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There is a good bit of mystery and mischief in the eyes of Sabrina while her partner, Leah, works to complete a painting for the Felted Forest, a place of Fairies and magical creatures. Photo by Brian Larsen
I met a fairy once. It was in a small wood on a small trail when I was small. She flew to me, stopping then circling twice, dazzling me with her effervescent wings and strange trilling. She looked me square in the eye and asked me if I was real. I looked at my feet, clutched my stomach and then threw my hands over my head and looked up, spotting the clouds counting the birds and said yes, I am real. With that, she winked at me and flew off. I walked the small trail home through the small wood and thought about it and decided until that lucky chance meeting, maybe before this day, maybe I had never been real before, but now, now I was more alive than ever.”
From “Frogs, Bogs and Fairies,” the quiet Prince of a small wood.
The Story Scouts publishing club has been meeting at the YMCA after school under the tutelage of Anne Braatas. On this day, the creative team was reduced to two members because a couple of kids had to go to the dentist while activities pulled others from the fray. Meanwhile, Leah and Sabrina (wearing pink) were busy painting pictures for the Fairy Library. They also prepared stories for the Interactive Outdoor Story Trail signs placed in the Felted Forest for the Story Trail scavenger hunt held Saturday, April 3. Folks who have never visited the Felted Forest, which is located in a magical wood next to the Arrowhead Center for the Arts (ACA), were in for a great treat.
Last but not least, Story Scouts has just finished publishing a second book. At 54 pages, Safe and Happy: A children’s field guide to Thriving in a Pandemic is a wonderfully creative work of art. It comes complete with an activity guide and an online learning lab.
Braatas and the kids are giving away two hundred copies of their new book, Safe and Happy. Said Braatas, “If someone wants to give a free-wheel donation of money, that will certainly help us. But if they promise to do a good deed for someone or tell a child-friendly joke or story—we will be happy to treat you to our just-published book.”
Last December, Story Scouts distributed 350 copies of their first book, A Children’s History of Grand Marais, Minnesota: Ice Cream & Fish, and raised $3,000 through donations that went to individuals in need and service organizations.
The Safe and Happy book was funded through a generous CARES Act grant from Cook County Public Health and Human Services to help provide mental health coping resources to the community.
Story Scouts is for rural Minnesota kids, ages 5-15, who want to write, illustrate, and publish books, newspapers, comics, graphic novels, websites, blogs and more, says Anne Braatas.
A significant feature of Story Scouts is that many activities are held outdoors—away from the electronic screens that capture so much of children’s time today. Kids that participate can earn achievement badges for learning new skills demonstrating 21st Century communication competencies.
Whether they meet in forests, parks, or someone’s yard, Story Scouts practices the Norwegian Frlufsliv, which means “free air” living. It’s a great slogan for this time in all of our lives.
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