Norma Lewis Boeken

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the halls There's just one little problem: Bears sleep through it all. Yooper the bear wants to see Santa face to face. There's just one little problem: Bears sleep through Christmas. Yooper gets around the problem by waking everyone up a few months early. Papa isn't one bit happy, and tells him Santa doesn't visit bears. Ever! But Yooper remains hopeful. He knows he's been a good cub all year - well, except for that alarm clock - but hey, you can't blame a guy for trying. Santa must have received Yooper's letter, because when he gets to Michigan's Upper Peninsula he adds one more stop to his itinerary. Yes! In the end, even Papa is a believer!

Stretching 265 miles, the majestic Grand River is Michigan's longest waterway, and it was once considered one of the Midwest's most important. The river starts as a trickle just south of Jackson and gains power as it surges toward Lake Michigan in Grand Haven. Trappers first used the river to trade with the Native American villages along its banks. Later, the lumber industry transported logs via the Grand. The river shaped the towns and cities that grew up along its banks, providing them with transportation and power for manufacturers, including the once-renowned Grand Rapids furniture industry. Fertile farmlands have always played an important role in the history of the Grand River Valley. Today, the river is used primarily for recreation, including boating, fishing, and, in Grand Ledge, rock climbing.

Grand Rapids restaurants have served up meals and memories since the city's earliest days. At Bentham's, one of the first downtown restaurants, customers without money to eat could trade an animal pelt for supper. John Sebaitis trained his German shepherd, Spooky, to serve beer to the patrons at his tavern. And a seventeen-year-old Gerald R. Ford worked part time as a server and dish washer at Bill's Place. Join Norma Lewis as she explores the history of Grand Rapids most beloved eateries and the stories behind them. Book jacket.

ALL THINGS NOW LIVING is a captivating book about recognizing our many blessings and giving thanks for them. While observing her adoptive family's Thanksgiving Day ritual, Matilda, the cat, hears a holiday hymn containing the words 'till all things now living unite in thanksgiving.' Wait a minute! She's living and so are her friends. That realization inspires her to lead her animal friends in stating the blessing they treasure most. Scooter, a rambunctious puppy, goes along with everything everyone else says, but can't seem to come up with something original. When he finally does, it's perfect, and even Matilda has to agree. This book will make a great gift to usher children into the Thanksgiving Day holiday. As one by one the animals talk about food, water, a warm place to sleep, and good people to take care them, kids will realize they should be thankful for the having the same things. Without being preached at, they will give thought to their own blessings.