This delightfully quirky and artistic collection of tales is wrapped in stunningly original artwork, words, and themes that will leave your mind wandering and pondering long after you’ve put the paperback down. What more could you ask for from a book produced from a wholesome friendship between two talented artists, Natalie Salminen Rude, and Jordan Sundberg, and the owner of Fika Coffee, Josh? It’s hard to imagine that things can get any more whimsical than that, but wait until you hear about the Fables of the North Shore!

“Fables of the North Shore is a multidisciplinary and collaborative storytelling project inspired by the North Shore region of Lake Superior.

We drew spark from folktales, fables and our own kooky daydreams – all in hopes this would bring our community together around the campfire of local, shared stories, exaggerated tales and a plethora of artistic mediums.

The fables and visual illustrations before you are woven with nostalgic, beloved, silly, wise and favorite Lake Superior North Shore elements and characters.
You’ll see patterns, criss-crossed connections and characters formed. May you smile! Relate! Chuckle! Be inspired!

And may you learn you should always have a canoe paddle on hand! We hope these stories and their art bring life and light and maybe a reflection or two.“

– Synopsis of Fables of the North Shore
by Natalie Salminen Rude & Jordan Sundberg

Who Wrote Fables of the North Shore?

Fables of the North Shore was brought to life by two incredibly talented artists, Natalie Saimien Rude and Jordan Sundberg, who love creating memories on Lake Superior and writing quirky stories that become books about fables.

I had the wonderful opportunity to correspond with both artists and have a lovely chat about their artist journies and the fabulous, collaborative experience of creating Fables of the North Shore. To say I felt privileged to connect with two talented individuals and take a peek inside their creative process is an understatement. Especially coming from a bookworm like myself, I was super duper excited, even more so after finishing Fables of the North Shore and writing a book review!

With that being said, let’s hear straight from the artists themselves about their thoughts and feelings when crafting in tandem to bring Fables of the North Shore to life and become a classic on Lake Superior book about fables. Fair warning: you’re most definitely going to want to buy a copy of Fables of the North Shore after reading their responses to these questions. They’re so full of life, passion, and FUN; you can’t help but feel giddy right along with them!

[Question asked to Natalie Saimien Rude] Can you share with us the inspirational spark that was ignited to begin the epicness of Fables of the North Shore?

The initial spark was the fabulous Mr. Joshua Lindstrom, owner of Fika Coffee in Lutsen. He invited Jordan Sundberg and I to collaborate on a show for Fika. He said, “Why don’t you guys do something around your friendship?” We were thrilled at the idea and since neither of us had collaborated with another artist before to this extent we were jazzed at all the possibilities of what we could do. Jordan had the brilliant idea of writing fables right away. Art-filled storytelling around the place we loved best? It was an obvious lightening bolt “Yes!” for both of us.

[Question asked to Jordan Sundberg] What was it like to collaborate on the book “Fables of the North Shore” with Natalie Salminen Rude? Could you tell us about the book itself?

A gift! Best described as two friends playing! We got to experience the joy of openhearted collaboration where creativity builds upon itself in magical ways. We both had the perspective that anything could be possible and went along following the happy trail of ideas that came from that!

[Question asked to Natalie Saimien Rude] What did you take away from your collaboration on Fables of the North Shore with Jordan Sundberg that you feel may inspire you in your future projects?

At the onset of the project we both sensed a very divine invitation to play. I truly believe that accessing our childlike wonder, freedom, silliness and unique sense of playfulness is where every single project should begin. Even projects for me that have a more serious nature are still rooted in play. It comes from a confidence of knowing that I’m loved and there’s nothing I can do, no performing or striving, to make my work any more legitimate than it already is. The Fables are such a great reminder of that. And as far as collaboration goes, Jordan and I learned heaps and had such a ball throughout the entire adventure. I loved how collaborating pushed us further than if we had set out to do the project alone. Our friendship deepened and we were able to offer each other tremendous amounts of encouragement. Our playfulness tumbled into not only a successful project but into the wisdom that seriousness doesn’t necessarily guarantee success, though that is something the world would like us to believe. The spoils from these victories will live long into my future projects.

