Muskrat for Supper: Exploring the Natural World with the Last River Rat

Muskrat for Supper inspires young people to explore nature’s life cycles and understand the concept of the circle of life, as told through the tale of a family that embarks on a hunting and trapping adventure. It is an endearing story that weaves together such themes as sustainable living, our natural environment, and living closer to nature. The first book for children by this acclaimed storyteller and author, Muskrat for Supper includes questions young people have asked Kenny Salwey about his lifestyle as a river rat living off the land. The story will be illustrated with black-and-white photographs as well as nonfiction material to supplement the text.

Kenny Salwey is the last of a breed of men whose lifestyle has all but disappeared in this fast-paced, high-tech digital world. For thirty years, this weathered woodsman eked out a living on the Mississippi River running a trapline, hiring out as a river guide, digging and selling roots and herbs, and eating the food he hunted and fished. Today Salwey is a master storyteller, environmental educator, keynote speaker, nature writer, and advocate for the Upper Mississippi River. He has presented his true-life adventures and words of natural world wisdom to both adult and young audiences across the upper Midwest. By sharing his hard-learned experiences, his respect for the Mississippi River, and his love of the natural world, Salwey hopes to inspire his audiences to protect this precious and fragile ecosystem.