Author Phyllis Alsdurf has lived in the Lake Minnetonka area for 35 years, and has taught creative writing and journalism at Bethel University for 18 years. Last month, she released her latest children’s book, Thanksgiving in the Woods, a story inspired by an annual celebration hosted by Alsdurf’s brother and sister-in-law in upstate New York, which brings together almost 200 people.
“I care about looking at the world through the eyes of a child and capturing that unique perspective in children’s books,” says Alsdurf. Thanksgiving in the Woods captures the essence of the holiday and all the special activities and connections people share when they come together around the table.
Alsdurf interviewed several of her nieces and nephews to help see what it’s like to experience this event as a child. “They love the traditions of the day combined with the freedom to run around on their own, build forts and play games in the woods, all within the orb of a wide, extended family,” Alsdurf says.
Thanksgiving in the Woods is available online through Sparkhouse and at local bookstores.
