Library Happenings

Henning School

Our featured book this week is “Lenny the Loon, an Adventure” on Lake MInnetonka by Mikaela Casey and illustrated by Yana Popova. 

The front cover of the book has an illustration of a beautiful loon with a Walleye fish jumping in the background. This is a charming story of the power of friendship shared by Lenny the Loon and his friend Wally the Walleye.  Wally decided he wants to leave lake Minnetonka and Lenny decided to guide him on his journey. Throughout the day, the two are sightseeing and talking about all the different views they are seeing along the way.  

As they leave Minnehaha Creek, meander past Al and Alma’s resort, past the Lafayette Club, under the Arcola Bridge, around Excelsior Bay and all the fun shops and places to eat, Wally realizes that “it’s hard to see the beauty of a place  when you go through life as if its a race.” Lenny teaches Wally that the beauty and peace he is searching for is right in front of him, if he will just notice it.  

Author Mikaela Casey grew up on the shores of Lake Minnetonka. This book is her first published work.  Her next book is Lenny the Loon, A Tour of the Twin Cities. This will be one of the many books we will have featured on our black slat wall in the library for the 2024-25 school year. You may notice it come home in the backpack of one of our students.  We hope you will enjoy it just as much as the students do.

The State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society has awarded the Henning Public School Library a grant in the amount of $9,325. This grant will provide over 449 books to the Henning Public School Library.

This  grant helps provide a quality learning experience for our local Minnesotans by providing exemplary library bound (as much as possible) books that feature depictions of various aspects of the State of Minnesota.  Students will develop knowledge, skills, and understanding about many areas of Minnesota by reading about Minnesota, its geography, heritage, culture, people, landforms, arts, sports, and more. Books will be purchased for all ages of people who frequent the library.  This grant will help represent diverse ethnicities and people as we are purchasing books that feature a wide variety of people who have contributed to Minnesota.  

In addition, because Minnesota history is a vital component of our middle school curriculum, we want a strong selection of books that depict Minnesota history, industries, contemporary Minnesotans, immigration, the contributions of indigenous people, Minnesota authors/illustrators, and state bird/fish/foods, etc.