{"product_id":"ted-kooser-more-than-a-local-wonder-9781496236777","title":"Ted Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder","description":"Named a Best New Children's Book of 2023 by \u003ci\u003eNCompass Live\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Winner \u003cbr\u003e 2024 Midwest Book Award Winner for Children's Nonfiction \u003cbr\u003e 2024 Nebraska Book Award Winner \u003cbr\u003e Semifinalist for 2024 Society of Midland Authors Award \u003cbr\u003e Longlist for Reading the West Book Award \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Long before Ted Kooser won a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, served as the U.S. Poet Laureate, and wrote award-winning books for children, he was an unathletic child growing up in Iowa, yearning to fit in. Young Teddy found solace in stories, and one specific book, Robert McCloskey's \u003ci\u003eLentil\u003c\/i\u003e, inspired him to become a writer. As a child and later, while working in the insurance industry, Ted honed his craft and unique style as he wrote about the people and places of the rural Midwest. \u003ci\u003eTed Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder\u003c\/i\u003e celebrates the power of stories and of finding oneself through words.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCarla Ketner\u003c\/b\u003e is the owner and manager of Chapters Books \u0026amp; Gifts in Seward, Nebraska. She is a former elementary school teacher and instructor of college-level children's literature courses. \u003ci\u003eTed Kooser: More Than a Local Wonder\u003c\/i\u003e is her first picture book. When not reading, writing, or connecting readers with books, she is likely to be walking her grand-dog, looking up the names of local wildflowers, baking anything that lists chocolate as an ingredient, or traveling with friends and family. She and her husband have two grown sons. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003ePaula Wallace\u003c\/b\u003e is an artist and illustrator, spending most days in her studio at the Hot Shops Art Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She has helped many authors tell their stories with her illustrations and has written and illustrated her own books, including \u003ci\u003eChoose Your Days\u003c\/i\u003e (Nebraska Children's Picture Book Award winner) and \u003ci\u003eMr. Reginald and the Bunnies\u003c\/i\u003e. Wallace employs her love of stories in arts outreach and community engagement. Her work as a fine artist has appeared in many exhibits in the United States and Italy and is held in public and private collections internationally.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"University of Nebraska Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50612823261458,"sku":"9781496236777","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_080a49ab-d5e0-40fd-864c-348d7ec5e3cb.jpg?v=1732378067","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/ted-kooser-more-than-a-local-wonder-9781496236777","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}