Driving Home a Love of Middle Grade Books
Rina Heisel
Rina Heisel writes adventurous stories for young readers. Her middle grade debut, JOURNEY BEYOND THE BURROW, was published by Harper Kids in 2021. After eleven years producing educational television programs for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Rina found she especially enjoyed writing segments centering on natural sciences. She found lots of inspiration in the animals she filmed, feeling as if she was getting a sneak-peek into their secret worlds.
​
Author photo credit to Lily H. Photography
Journey Beyond the Burrow
There are rules every mouse must follow if they’re to survive in the forest.
Tobin knows these guidelines by heart. After all, with one younger sibling, another on the way, and a best friend with a penchant for trouble-making, he needs to be prepared for anything.
But one stormy night, Tobin’s safe burrow is invaded by monstrous arachnids, and his baby brother stolen away. To save him, Tobin will have to do something he’s never done before: break the rules.
Drawing inspiration from the author’s work as a natural science documentarian, Journey Beyond the Burrow is as alive as the forest floor, where nature is unpredictable, occasionally frightening, and inspirational all the same.
