*Imperfect Condition
After her Irish father died in a construction accident, Kate O’Connell and her mother were left to struggle alone in the Minneapolis of 1906. Afraid of losing her friends if Mama returned to Sweden, 12-year-old Kate goes to their pastor to pray about getting her mother a new husband. When God answers their prayers, Kate dreads what will happen. Become part of a Swedish family in northwest Wisconsin, a place where her friend Sarah says there are bears? Though Kate had always wanted a sister, what about two brothers? As Kate’s new stepbrother Anders does his best to make her life miserable, strange occurrences become a mystery. Was it just the wind that moved the bushes? What happens on a scary all-alone ride into town? And what does Papa Nordstrom mean when he tells Kate, “You’ll earn your way with Anders”?
 
Best-selling novels set in the early 1900's in Minnesota, northwest Wisconsin, and Michigan, these compelling, historically accurate stories attract reluctant, average, and gifted readers. Both boys and girls identify with characters who face danger and mystery while learning to deal with peer pressure, family relationships, and the need for unconditional love and forgiveness.
 
"In her Northwoods Adventures, Lois Walfrid Johnson blends regional history, positive values, and engaging characters with mystery to boot. The same blend occurs in the Riverboat series, making the Underground Railroad very real to young readers. Our family gathered around and read each of her books aloud."
— Harvey Stower, Mayor, Amery, Wisconsin
Former State Representative, Wisconsin State Assembly