Who's your guess?
 
 
Mystery character of the month

This character first appeared in a magazine and then only once in a single book but the character was so memorable, so winning and wonderful that the character’s name is known to this day.

Not much was written about the genesis of this character’s creation because the author died fairly young.

In fact, the author died before they ever knew how their character would endure for generations in our imagination.

But a story surfaced a while back that linked a true and extraordinary wartime recovery to the inspiration for this character.

It is said that when the story got out, it spread quickly among the towns and was a source of heartwarming endurance.

Can you guess who this character is? And which author created the character?

Here’s one more clue: Once you’ve figured out who this mystery character is, you’ll find some remarkable renderings on comic books, porcelain figurines, even jewelry.

When you’re ready with a guess, email me: kmiller@mpr.org


— Kerri Miller | MPR News
Sponsor
 
This week on The Thread
Talking Volumes: Leif Enger

Join Kerri Miller at a special on-the-road edition of Talking Volumes. She’ll be at the Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing on June 4 to talk with Minnesotan Leif Enger about his new book, “I Cheerfully Refuse.” Tickets are limited. Learn more at mprevents.org.
How to reclaim yourself
Jamie Figueroa’s new memoir, “Mother Island” is stylistically unique. She combines prose and creative nonfiction, myth and short stories to explore her memories.

As she tells Kerri Miller on this week’s Big Books and Bold Ideas, “[My mother] was concerned about how we were seen. She wanted to be included. Anything she could do to get closer to ‘white identity’ made it easier for her.”
Ask a Bookseller: ‘Martyr!’

Jessica Peterson White, owner of Content Bookstore in Northfield, Minn., recommends “Marytyr!” by Kaveh Akbar, telling of an Iranian-American’s poignant journey through addiction, grief and self-discovery.

A St. Paul teen turned to poetry to cope. Now he’s published a book of poems

Bobby Arnold doesn’t like being put in a box. The 18 year old is a Johnson High School senior, football player and published poet. He recently released his first book, a series of poems focused on Black mental health and masculinity: “The Falling Uprise.”  
Gwen Westerman reflects on three years as state’s poet laureate

Tuesday was the last day of National Poetry Month, and Minnesota Now marked the occasion by talking to the state’s very own poet laureate, Professor Gwen Westerman. She was appointed by Gov. Tim Walz in 2021, and is the third poet to hold the title in Minnesota.
As the Boundary Waters draws new visitors, journalist Joe Friedrichs shares cautionary tales from a beautiful place

Joe Friedrichs joined MPR News host Emily Bright to share what he learned while writing “Last Entry Point: Stories of Death and Danger in the Boundary Waters.”
In ‘The Unexpected,’ Emily Oster tackles the emotional toll of difficult pregnancies

The economist made a name for herself using data to challenge the accepted rules of pregnancy. Now, she’s returning to the topic with a book on how to navigate its complications.
Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe today!

Preference Center ❘ Unsubscribe

This email was sent by: Minnesota Public Radio
480 Cedar Street Saint Paul, MN, 55101