Norma Lewis Livres

'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.

Ottawa and Pottawatomi Indians called Muskegon home at least 200 years before Jean Baptiste Recollect opened his trading post in 1836. Michigan's abundant forests created the logging industry. Lumber mills flourished as the Muskegon River and Lake Michigan provided easy transport. The city was called the Lumber Queen, and it was said that Muskegon lumber built Chicago. The lumber barons' influence is still felt. Charles Hackley's name graces a major street, park, library, and hospital, and the local hockey team is called the Lumberjacks. Shipping followed, with Brunswick, Sealed Power, and Continental Motors among the industrial heavyweights. Residents have also appreciated cultural pursuits. The famed Actors' Colony, founded by the Keaton family, is where Buster honed his vaudeville skills before hitting the big time. Max Gruber's Oddities of the Jungle act featured an elephant that rode a tricycle and bowled. Former area residents include M*A*S*H star Harry Morgan, astronaut David Leetsma, two Miss Americas, singers Iggy Pop and Wayne Static, and sports greats Earl Morrall, Bobby Grich, and Nate McLouth. Snowboarding began here but was called "snurfing" (snow surfing).

"Countless Michiganian women performed extraordinary acts that challenged and improved the world. Madame Marie-Therese Cadillac served as the medicine woman in the frontier that became Detroit. Annie Taylor survived rolling over Niagara Falls in a barrel. After suffragist Anna Howard Shaw fought to vote, the state saw an influx of women running for office. In the 1970s, East Lansing's Patricia Beeman aided in efforts to end apartheid in South Africa. Suellen Finatri showcased an extreme side of equestrian sports by riding more than four thousand miles from St. Ignace to Skagway, Alaska. And World War II army flight nurse Aleda Lutz evacuated more than 3,500 wounded soldiers and is still recognized as one of America's most decorated servicewomen. Author and historian Norma Lewis commemorates the women who boldly left their marks."--Back cover.

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.