A children’s picture book about stream ecology, with a focus on the fascinating “bugs” that can be found in the Huron River.
Starting from the edge of Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Huron River, Gilly the Bluegill fish dreams of swimming 130 miles up the Huron River. His path will be challenging, as many dams will block his way, but Gilly is determined to try! As he begins his adventure, Gilly makes a friend named Lilly. Gilly and Lilly set out to discover what type of creature she is, making friends with many more Huron River creatures along the way.
The book is a project conducted by a team of University of Michigan (UM) faculty and students, in collaboration with HRWC researchers. Sara Adlerstein developed the project. Working closely with her were Carolyn Berge, Jeffrey Evans, and Mike Wiley from UM and Paul Steen and Pam Labadie from HRWC. Illustrations for the book were created by master of science student Jennifer Fuller.
And for the child in everyone, we are delighted to re-share Storytime with Maxi Chanel: Super Creatures of the Huron River. Produced in collaboration with Maxi Chanel, an award-winning local Drag Queen star, the video premiered at Ann Arbor’s 51st Annual Earth Day Celebration, April 25, 2021 on CTN Channel 16. HRWC stands with LGBTQ+ people and strives to serve all in the Huron River watershed. Children deserve to live and thrive in a community free from exclusion and intimidation. As a community organization, HRWC understands the protective power of support and inclusive programming which is an integral part of our core values.