The poems in Balancing were inspired by the experiences of women who in the 19th and early 20th centuries sought new homes in the Upper Midwest. The first waves of pioneers predominantly Yankees from Northeastern states were soon followed by European immigrants. Few women recorded their struggles and satisfactions but by juxtaposing research and imagination Kathleen Ernst breathes new life into their forgotten stories. Kathleen Ernst is an award-winning author, educator, and social historian whose interest in the immigrant experience began while working at Old World Wisconsin, an outdoor ethnic museum in Eagle. She is the author of forty books, including the Chloe Ellefson Mysteries, A Settler's Year: Pioneer Life Through the Seasons, and historical fiction for young readers. Honors for Kathleen's work include the American Heritage Women in the Arts Recognition Award for Literature from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a Major Achievement Award from the Council For Wisconsin Writers, the Sterling North Legacy Award for Children's Literature, and an Emmy Award for Children's Instructional Programming. Visit www.kathleenernst.com for more information.