What has life been like after Fables of the North Shore came out? Do readers have any favorite parts?

Life has been an even greater hoot since the Fables came out! Jordan and I talk often of how much ding-dang fun we had and the best part is seeing how others immediately pick up on that just by reading the fables and engaging with the illustrative art work. There is such a radiant joy in these stories that folks can’t help but catch. Readers have so many favorites! It’s impossible to nail down a single favorite, but I would say that one of the highlights for me in seeing how folks connect with the stories and characters is how they bring the fables to life in their own way. A few examples: we had a Nordic ski club in Duluth perform “The Wizard in Denim” (a fable about skiing in jeans) as a skit for a fundraiser, Jordan and I organized a “Ski in Jeans” party at a local ski hill (absolutely hilarious as you can imagine!) and currently there is a dance company in Minneapolis using the fable “Silma the Smelt” as fodder for their choreography and story line for an upcoming performance. We have also received many videos of people reading the fables to others. There is a shared, communal joy within this little book that just has to come out and into real life. It’s wild.

If that wasn’t awe-inspiring enough, you’ve got to get your bookish hands on a copy of Fables of the North Shore and explore all of the whimsy for yourself. From the artwork that graces every page to the intricate wonderous words that will skip about the imaginative valleys in your mind, Fables of the North Shore is at the top of my list of the best books about fables. It would also make a terrific gift for your loved one who loves being on Lake Superior!

You can become even more dazzled by these fantastical artists by reading their one-on-one interviews right here On Lake Superior! Take a gander and read more about Natalie’s journey here, and become full of inspiration and wonder by reading more about Jordan here. And be sure to check out Natalie’s website and Jordan’s website to explore more beautiful artwork and learn more about these remarkable artists!

Fables of the North Shore Review

From the get-go of the introduction, ‘Joy-Filled Fruition,’ I was filled to the brim with a warm glow of optimism, silliness, and giddiness to start reading this book! It’s the perfect way to set the tone for such an adoring collection of on Lake Superior Tales. You’ll have to keep yourself from completing this captivating book in one sitting because it’s entertaining, dazzling with artwork page to page, and such a fun and refreshing read.

As someone who has read collections of tales before, you can sincerely tell that a huge amount of passion, thoughtfulness, detail, talent, and love went into every single page by both artists, Natalie Salminen Rude and Jordan Sundberg. Sometimes, it feels as though a book has been produced for the sole purpose of cycling through the shelves and pushing out millions of copies. There isn’t nearly enough heart and soul in it. That is not the case with Fables of the North Shore! This book is packed tight like a vintage suitcase, overflowing with great intentions, friendship, silliness, and quirky fables with incredible multimedia art.

Fables of the North Shore (Available to purchase on Etsy and at Dovetail Cafe!) is gorgeously and thoughtfully put together. Its array of small details (both in printing quality and humorously printed notes) creates an entire fictional experience that you’re immersed in from the time you start and finish. Heck, even after the fact! I’ll never see skiing, and long silver breads the same again– in the best way, too!

To get an idea of the Fables of the North Shore vibe and length, here’s the Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Joy-Filled Fruition
• Silma the Smelt || Page 1
• The Swimmer || Page 11
• The Portager and the Pellet || Page 22
• The Adventures of Grandma Ray || Page 29
• The Wizard in Denim || Page 41
• Acknowledgments & Catalogue

Each of these stories is wrapped in abundant messages of admiring the natural wonders around you, appreciating and never underestimating the great Lake Superior, life-saving canoe oars, thimbleberries, and stone-washed Levis. While reading Fables of the North Shore, I never knew where the fables would lead me, and the excitement of reading stories that took place on Lake Superior was enchanting. Each one left me inspired and with a drive to go out and experience a grand adventure!

I absolutely adored that at the end of each Fable, there was something to be learned, and you’ll have to see that for yourself! I highly recommend this book to everyone and anyone who loves being on Lake Superior and for those who are looking for a spark of creativity. Fables of the North Shore sent channels of inspiration and playfulness swimming throughout my brain; I’m more than positive it’ll do the same for you.

