GRAND MARAIS, Minnesota – “The Donut Lady & The World’s Best Pet Chicken” is the newest book published by Minnesota Children’s Press about the endearing charms of Cook County life. Written by the late Merieta Altrichter, founder of the beloved World’s Best Donut Shop, it was illustrated after Merieta passed away in 2008 by her daughter, Donna Wilson, of Grand Marais, and tells the tender story of Merieta’s fondness for her pet chicken, Emmy.
As many people know, Merieta Altrichter was a hardworking woman who built a small business that left a lasting legacy on many who live in and visit Grand Marais. However, many do not know that after a long day working at the donut shop, she would go home to care for her small farm of animals. Over time, she developed a unique relationship with one animal, a small black chicken named Emmy, and wrote a book about their life together.
Bringing the book together was a multigenerational family affair: four generations all pitched in to help manage, edit, proofread, fact check, find photographs and illustrate donuts. “We have always worked together in the shop, so it was natural we’d all do this together, too,” explained shop manager, Dee Brazell, the third-generation entrepreneur and granddaughter of the woman whom all generations refer to as “Grandma Rita”—or “Old Number 1” as Grandma Rita called herself. “Grandma Rita would have loved this process and the book it produced,” added Kalli Hawkins, fourth-generation family donut pro.
World’s Best Donuts will hold a book launch event at the donut shop at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 2, which is National Donut Day. The family welcomes the public to attend! The book launch event will feature live readings, book signings from World’s Best Donuts family members, a donut coloring sheet contest, prize giveaways, and a punctuation advice booth staffed by Minnesota Children’s Press and youth members of its Story Scouts’ Comma Club, who were among the final proofreaders of the text.
Available for sale May 25 at the World’s Best Donuts shop in Grand Marais, Minnnesota, (Written by Merieta Altrichter, illustrated by Donna Wilson, 8 x 8 inches, softcover, 34 pages, 41 color illustrations and photographs, $14.99)
Contact: Kalli Hawkins, kallihawkins7@gmail.com or bestdonuts@boreal.org
