his list - fast! But who can he count to check up on every boy and every girl in every corner of the world? CHICKADEES IN DECEMBER is an illustrated 32-page hardcover book that answers that question.


$19.95
SKU: 9780989523813

Around the world, the gifts of Christmas arrive in beautiful and unexpected ways in the wee hours of the morning. But closer to home, one little girl knows that the gift she wants most will never arrive until a soldier comes home. "Four a.m. December 25" honors the spirit of the holiday season by donating all profits from book sales to worthy veterans' organizations.


$18.95
SKU: 9780998522272

Finally, the board book that Traverse City has been waiting for!  Mandy Toomey brings us GOOD NIGHT, TRAVERSE CITY, with many familiar people and places.  The Beach Bums, Moomers Ice Cream and the Grand Traverse Pie Company all make an appearance.


Michigan Monsters: A Search and Find Book By Rebecca K. Moeller (Text by (Art/Photo Books)), Karina Dupuis (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Rebecca K. Moeller (Text by (Art/Photo Books)), Karina Dupuis (Illustrator)
$9.99
ISBN: 9782924734100
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: City Monsters - April 10th, 2018

Do you know Michigan?

The Great Lakes State attracts people from all over the world--even little monsters Did you know that? Monsters are masters of camouflage who can easily hide in plain sight. They marvel at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, salute musical legends at the Motown Historical Museum and even prowl the North Breakwater Lighthouse undetected

Have fun spotting them all as you explore some of Michigan's most iconic landmarks and sights, including Greenfield Village in Dearborn, the national Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Mackinac Island, the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, the capitol building in Lansing, Michigan Stadium and Tahquemenon Fall State Park.

  • A search-and-find book that's both fun and educational;
  • Explores famous locations in the state of Michigan;
  • Colorful illustrations to keep the little ones engaged.


In this Michigan based book...When a Bigfoot thinks he lost his mitten, he's off on a fantastic adventure searching Michigan with a sassy robin. This engaging, humorous book takes you on a delightful ride to some of Michigan s most wonderful sites. The touching ending proves that what you may think you lost, can really be found in your home state.


S Is for Sleeping Bear Dunes: A National Lakeshore Alphabet By Kathy-Jo Wargin Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781585369171
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: Sleeping Bear Press - April 1st, 2015

Following the alphabet this book uses poetry and expository text to explore the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which is located along the northwest coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Named for its famed dunes, this national part was designated the "Most Beautiful Place in America" in 2011 on ABC's Good Morning America show. Topics include the park's many natural features such as its dune formations, beaches, and forests, as well as its numerous cultural attractions, including an 1871 lighthouse.


The Legend of Leelanau (Myths) By Kathy-Jo Wargin, Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9781585361502
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: Sleeping Bear Press - April 4th, 2003

The young maiden Leelinau is forbidden from going into the Spirit Wood. But Leelinau so enjoys her time spent there with the Pukwudjinees (the tiny fairies of the forest) that she risks playing with them time and time again. The legend explores the resistance many of us harbor of entering adulthood. This is the fifth title written by Kathy-jo Wargin and illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen in our Legend series which currently has 400,000 copies in print. The Legend of the Sleeping Bear, the title that began the series, is the official State of Michigan childrens's book. Leelinau was so happy to be in the Spirit Wood once again that she began to dance all around. Then she sat down amidst a mess of large tree roots that fit like a chair made just for her. But this time, as she sat there to rest, she heard strange whispers. At first, Leelinau thought it sounded like baby robins trying to catch their first breaths, or ferns being tossed back and forth in the wind. But Leelinau wasn't quite sure, so she listened more carefully. She heard more whispers, and then voices. Leelinau became frightened. Her heart pounded like a large drum in her chest, and her throat felt tight and narrow.


The Legend of Sleeping Bear (Legend (Sleeping Bear)) By Kathy-Jo Wargin, Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9781886947351
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: Sleeping Bear Press - October 1st, 1998

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. More than twenty years later, this story of enduring maternal love continues to resonate with readers young and old.


The Legend of the Petoskey Stone (Legend (Sleeping Bear)) By Kathy-Jo Wargin, Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9781585362172
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: Sleeping Bear Press - May 26th, 2004

Illustrated by Gijsbert van FrankenhuyzenThe sixth tale in our Legend series, The Legend of the Petoskey Stone focuses on the naming of this unique fossil, found only on the shores of Lake Michigan. From the ancient, warm sea that covered most of the state, through Native American history and the history of the town named after a great chief, The Legend of the Petoskey Stone is a welcome addition to the fables so richly told and illustrated by this much-loved and honored children's book team.Author Kathy-jo Wargin has earned national acclaim through award-winning children's classics such as Michigan's official state book, The Legend of Sleeping Bear, Children's Choice Award winner The Legend of the Loon, The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell, and many others. Kathy-jo enjoys writing about nature and its effect on all our lives, and is a frequent guest speaker throughout the country. She is also a faculty member of the Bear River Writers Workshop, sponsored by the University of Michigan. She lives in Petoskey, Michigan. Since the publication of The Legend of Sleeping Bear, artist Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen has been an established presence in the world of children's book illustration. His many other titles with Sleeping Bear Press include The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell, Adopted by an Owl, Jam & Jelly by Holly & Nellie, and The Legend of Leelanau. Gijsbert and his family live in Bath, Michigan.


Little Michigan (My Little State) By Denise Brennan-Nelson, Michael Glenn Monroe (Illustrator) Cover Image
$9.95
ISBN: 9781585364794
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: Sleeping Bear Press - February 4th, 2010

A Board book for each state. State birds, flowers, trees, and animals brought to board book form for the youngest book lovers. Toddlers will delight in these books filled with rhyming riddles, framed by brightly painted clues that introduced elements that make each state so special.


Our Michigan!: We Love the Seasons By Sleeping Bear Press, Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen (Illustrator) Cover Image
$17.95
ISBN: 9781534111356
Availability: On Our Shelves Now!
Published: Sleeping Bear Press - April 15th, 2021

For anyone who has ever dipped a toe in one of its Great Lakes, walked through one of its golden forests, or stood atop one of its sandy dunes, the natural beauty of Michigan is etched in the mind. From north to south and east to west, the state offers bountiful opportunities for outdoor enjoyment. Written as a read-aloud for families to share, Our Michigan We Love the Seasons is a nature walk through the state. Child-friendly text follows the four seasons, offering readers "you-are-there" armchair vacations through stunning visual postcard-like scenes. Arts and crafts activities using natural elements are featured in the back matter. Illustrated by acclaimed Michigan wildlife artist Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen (The Legend of Sleeping Bear), Our Michigan We Love the Seasons is a love letter to the state, celebrating its natural splendors, as well as an invitation to readers of all ages to head outdoors.