In 2020, I took our granddaughter Ava to Medora for the first time. Ava loved it but had questions about Medora’s historical figures and how this magical town came to be. So we searched for a book to help connect the dots. We didn’t find exactly what we were seeking, so we decided to write one – and get the whole family involved!
We have nine grandkids, but only two had been to Medora. I felt they were missing out on North Dakota’s history, not to mention the experience of our state’s greatest adventure destination. I hoped that working on this book would allow them to appreciate Medora as well as leave a legacy in our family.
I pitched our idea to Randy Hatzenbuhler, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation president, who endorsed it. He suggested we interview Rolf Sletten, TRMF board member, who gave me his Medora book to use for reference. During 2022 I took our grandchildren, ages 20 to 4, to Medora, and we interviewed other experts, including Ed Schafer, Joe Wiegand, Emily Walter and Bill Sorensen. Our grandchildren kept journals, took photos and drew pictures documenting their research.
Over the course of the next few months, I wrote the manuscript and created 45 illustrations for the book. While I did the creative work, our grandkids provided the inspiration. I listened to their questions about Medora, observed what excited them, and kept them involved every step of the way. Each of the grandchildren is depicted in the illustrations as well.
The book is written in Theodore Roosevelt’s voice because our grandchildren seemed most intrigued by his Medora story. As you read it, you can imagine him reading it aloud to his grandchildren. We targeted middle-school audiences because that’s when they study North Dakota, but it turns out that “The Magic of Medora” is an easy-read resource for all ages. It has been so successful that we decided to follow up with a Coloring and Activity Book!
You can purchase a copy of The Magic of Medora and The Magic of Medora Coloring and Activity Book by clicking here. It is also available in most of the shops in Medora and on Medora's website.
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