Best of the Chippewa Valley

Reader Polls

The Best of the Chippewa Valley 2022

The Best of the Chippewa Valley 2023

The Best of the Chippewa Valley 2024

Best Local Book Released In The Last Year

Michael Perry’s Hunker: Essays on Human Connection struck a chord with local readers, the book crowned #1 in this category. No stranger to the top three – notably, Perry’s work placed both first and third in 2020 – his work has placed numerous times over the years, Perry a true local favorite. S.Z. Putnam’s Loose Change: Picking Up the Pieces peers into the harsh realities of addiction from her view as the partner of an addict, the HMong American writer’s debut a shattering, raw piece. Here on Lake Hallie: In Praise of Barflies, Fix-It Guys, and Other Folks in Our Hometown by Patti See is adored by locals, See’s book is a testament to and celebration of part of the Chippewa Valley’s culture, and what it means to live and play here. –McKenna Scherer