Lynn Lovegreen
YA historicals in Alaska

National Library Week 2026   National Library Week is April 19-25 this year. It started in 1958 as a way to celebrate libraries, one of the oldest and most trusted institutions in America.  As I mentioned in my last post ( https://www.lynnlovegreen.com/post/akla-and-how-you-can-support-libraries ), libraries need our support now more than ever.   This year’s theme is “Find Your Joy!” You can discover many joys at the library, like stopping by your favorite library, helping a

I just returned from the AkLA 2026 conference—AkLA stands for the Alaska Library Association. Over one hundred librarians and library supporters met in Sitka for three days of sessions, networking, and reading nerdery!   Sitka is a beautiful town in Southeast Alaska-see my earlier posts about Sitka at these links: https://www.lynnlovegreen.com/post/sitka-alaska and   https://www.lynnlovegreen.com/post/sitka-s-april-fool-prank .   The AkLA conference was in the Harrigan Centen

It’s Women’s History Month, and a perfect time to honor women in Alaskan history! Today, I’ll introduce you to Susan Butcher, beloved musher and Iditarod champion. Photo courtesy of Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, source  https://alaskasportshall.org/inductee/susan-butcher/ Susan Butcher was born in Massachusetts in 1954, started dog mushing in Colorado, then came to Alaska at age 19. After she started Trail Breaker Kennel in Eureka, Iditarod founder and famed musher Joe Redingto

Open World Championship Sled Dog Races Anchorage is celebrating the 91 st Fur Rondy this year! This annual festival is known for many events, including the Open World Championship Sled Dog Races , Running of the Reindeer, Outhouse Races, Snowshoe Softball, and many, many more.     This year, Buddy Streeper broke the record for most wins in the Open World Championship Sled Dog Races —well done, Buddy! https://www.adn.com/outdoors-adventure/iditarod/2026/03/01/buddy-streeper-w

from the U.S. Mint: 2020 $1 coin featuring Elizabeth Peratrovich and Tlingit-style raven Today is Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, an Alaska state holiday for one of our most important historical figures.   Elizabeth Peratrovich (Ḵaax̱gal.aat) was of the indigenous Tlingit Lukaax.ádi clan, and the grand president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood. She and her husband worked tirelessly advocating for their community. At that time, Alaska Natives were discriminated against in public pl

Leonhard Seppala with sled dogs from his kennel. From left to right - Togo, Karinsky, Jafet, Pete, unknown dog, Fritz Note: this a reprise from a previous blog post One hundred and one years ago, the town of Nome, Alaska had a diptheria outbreak. Children in the small town were desperately ill, some even dying, and the one doctor in town, remembering the 1918 flu epidemic, was afraid the disease would spread like wildfire. Diptheria serum, an antitoxin, could nip it in the bu

I usually choose a watchword of the year to set my intention for the next twelve months. Last year’s word was Perseverance . (See https://www.lynnlovegreen.com/post/2025-watchword-perseverance .) My word for 2026 is Joy .   I choose Joy to remind myself to find joy in people, activities, and the world around me. I hope to appreciate and enjoy the big and little things in life, whether it’s a cup of tea, a great book, a lovely sunset, or time with my loved ones. Here are some

I usually set a goal to read 12 or more books in a year. I didn’t come close to meeting it this round, thanks to a new grandbaby taking most of my free time. (Good excuse, if I may say so!) But I still found several books I really enjoyed. Here is the list of my favorite reads of 2025—some were published before then, and I didn’t get to reading them until this year.   Adult books: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/fredrik-backman Another

Many of you in the lower 48 states are feeling winter weather right now. If you're tired of it, you may want to find a blog post from Hawaii or other warmer climes. But if you enjoy snow and ice, read on! This season is my favorite time to sit in a cozy spot with a cup of tea and read or write. As a matter of fact, it's my most productive time of year in those areas. But it's also nice to look out the window or enjoy a walk in the crisp, clean air. Here are a few photos of wi

This is the winter holiday season, and my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. It's all about loved ones and food--can't get any better than that! :-) I am thankful for so many people: my family and friends, other people like public servants, writers and other artists, educators and librarians. I'm thankful for things like good cups of tea, great books, movies, plays, PBS (the Public Broadcasting System) shows, music, and hearty food. I'm thankful for flowers and trees, moose an

It’s Indigenous Peoples Month, or Native Heritage Month. So here’s a roundup with authors for you to check out!   First, we are lucky to have many children’s and YA books by Indigenous authors and illustrators. If you want a great overview, I recommend Dr. Debbie Reese and Dr. Jean Mendoza’s website American Indians in Children’s Literature for reviews and extensive information about this topic. See the site at http://www.americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net .   Second,

Alaskans have a tradition of helping neighbors, Whether it’s pulling a vehicle out of a ditch or sharing salmon with our elders, we help each other. We’ve seen more examples lately.   Last week, Typhoon Halong hit Western Alaska hard. Villages up and down the coast were flooded and pummeled by high winds. Hundreds of people had to be evacuated and many others experienced damage to their homes and belongings. One of the worst aspects—many villagers live a subsistence lifestyle

Alaska is beautiful, but we don't have the fall colors that other regions are famous for. Our fall is more subtle, with yellows, golds,...

Banned Books Week has been around for a while, since the American Library Association (ALA) created it in 1982. It’s a perfect time to...

As you probably know, Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15-October 15. It’s a great time to read Hispanic/Latinx books and authors.   I’ve...

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. It’s the perfect time to celebrate our public libraries and all the services they provide.   I...

August is State Fair time here. In Southcentral Alaska, we have ours in Palmer, where the Matanuska Colony was founded in the 1930s and...

August is Happiness Happens Month. (Yes, I saw that online.) While it seems like an obscure celebration, it makes sense to consider that...

We have a raspberry patch on our property, and it's bursting with berries this time of year. While it's not as adventurous as picking...

I recently attended the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Summer Conference. I learned a lot, had fun chatting...