picture of Mike Kerr

Mike Kerr

 


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Mike Kerr is a gifted story teller and author who has written a part of his life history into this book especially for the young and the young at heart. He tells of the days of his youth, a time and a place we can no longer reach, with excitement and wonder as if we were there with him. He uses a language and prose that can be easily understood by the youth who are exploring their world and their future, and by the elders who picture a different time with nostalgia.

Mike and a Lynx Named Kitty

Mike Kerr
KiwE Publish, Ltd. (2006)
ISBN 9781931195362
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (11/06)

In the style of the great wilderness classics, Mike Kerr's touching children's book "Mike and a Lynx named Kitty," tells a story for the young and young at heart. Coming-of- age in a commercial fishing village in the remote wilderness of Alaska during the 1940’s proved a fulfilling experience for a young Kerr as he learned about nature, wildlife, and the importance of family.

Like other boys of the era, Kerr began fishing, hunting and trapping at a young age in preparation for an expected life of hard work. His playtime was filled with one amazing adventure after another as he discovered life throughout the forests of Kodiak Island, Alaska. The deep relationship Kerr builds with an orphaned lynx kitten he found on a camping trip became the defining experience of his youth, and one he still recollects with precise clarity.

Kerr shares freely his experiences about life around a fishing camp, wilderness survival, wildlife on land and sea, and respect for the environment. He adds an excitement and wonder to his storytelling that will inspire young children looking towards the future, and elders as they nostalgically remember the past. His book has been used in reading classes with great success as children become fascinated knowing it is based on Kerr’s life. This uncomplicated story expresses traditional values and brings with it a yearning for a simpler lifestyle.