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Dana Nelson Saugstad
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
One day, while sitting at a boat launch at Six Mile Lake in Dickinson County, Scottville native Dana Nelson Saugstad was inspired to write a children’s book. In the timespan of an afternoon, she jotted down what has now become “The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas,” a 32-page book that can be read — or sung — to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Saugstad, the daughter of Gena and Ben Nelson of Amber Township, is a 2009 graduate of Mason County Central, a 2011 graduate of West Shore Community College and a 2014 graduate of Central Michigan University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in outdoor recreation.
One may ask the question why would a “troll” write a book about the Upper Peninsula? (Yoopers often refer to people who live in the Lower Peninsula as trolls because they live under the Mackinac Bridge).
Though Saugstad grew up in Mason County, she has spent most of her adult life in either the UP or Alaska.
The inspiration for “The Twelve Days…” came in 2018 when she lived in Alaska, where she had taken a children’s literature class.
“The theme of the class was teaching Alaskan history through children’s books,” Nelson said. A couple years later she was living in Dickinson County and was curious about UP history books for children.
“There just really isn’t a lot out there,” Saugstad said.
While working for the Wild River Evasive Species Coalition her job was to go to boat launches and remind fishermen to clean their boats before and after launching. Sometimes, boat traffic was pretty light, which meant she had a lot of time on her hands.
“I had a notepad and just started writing down what has now become my book, ‘The Twelve Days of Yooper Christmas,'” she said.
Each “day” offers a topic that is part of UP culture. On the opposite page is the lyrics to the song. Topics include fishing, ten-pointers, ski jumps, loons, freighters, maple trees, mining, logging, mushing, and, of course, pasties.
Though not a native to the UP, she said she often gets a pass because she has lived in Alaska. Saugstad and her husband Joe, live in Quinnsesec, near the Wisconsin border, with their 2 1/2-year-old twins. She is now the district manager of the Dickinson Conservation District.
The book was illustrated by Emmalene Oysti of Marquette.
“It was important to me that the book be illustrated by someone from the UP,” Saugstad said. “I reached out to the art department at Northern Michigan University and was put in touch with Emmalene. She did a great job.”
The book retails for $17.95, soft cover and $24.95, hard cover.
The book is expected to be on sale locally at Book Mark – Ludington, 201 S. Rath Ave., next week. It can also be purchased online at www.bookshop.org, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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