2025 North Dakota Great Read titles announced

BISMARCK — Two books by North Dakota authors have been selected as the 2025 North Dakota Great Read titles.

The North Dakota State Library’s Center for the Book chose “What We Leave Behind” by Minot native Barb Solberg and “Sir Rupert and the Battle of the Squirrels” by RubyAnn Stiegelmeier for the annual honor.

The books will be highlighted at the National Book Festival on Sept. 6 in Washington, D.C., along with books from every other state, according to a press release. The Library of Congress requests that each state’s Center for the Book selects books that represent its local literary landscape.

“What We Leave Behind” published in 2022 and focuses on Norwegian immigrants who come to America in pursuit of a better life, and end up sending three daughters to Norway to live with wealthy relatives. However, the oldest ends up marrying a Norwegian man and Germans invade Norway, tearing the family apart and setting in motion a journey of trying to reconnect.

The historical fiction novel is based on Solberg’s ancestors, according to an

April 5, 2022 Minot Daily News article.

She became interested in her Norwegian ancestors after visiting relatives in 1975 and again in 2015. She supplemented characters for the story from ship manifests, obituaries and other historical documents, according to the story.

“Sir Rupert and the Battle of the Squirrels” follows Rupert, who lives in a castle and aspired to be a knight by helping others, including his friend Bertha whose kitchen is overrun by squirrels. Rupert and his friends turn to creative ideas to solve the problem.

The book, which published in 2024, is the Dickinson resident’s first and developed from an idea to create an engaging story for her nieces and nephews, according to a

May 20, 2024, Dickinson Press article.

Stiegelmeier’s book, which was published by Northern Soul Publishing in Dickinson, was supported by the North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA).

Stiegelmeier plans to publish additional Sir Rupert stories, according to a KFYR article.

Danielle Teigen has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and management communication as well as a master’s degree in mass communication from North Dakota State University. She has worked for Forum Communications since May 2015 and is the author of two non-fiction history books.