The Legend of the Petoskey Stone

The 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.

Author: Kathy-Jo Wargin
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Published: 05/26/2004
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.03lbs
Size: 11.32h x 9.02w x 0.39d
ISBN: 9781585362172
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 4.8
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 83388 / Legend of the Petoskey Stone


Review Citation(s):
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/2005 pg. 114 - Marginal, Seriously Flawed
School Library Journal 03/01/2005 pg. 189

About the Author
Wargin, Kathy-Jo: -

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.

Frankenhuyzen, Gijsbert Van: -

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.