Check out Fables of the North Shore, as well as the incredible artists who brought it to life, Natalie Salminen Rude and Jordan Sundberg, as well as the coffee shop they couldn’t have done it without, Fika Coffee.

“This is easily one of the quirkiest, wittiest, loveliest, and most artistically filled adventures of fables along the great Lake Superior that I’ve ever encountered.

The humor laced throughout the entire book, from the back cover to the entertaining tales and their characters, is chef’s kiss brilliant.

Gorgeous sets of multimedia art accompany each fable, and to know that these two artists (Natalie Salminen Rude & Jordan Sundberg) came together and in collaboration with their community makes this book all the more special and dripping with rich optimism and inspiration.

This is only volume one; I certainly hope to see more Fables of the North Shore in the future because I loved this book!”

– B.A. McRae, GoodReads Review,

Thank you for taking the time to read this book review of the fantastical and magical Fables of the North Shore right here on Lake Superior. When we rally together and support our local artists, authors, coffee shop owners, and each other, we make being on Lake Superior that much more special. We’d love to have you join our Facebook Community so we can keep the good lake vibes rolling—I hope to see you there!

This incredible new release of Erin Soderberg Downing’s is one of the over 100 books she has authored. See why I used the word rockstar earlier? And if you think that’s interesting, wait until you read about our Q & A session with Erin Soderberg Downing later in this article. You’re in for an inspiring treat!

If you like to browse the hiking books aisle or are on the prowl for books for middle schoolers, ‘Just Keep Walking‘ is a must-add to your TBR! (To Be Read, all the cool kids are saying it. And by all the cool kids, I mean us bookworms. So, I stand by my previous statement: we are the cool kids!)

‘Just Keep Walking’ by Erin Soderberg Downing

Here’s the epic story we’re diving into, an awesome find if you love books about hiking or books for middle schoolers. Truthfully, I don’t believe books for middle schoolers have to be exclusive to that age group. If a book sounds like it’s up your alley, give it a go! I know I put ‘Just Keep Walking‘ on my Goodreads TBR!

Here’s a synopsis of this inspired by true events on the Superior Hiking Trail story by Lake Superior-area Author Erin Soderberg Downing, ‘Just Keep Walking‘.

Two years after her parents’ surprising and painful split, twelve-year-old Jo and her mom find themselves on the 100-mile hike on the Superior Hiking Trail along Lake Superior’s north shore –a journey that Jo had always looked forward to hiking with her dad. It’s not a situation that either of them ever predicted they’d find themselves in, yet here they are in the wilderness with their entire lives stuffed into a pair of thirty-pound packs.

Along the trail, they’ll suffer through endless aches and pains, scorching heat, and crippling self-doubt. They’ll encounter bears, moose, and other wildlife and meet and collect an assortment of unlikely friends. Day after day, Jo will battle the incessant thoughts that come in and out of her head. But as one obstacle after the next continue to test her strength and ultimate survival, Jo will have to confront her greatest fears head on and learn how to be alone.

What begins as a journey to prove to her father that she and her mom can make it on their own turns into a quest to rediscover their strength, build resilience, and prove that they can survive—both for themselves and for each other.

Read more about ‘Just Keep Walking’ and about Erin Soderberg Downing here!

Erin Soderberg Downing’s books ‘Just Keep Walking‘ and ‘Controlled Burn‘ are impressively and perfectly sitting on the shelf of the Children’s Bestsellers on the Midwest Indie Bookseller List, a major accomplishment, and earned the title of Best Selling Author. Way to go, Erin!

Q & A with Erin Soderberg Downing

I had the wonderful opportunity to correspond with Erin Soderberg Downing and ask her a few questions about her experience on the Superior Hiking Trail with her son, her writing, and what she loves about being on Lake Superior.

I’d also encourage you to read her article “How Hiking 310 Miles Helped Build a Novel—and Taught Me a Few Things About Writing Along the Way“ to learn even more about her remarkable journey with her writing and her own inner strength as she took on the Superior Hiking Trail by herself after her and her son’s adventure together. It was an incredibly inspiring read, and I hope it brings a spark of hiking enthusiasm in you as it did for me!

