Library Happenings

Henning School

Our state of Minnesota is full of talented writers and illustrators. We are showcasing many of them through this column in the coming months. We are very grateful for these creative minds that can keep us entertained.

Mary Casanova is an author, writing mentor and a storyteller. She began writing in her teens and has spent most of her life crafting stories that matter and engage the reader, no matter the age. She gets her inspiration from her life that happens near the Minnesota-Canadian border, but she also has had novels set in Norway, Belize, and France.

Our featured book this week is “Waterfall.” This is the third book in the Rainy Lake historical novel series. In 1922, women had the right to vote and the main character Trinity Baird is of legal age to do so.  After spending two years in an asylum, she comes back to her family’s home with little to no confidence and haunting memories. The love she feels for her home is deep.  With months of recovery ahead of her, Trinity knows she needs to do the near impossible task of recovering her self esteem. The family is powerful and their efforts to coerce her submission is frightening  to her.  If you were a  woman with mental illness in the 1920’s, people referred to you as “difficult” and they wanted to silence you. This story is of a young woman who wants to find her way in life and the challenges she faces along the way.  

We purchased several of Mary Casanova’s books and we hope that you can find your way up to our library to check one out.  

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.