The Legend of Leelanau

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."

Format List Price Your Price Qty
$17.95 $17.95
$17.95 $17.95
$29.95 $29.95
Interest Level Grade 2 - Grade 5
Reading Level
Dewey 398.2
Lexile
ATOS Reading Level 4.8
Guided Reading Level
Publisher Sleeping Bear Press
Series Myths, Legends, Fairy and Folktales
Language English
Available Formats Hardcover (9781585361502), PDF (9781627535953), ePub (9781627538794), Hosted ebook (9781627536295), Kindle (9781627538961)
Copyright 2003, 2014
Number of Pages 48
Dimensions 9 x 11
Graphics Full-color illustrations
  • GLBA Children's Book Award Finalist, Runner-up, 2003

Four Legends - Teacher's Guide

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Author: Kathy-jo Wargin

Kathy-jo Wargin is the author of more than 45 books and 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, folklore, and its effect on all our lives. She is a frequent guest speaker and presenter for associations, school districts, and conferences throughout the country. She lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Illustrator: Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen

Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen was born in the Netherlands in 1951. With his seven brothers and sisters, he grew up exploring nature and his sketch pads were filled with observations from those family outings. Always drawing as a young boy, his father encouraged Gijsbert to make art his career. After high school, he attended and graduated from the Royal Academy of Arts in Arnhem, Holland. Gijsbert, or "Mr. Nick" as many children affectionately call him during his school visits, immigrated to the United States in 1976 and worked as Art Director for the Michigan Natural Resources Magazine for 17 years. In 1995, he illustrated his first children's book, The Legend of Sleeping Bear, finally fullfilling his dream of illustrating children's books.Residing in Bath, Michigan, Nick and his family share their 40-acre farm with sheep, horses, dogs, cats, turkeys, rabbits, chickens, pigeons and a revolving door of orphaned and injured wild life. The family's nature journals logged 20 years of wild life rehabilitation on the farm and it is through these journals that the popular Hazel Ridge series was created. The farm, the land and the animals make great subjects for the artist to paint. Mr. Nick travels to schools and conferences to share his passion for drawing—encouraging kids to make their hobby their career.

Full-color illustrations