OLS:
It’s interesting how we, as writers, can sprinkle a lot of ourselves in our works without noticing at times. You’ve mentioned in your guest article, “How Hiking 310 Miles Helped Build a Novel—and Taught Me a Few Things About Writing Along the Way” that during your writing process, you realized that your character and yourself both had a fear of being out on the trail for a few nights on your own. Were there any other characteristics/quirks that you discovered that you slipped into the characters and story from you or your son?

Erin Soderberg:
The main character in this novel, Jo, is absolutely a combination of me and Henry. I took the best parts of both of us, and smushed them into one 12-year-old girl. I love the way Jo uses humor during hard times to help her get through – that’s a quality I try to employ in my own life, so I wanted to be sure that was something I focused on with this character. She also has a lot of self-doubts at the beginning of the story, which is also something I’ve dealt with in my own life (haven’t we all??). I totally use real people to inspire my characters, since I think that really helps to make them feel more relatable to readers.

OLS:
When hiking on the Superior Hiking Trail, did you find Lake Superior inspiring when it was in view?

Erin Soderberg:
Henry and I had a rule that anytime we came to a beautiful overlook (especially of the big lake!) we would take out our little camp chairs and sit and read and enjoy the view for at least 20 minutes. Those moments of rest and recovery are what helped keep us going – and anytime we were having a particularly frustrating day, a glimpse of my beloved Lake Superior could always turn things around!

OLS:
What elements of the Superior Hiking Trail set it apart from other trails that you’ve ventured on?

Erin Soderberg:
I love that there are so many beautiful vistas – every day afforded different views, terrain, and experiences that kept the experience feeling fresh. In fact, there were so many beautiful views that Henry and I realized we’d started taking some of them for granted! That’s when we knew it was time for us to take a break from our distance hike, and come back when we could appreciate each moment of beauty more fully!

OLS:
Did you have an inner message of strength/positivity that you would give yourself during your expedition to encourage yourself to keep on going?

Erin Soderberg:
Henry and I traded off bad days during our hike, just like Jo and her mom do on their journey. We had to lean on each other to keep going, and when one of us was feeling down, the other would pick up the positivity-slack and keep the other moving along. We also promised ourselves at least one candy bar each day, which was a great motivator!

OLS:
When you think back on this remarkable trip, what’s one of the first memories that pop into your head?

Erin Soderberg:
The night we sat on the cliffs at the top of Section 13, and an eagle flew by right at eye level. It was so unbelievable, and with the sun setting and the sky painted magical colors, it was a truly restorative moment on our hike.

OLS:
If you could have given a message to your future self before you and your son started your expedition, what would you have said?

Erin Soderberg:
JUST KEEP WALKING! It’s worth it.

OLS:
“Just Keep Walking” is a brilliant way to capture such an impactful moment in your and your son’s life (and relationship!). Do you think your epic adventure will inspire another novel?

Erin Soderberg:
I don’t think I’ll write another trail adventure, but I do think this book helped me figure out that writing books set in the upper Midwest make me happiest as a writer. I love capturing that sense of place, and sharing the beauty of our area with people who have never visited the Great Lakes region!

Superior Hiking Trail Information

The Superior Hiking Trail is a gorgeous 310-mile adventure waiting to happen on Lake Superior. This hiking journey takes place in Minnesota, and the trail itself snakes through eight Minnesota State Parks! An average hike-through time is somewhere between two and four weeks, but you can take the Superior Hiking Trail section by section or go for a day hike.

The Superior Hiking Trail’s epic beginnings take place in Jay Cooke State Park and come to a close near the Canadian Border. Before your epic journey begins, you can get your adventure snack and drink of choice to get amped up at Dovetail Cafe in Duluth, MN (a part of the Superior Hiking Trail)!

Want to find more hiking on Lake Superior? Check out our hiking section!

Supporting a Lake Superior-area Author can go a long way; please consider checking out Erin Soderberg Downing’s books on her website and spreading the word about her fantastic stories!

Thank you for stopping by On Lake Superior! I hope to see you on our Facebook Page to continue sharing joy, memories, news, and kindness on Lake Superior.