Deb Nelson Gourley presents
Kings of Norway
By Anders Kvåle Rue
58 bilingual stories in English and Norwegian
Published by Astri My Astri Publishing

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Kings of Norway and its accompanying 3 CDs feature bilingual text, bilingual audio, and full colored illustrations of 57 kings and one queen who ruled Norway from circa 875 to present. Utilizing visual art along with both written and audio storytelling allows the non-fiction book to be used as a unique language-learning tool. Appealing to readers of all ages on both sides of the Atlantic, the dual English and Norwegian language format is ideal for first-year Norwegian classes, language camps, and heritage and cultural programs. New off the press in 2006, the 128-page, full-colored, hard-cover book includes the bilingual text and singing of both Astri, My Astri and Astri, Mi Astri by Klang Male Chorus Lillehammer, Norway.

History of the Norwegian Settlements:
A translated and expanded version of the
1908 De Norske Settlementers Historie and the
1930 Den Siste Folkevandring Sagastubber fra Nybyggerlivet i Amerika
By Hjalmar Rued Holand
63 chapters in English
Published by Astri My Astri Publishing

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Winner of two National Awards (Professional Communicators and G.K. Haukebo Heritage Resource Award from Minnesota State University Moorhead), History of the Norwegian Settlements provides an engaging and enthusiastic depiction of the struggles as well as the triumphs of pioneer life. The 63-chapter non-fiction book lets readers trace the trails of 3,800 indexed immigrants through Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakotas as they explore new frontiers and build new communities. Along the way lurk killer diseases, grasshopper plagues, prairie fires and loneliness. New off the press in 2006, the 512-page hard-cover book includes old 1901 maps, lithographs and a 32-page full-colored insert containing 18 fylker (district) and 433 kommuner (municipality) maps of Norway.

Legend of Siljatjern Seter: Life, love and faith on a Norwegian mountain dairy
By Gunlaug Nøkland
Bilingual novel in English and Norwegian
English translated by Liv Nordem Lyons
English edited by Jo Ann B. Winistorfer
Published by Deb Nelson Gourley, Astri My Astri Publishing

Legend of Siljatjern Seter tells the story of Mette agreeing to take a summer job as a budeie (dairy maid) on an old-fashioned demonstration dairy called Siljatjern (Silja’s pond) Seter. There is the heart of the Norwegian mountains, she discovers the love of her life, helps solve an ancient mystery, and renews her faith in God. The author, Gunlaug Nøkland, from girlhood had interests in husflid (Norwegian folk art) and farming traditions. She learned spinning, weaving, dying wool and linen production from her maternal grandmother as well as later studied textile production of wool, linen and cotton materials, and old Norwegian traditions. Included in the bilingual English Norwegian book is pictures and recipes from the old mountain seter life. Gunlaug and her family live on a farm in Vest-Agder, in Southern Norway.

Astri, My Astri: Norwegian Heritage Stories
By Deb Nelson Gourley
16 bilingual true stories in English and Norwegian
Published by Astri My Astri Publishing

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Astri, My Astri: Norwegian Heritage Stories is a collection of 16 Norwegian heritage stories published in both English and Norwegian in the same book. The non-fiction stories touch anyone who has an interest in Norwegian heritage, culture, genealogy, or bilingual studies. The book takes one on a journey from immigrating in the 1840s to the discovery of an immigrant trunk more than one hundred years later and the subsequent unraveling of a rich family history. Among the topics included are the Minnesota Sioux Uprising of 1862, the great flu epidemic of 1918, hiking above the Arctic Circle, the heavy water assault during World War II, Norwegian rosemaling and bunader, Syttende Mai, stave churches, founding of a Norwegian Lutheran church in America, and the life of Snowshoe Thompson. The 280-page, hard-cover book contains 24 full-colored pages and was featured in the Sons of Norway Viking magazine as one of its top five new Norwegian-theme books.

Bridget the Butterfly had the blues
Birte den sørgmodige sommerfugl
Text and song by Marlene Smith
Illustrations by Karine Jørgensen
Translation by Nina Odegard

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A beautifully illustrated story that tells how spunky butterfly Bridget eventually overcomes her bad, sad, blues when she reaches out to help other insects with their problems.  Marlene Smith wrote Bridget the Butterfly had the blues as a blues song, with both languages displayed on the pages in rhyme.  Included with the book is a musical CD version of the story to enable children to learn Norwegian through music.  Children and their parents with Norwegian roots will find the adventure of how Bridget discovers that she is more than a singing insect with beautiful colors enchanting.  A whimsical book about courage, self-esteem, the power of friendships and how music can give you wings!    

Cooking Danish Cookbook: A taste of Denmark
By Stig Hansen, The Viking Chef

Winner of The National "Best Books" 2007 Award for International Cookbooks! If you are interested in exploring Danish cuisine and love great food that is rich in history, tradition and taste, then Cooking Danish is for you. Cooking Danish dishes up delicious servings of authentic Old World recipes including Aebleskiver (Danish doughnuts), Smørrebrød (Danish open face sandwich) and more. Featuring sensational selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner, from breads to main dishes to tempting desserts, Cooking Danish will stir your appetite and your imagination. Colorful photographs show you how each dish will look, while helpful how-to’s and step-by-step photos show you how it’s done. Cooking Danish is the only complete full-color Danish cookbook available in English. Chef Stig graduated from the Danish National Culinary School and served at first-class hotels in Europe and across the United States.

As of January 1, 2007, Astri My Astri Publishing has begun marketing books for the Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library (NAGC & NL), formerly known as the Vesterheim Genealogical Center & Naeseth Library, Madison, Wisconsin. Norwegian Immigrants to the United States: A biographical Directory, 1825-1850, volumes 2, 3, and 4, are part of a RARE limited number of 1st edition books (8 ½” x 11”):

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•Vol. 1—1825-1843: 390 pgs, printed in 1993; sold out*
•Vol. 2—1844-1846: 492 pgs, printed in 1997 (4,600 Norwegian immigrant names)
•Vol. 3—1847-1848; 380 pgs, printed in 2000 (3,100 Norwegian immigrant names)
•Vol. 4—1849; 423 pgs; printed in 2004 (3,450 Norwegian immigrant names)
•Vol. 5—1850; due off the press in 2008*
By Gerhard B. Naeseth (author of volumes 1,2,3 and co-author of volume 4)
By Blaine Hedberg (co-author of volume 4)

Arctic Fairytales from Northern Norway (CD only)
Researched and read (in English) by Stina Fagertun
Music and sound effects by Stig R. Isaksen and Kjetil Bentsen

Arctic Fairytales CD contains an introduction and 6 unique fairytales from the arctic region in Northern Norway. The Sami and Kven people sitting in the Lavvu (an arctic type of tipi) on the tundra told arctic fairytales for centuries. The stories were passed on from mouth-to-mouth and were not written down until late in the 18th century. This is the first CD to be produced in English with these kinds of extraordinary stories. The fairytales are collected from elderly people and old Norwegian documents found in museums and libraries. In the fairytales you will hear about arctic animals, tribal traditions, the midnight sun and the spectacular Aurora Borealis (northern lights) that lights up the sky with its spectacular light. Produced in Tromsø, Norway.