Sandra Hisakuni
Writer | Poet | Teacher
Celebrating beauty in the wilderness and everyday living.
Sandra Hisakuni
Celebrating beauty in the wilderness and everyday living.
Letters from Lucy Loon
A Northwoods Winter Adventure
Letters from Lucy Loon is a heartwarming tale of community, curiosity, and the enduring love between a parent and child. Join Lucy Loon as she fiercely determines that she must experience the opportunity of living in the Northwoods for the winter instead of flying south with her mother, as loons do. With the help of the other parents in the Northwoods community, Lucy experiences winter with her Northwoods animal friends by learning how they live and survive in this cold climate with lots of snow. Lucy writes poems and notes on postcards to stay in touch with her mother, who reads them from her location in the warm waters off the Florida coast.
Young readers will relish learning about what animals do during cold winters, as well as have fun with the playful poetry that describes each scene. Parents will recognize the heart-aching pull of children determined to learn about life on their own terms and trusting a supportive community to help them achieve that.
Book Release date September 15, 2026
"Lucy Loon playfully reminds us to step outside our comfort zone, learn from others, and love a northwoods winter! One can't help but smile at her zest and bravery while learning of her adventures with bears, wolves, moose, otters, and others through her letters south to Mama Loon. This book is especially captivating for those fond of the wonderful creatures of the northland."— Anna Hennessy, wilderness guide, award-winning dog musher, and Iditarod finisher
"Lucy Loon takes us on her first winter adventure! We are introduced to all of her summer friends through the cold months as her mom migrates south. She is brave and wild, and by the end of her first winter in the north, she is part bear, wolf, otter, moose, and more! This is a beautiful story of bravery and friendship while being raised in community. Long live Lucy Loon!"— Emily Ford, winter explorer featured in award-winning films Breaking Trail and A Voice for the Wild
"What if a loon didn't want to fly south? With help from her wilderness friends, Lucy gets her wish and a whole lot more in this fun and playfully illustrated story about winter in the deep woods—complete with riddles, loon poetry, and airmail between Lucy and Mama Loon."— Staci Drouillard, author of A Family Tree
"A lovely picture book about how wild animals deal with a Minnesota winter, a celebration of letter-writing, and a quick primer on poetic styles. Add to this the evocative and delightful illustrations, and there is much to explore and delight in!"— Stanley Kusunoki, author of Natural Life (Nodin Press) and several other collections of poetry
"Hisakuni and Hisakuni have done it again! The winter woods come alive in this mother-daughter duo's celebration of poetry and nature. *Letters from Lucy Loon* is truly delightful!"— Suzanne Kamata, author of The Mermaid of Lake Michigan and Pop Flies, Robo-Pets, and Other Disasters
The Northland Beckons
An Illustrated Haiku Journey
The Northland Beckons
Breathe, paddle, wander, observe
Much will be revealed
Journey to the beautiful Boundary Waters of Minnesota and Canada. This sweet collection of haiku poetry allows readers to explore nature and meet the animals who call this treasured wilderness home.
In our busy, tech-filled lives, author and illustrator, mother-daughter team Sandra and Sofia Hisakuni, invite you to slow down and explore the wonders of nature through the ancient art of haiku. They draw upon their extensive experience of living in Japan and camping through the canoe country of Northern Minnesota and Canada. Through creative haiku, vibrant illustrations and author commentary, readers learn of this treasured land. For those who are familiar with the Northlands canoe country, it is a reminder to come home to our shared wilderness.
"The rhythm runs like silk over your ears as it is read aloud and delivered in a peaceful atmosphere. The tranquility in the lines will ease children…adults will enjoy the depictions of wildlife and the visions the words conjure."— Courtnee Turner Hoyle, Reader’s Favorite
"This anthology of poems captures a journey from beginning to end while showing how helpful poetry, particularly Japanese Haiku, can be as a literary device. This would make an excellent teaching tool for young and older students."— Delene Vrey, Reader’s Favorite
"Sandra’s use of poetry to describe the BWCA is captivating and Sofia’s illustrations are authentic and heartwarming. A smiling frog never looked so good."— Joe Friedrichs, Paddle & Portage
"Sandra and Sofia love the wilderness, and that love shines through the writing and illustrations. I cannot recommend this book highly enough; if I could give the book a six-star rating, I would."— Phillip Van Heusen, Reader’s Favorite