In 2018, readers young and old met Ruford, an adventurous four-month-old eaglet from Decorah, Iowa, who was excited about his first solo flight in Ruford Visits the Farm by author and illustrator Susan Lienau. This summer, the beloved character is back in a highly anticipated sequel, Ruford Visits the Northwoods.
In his newest book, Ruford is five years old and has taken off on a grand adventure north, traveling hundreds of miles from his home in Decorah to Duluth, Minnesota. He’s excited to take in the sights, including Lake Superior and the Northwoods. But Ruford has a problem—his wing is sore from his long journey, and it hurts to fly. Luckily, he meets plenty of new friends in the Northwoods who help him get better, including someone quite lovely.
“I write about places and people I know and love,” said Lienau. “I chose to set Ruford’s second adventure in and around Duluth because it is such a jaw-droppingly beautiful area. I also based several of the animal characters in this book on some of my dearest friends. In fact, you can read all about who’s who in the character list!”
Lienau has several events planned to celebrate Ruford Visits the Northwoods. There will be a book signing at the Plum Creek Art Center in Fredericksburg, Iowa, on August 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lienau is also planning a book tour this fall that will stop in all the towns Ruford visits on his journey to Duluth. The dates and locations of the tour will be announced on the Facebook page Ruford Visits the Farm. Readers can contact Lienau through this page to order copies of both books directly. The titles are also available online at Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com.
Readers will be glad to know that Ruford’s story will continue—a third installment in the series is planned, which will focus on Ruford’s growing family. “Ruford hasn’t actually been to my hometown of Ossian yet,” remarked Lienau. “So that is where he and his main squeeze are headed to build their nest. Readers can expect so see some of my favorite places in town, including my church, Stavanger Lutheran Church, and my restaurant, Bambinos!”
Susan Lienau has resided in Ossian, Iowa, for the past 40 years. She and her husband, Ronald, own and operate Bambinos Bar and Restaurant in Ossian. She is also co-owner of Cozy Cottage Guesthouse in Decorah. Both books in the Ruford series were published through the Write Place.
