By Rebecca Hogue Wojahn

The story of a fascinating fish and the forward-thinking people who saved them in Wisconsin.

For millennia, sturgeon swam the waterways of Wisconsin. Before the 1800s, an estimated eleven million sturgeon lived in Lake Michigan alone. Menominee and Ojibwe people depended on the fish for food and harvested them sustainably. But in the early 1900s, the lake sturgeon was near extinction. Saving Our Sturgeon tells the remarkable story of lake sturgeon in Wisconsin, the conservation efforts to save the species, and what is being done to keep the population healthy and thriving today.

Readers will learn about the natural history of the lake sturgeon—its anatomy, behavior, and habitat—and the factors that threatened its survival, from overharvesting to the building of dams that prevented sturgeon from reaching spawning areas. The book, written for young readers aged ten and up, explains how government agencies, conservationists, and citizen groups worked together to save the sturgeon population in Wisconsin.

Saving Our Sturgeon includes a chapter about the Menominee Nation’s work to revitalize cultural traditions focused on the sturgeon and restore access to the fish on their reservation. The book also highlights how young people can get involved with sturgeon conservation efforts.

A great resource for classroom use, Saving Our Sturgeon contains maps, photos, and diagrams, plus a glossary of terms, a timeline of events, a Who’s Who list of individuals and groups featured in the book, and a bibliography that highlights kid-friendly sources to learn more. Young readers will learn basic facts about sturgeon biology, what it means for a species to be threatened or endangered, and how scientists use data to support repopulation. This inspiring book shares a conservation success story about one remarkable (and plenty peculiar) species of fish and shows young readers how they, too, can help protect these incredible creatures.

Find Saving Our Sturgeon at your favorite book retailer or in our online store.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca Hogue Wojahn is the author of many books for children, including the nonfiction picture book Glow: Animals with Their Own Night-Lights; the historical biography Dr. Kate: Angel on Snowshoes (Wisconsin Historical Society Press); and the educational nonfiction series Follow That Food Chain. Her books have been honored by Junior Library Guild, the National Science Teachers Association, and Bank Street Best Books of the Year, and have won numerous state and regional awards. When Wojahn isn’t writing, she talks books, fiddles with technology, and teaches kids as a school media and technology integration specialist (a.k.a. librarian) in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Anne Moser (consultant) is a senior special librarian with the Wisconsin Water Library on the Madison campus and education coordinator with Wisconsin Sea Grant. She has devoted 14 years to teaching Great Lakes literacy to all ages. 

AN INTERVIEW WITH BECKY WOJAHN & ANNE MOSER

Rebecca Hogue Wojahn

What was your research process like to prepare for writing this book?

The research process for this book was quite extensive, as it covers science, history, and current events. However, I love digging into research, especially about Wisconsin, so this was an exciting challenge.

Basically, I started with the 2009 book, People of the Sturgeon, by Kathleen Schmitt Kline, Ronald M. Bruch, Frederick P. Binkowski, and Bob Rashid, and the expertise of Anne Moser and my editor, Maria Parrott-Ryan. Their guidance presented me with some threads of the story to follow up on.

My next steps ranged from deep dives in the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives for old legislation, letters, and photos, to interviews with fish biologists, Menominee Nation tribal leaders, sturgeon enthusiasts and conservationists. I also joined in the Wisconsin sturgeon experience as much as I could so that I could add first-hand sensory details to the story. So, I ventured out to Lake Winnebago in February for the spearing season, I delighted in the sturgeon spawning at Bamboo Bend, I marveled at the Wild Rose Fish Hatchery, and I released sturgeon fingerlings into Lake Michigan. All of that found its way into the book as I wound the threads of the story back up into (hopefully) an understandable, compelling narrative.

Research wouldn’t be complete, though, without a team of people fact-checking it to make sure the research was represented accurately and clearly.

You have written several other children’s books. How was writing this book different, and did it challenge you in any way?

This book was a new challenge for me in the sense that it was the first book I’ve written with a pre-determined, targeted purpose and audience. Most books I write are for general audiences of “kids.” This one came not only with pre-conceived expectations from the people I was working with, but also the legions of sturgeon lovers throughout the state. So, I knew before I even started that it was going to be read very carefully through a distinct and varied lens. And I wanted to honor all those different stakeholders.

Other than that, I think the writing was similar. I’m a kid reader myself at heart, so I’m always on the lookout for funny details and wild facts to include. If it entertains me, I put it into the story. Luckily, there were plenty of opportunities in this book!

What was it like for you to collaborate with Anne on this project? How did you both work together to reach a final manuscript?

Oh my goodness, Anne was the visionary, the compass, and the tour guide throughout this book. As I already mentioned, she launched me on my research path. She had the expertise and connections throughout the state to point me to parts of the story that needed to be included. She brought me to sturgeon weighing stations and introduced me to Margaret Stadig, a Wisconsin sturgeon biologist. She shared videos and links and resources in a way that only a librarian can. She weighed in on details and made suggestions. This book would not be the same without her guiding hand. 

Anne Moser

Most Wisconsinites know what sturgeons are, but in very general terms. Why is this book so important for young readers?

I am not sure that most Wisconsinites do know them! When I go out and do outreach on fish, I am surprised by how many kids have never heard about them.

This is an important topic for young readers for many reasons. First, sturgeon are just incredible beings. They are sometimes called a dinosaur fish (since they’ve around since the Jurassic Period!) Their anatomy is fascinating—they have barbels (that look like long whiskers) that help them find food and scutes (bony plates) that serve as protective armor. They can grow REALLY large. The record sturgeon speared in Lake Winnebago was more than 200 pounds and 84 inches. But what’s most important about this book is its conservation story. It’s a very powerful story of many different communities coming together to bring the sturgeon back from near extinction. My biggest hope is that it inspires the next generation of stewards in our state to take care of our precious natural resources.

The history of the sturgeon in Wisconsin lakes is complex. What is one aspect of this story that you think may surprise readers?

I think readers will be very surprised by the science described in the book—there are so many interesting examples of how different experts came together, bringing their own unique knowledge to help save the sturgeon. I think readers will be surprised by how deeply rooted this story is in Wisconsin culture. It captures so much about what we love here: sitting outside in winter with family and friends, a hobby and its traditions passed down from one generation to the next, homemade ice shanties, handcrafted decoys and spears, the list goes on. It is a truly Wisconsin story.

Conservation is a major part of this book. How would you encourage everyday readers to take that message and apply it to their lives?

I really believe it’s a universal story about people who care deeply about something coming together to work toward a common goal—to help save the beloved sturgeon. I hope the book inspires younger readers to recognize that everyone has a role to play and even young people can make a difference. The conservation story of sturgeon is a powerful example of just that.