Coming soon!
$10 per book
Proceeds from the book support The Nature Place and Operation Pollination.
How to obtain a copy of the book:
- Copies will be available to purchase at The Nature Place during open community hours.
- To order a copy or inquire about bulk orders and customization, Contact Community Programs Manager, Steph Hanna, at [email protected].
- Watch for copies at local independant bookstores.
About the book and its creation...
The book, Pollinator Parade, began as a collaboration between Strive2Thrive Coulee Region, The Nature Place, and local author Nick Nichols, with editing by Rachel MacFarland and technical support from UW-La Crosse and Viterbo University Biology Departments.
Pollinator Parade is a fictional narrative that follows two siblings as they visit their grandparents’ pollinator garden, learning about the wild array of interesting creatures that “parade” through the plants and keep our ecosystem alive. Pollinator Parade includes scientifically accurate illustrations by Pete Hodapp, an insect index, and other resources for all ages to get involved in creating critical natural spaces for pollinators. It also connects readers to Operation Pollination, a partnership project aiming to restore pollinator habitats.
Books will be freely distributed to local schools. The Nature Place will utilize the book in programming and also have it available on-site for purchase. Profit sales will go back to support The Nature Place and Operation Pollination.
The Nature Place AmeriCorps members, Abby Friell and Gabrielle Arnold, have served as project managers, under the mentorship of Stephanie Hanna, Community Program Manager. Funding for this project was generously donated by Roz Schnick Consulting LLC and Strive2Thrive.
Why are pollinators important?
- Pollinators help provide us with the majority of the food we eat
- They keep our plants alive. Reminder, plants give us oxygen
- Plants and insects provide food for other living things
- They are integral to our planet’s biodiversity
- They make the world more beautiful and interesting
About the Author
Nick Nichols is a proud veteran of the United States Marine Corps, motivated by a lifetime of public service. Nick is a former recycling coordinator in Houston County, Minnesota. Prior to retirement in 2019, he was employed as a sustainabilty coordinator for La Crosse County. Nick is the author of the novel, Rednecks of the Dead (available on Amazon), and the children's picture book, I'm Hungry, I'm Hungry, I'm Hungry Too, a story that aims to educate children about hunger issues and how children can help solve them.
About the Illustrator
Pete Hodapp is a local artist who has always wanted to illustrate kid's books because of their range of possibility. His favorite ones are the ones that do not talk down to their audience and present a given topic in a truly beautiful way. This is what he hopes to do in Pollinator Parade. In 2010 Hodapp won the Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics. Mini-Comics is a term for comics that were produced and published by the artist rather than through a traditional publisher.
Special Thanks to
- Roz Schnick, as Roz Schnick Consulting, LLC, has been pursuing community service and philanthropy since the loss of her husband in 2012. Roz has dedicated her life to honoring his memory by advocating for food security and environmental sustainability. In 2023, Roz helped launch the largest Operation Pollination project, titled the "Mississippi River Operation Pollination Partnership." Roz is working with partners, including Rotary International, Mississippi River Parkway Commission, and National Heritage Areas, to launch projects up and down the Mississippi River corridor to make the Pollinator Parade children's book available everywhere.
- Strive 2 Thrive is a non-profit philanthropic organization serving the La Crosse area. Strive 2 Thrive focuses on improving the health of community members and the environemnt Pollinator Parade is one of Strive 2 Thrive's Seedling Program projects.
- Ope Publishing
- Rachel MacFarland, Editor
- Dr. Ted Wilson, Viterbo Biology Professor