The story behind
Lenny the Loon
Lenny the Loon was first written as a tribute to my home, on Lake Minnetonka. I wanted to celebrate the amazing place where I grew up by showcasing some of the locals favorite spots. Lenny the Loon: An Adventure on Lake Minnetonka was my first self-published work. It took a year and a half to write the story, find a publisher, find my amazing illustrator, and finally have a finished product that I am proud of! The Lake Minnetonka community came out in full force to buy, support, and praise the story; helping to remind me of why I wrote the book in the first place.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that Lenny the Loon could be used in other, larger communities around Minnesota, to celebrate all that they have to offer! Lenny’s second adventure is titled Lenny the Loon: A tour of the Twin Cities, where once again the lakes and rivers are utilized to showcase many iconic locations. The end goal is for Lenny the Loon to travel all around the state of Minnesota. Teaching kids about about the different lakes and rivers, and giving locals a sense of pride for their home. While Lenny the Loon is written in a Children’s book format, the books are for the child in all of us. I hope it brings back memories of good times spent near the water, and inspires readers to take full advantage of this amazing place we call home. -Mikaela Casey, Author
About the Illustrator
Yana Popova
Yana Popova is a London-based illustrator and concept artist. Originally from Bulgaria, she started developing her skills at an early age and followed an artistic path during her education. She studied interior design at New Bulgarian University before deciding to concentrate full time on illustration. She enjoys working in both traditional and digital media using vivid and rich color schemes.
About the Author
Mikaela Casey
Mikaela Casey grew up in Woodend Shores on Lake Minnetonka. Through her adolescence and young adult years she balanced working on the lake in the summers, and competitive snowboarding around the globe in winters. In 2015 she graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor's Degree in English. Lenny the Loon is her first published work.