Rebecca Grabill Boeken

"Sweetened Condensed" is two parts sugar, three parts milk: the life of a writer and mother of six encapsulated into raw moments of lyrical free verse with the author's black and white photography. Rebecca Grabill's first collection brings her readers home to rural Michigan and into the world of a woman on the path less traveled-- wife, daughter, teacher, author, artist, poet. "Tender poems are shot through with a bracing dose of realism," writes reviewer Caroline Grant, Sustainable Arts Foundation. Author, Mary Logue describes them as "Full-bodied, rich." Ron Koertge (Olympusville) decries, "I loved the easy, outright affection in poem after poem. Each one is written with a skill that never calls attention to itself but is there on every page. "

The story follows a brave girl and her brother as they embark on a perilous journey filled with challenges. Their adventure is marked by danger, testing their courage and resilience. This tale promises to captivate readers with themes of bravery and sibling bonds as they navigate through the trials that lie ahead.

In September, Mama Earth sighs out the first autumn frost, which crunches under children’s feet. Mama Earth looks after nature’s plants and animals throughout the year—singing lullabies to fat bears in the fall, dressing evergreens in icicles in winter, and waking up the crocuses in spring. And in the summer, Mama Earth sends warm sunbeams to her beloved children, so they can play outside and enjoy the amazing world around them.With enchanting text and radiant artwork, A Year with Mama Earth offers a joyous celebration of nature’s beauty and the changing seasons.