Sky Blue Water · Great Stories for Young Readers

From the Dakota people who first inhabited the state to its generations of immigrants and today s residents, Minnesota has long had a vibrant and unique storytelling tradition. A rich and often under appreciated part of this tradition is youth storytelling a movement of which Minnesota is a national forerunner. Here, for the first time, two of the state s beloved independent booksellers collect a wide array of short stories for young readers that pay homage to Minnesota's diverse cultures and stunning landscapes.

*Sky Blue Water* celebrates young adult and intermediate fiction from some of Minnesota s most beloved and award-winning authors to emerging talents and many more.With each turn of the page, every young reader will find a poignant and relatable story: tales of discovering hidden truths about one s family, dealing with a difficult bully, and falling for the new kid who dresses like a cowboy, as well as settings from Rainy Lake to Lake Calhoun and time periods from Prohibition to the present day. Featuring primarily never-published stories, this anthology beautifullycaptures the essence of a Minnesota adolescence in twenty short stories and poems. *Sky Blue Water* features a Q Swati Avasthi; Kelly Barnhill; Mary Casanova; John Coy; Kirstin Cronn-Mills; Anika Fajardo; Shannon Gibney; Pete Hautman; Lynne Jonell; Kevin Kling; Margi Preus; Marcie Rendon; Kurtis Scaletta; Julie Schumacher; Joyce Sidman; Phuoc Thi Minh Tran; Anne Ursu; Sarah Warren; Stephanie Watson; Kao Kalia Yang.

"