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MEET OUR TEAM
KELLY KAGER (Owner)
Who is the most influential first book or author for you?
That's like asking which one of my children, if I had any, that I liked best! And, of course, I can't remember my first book having been read to from the moment of my entrance into this world. I do love everything by David Sedaris for a laugh, Caddie Woodlawn, and Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Can you recall one opening line to a novel that you will never forget?
I have forgotten all opening lines to the hordes of novels I've read. The only one I can think of is Dickens' Tale of Two Cities which, as a first line, is rather ubiquitous, having passed into the language as a phrase people who have never even heard of the book can use.
Do you have a favorite author who writes about our region?
William Kent Krueger is one of my favorites and beloved by our customers and community. We dedicate an entire shelf to his body of work. There are so many favorite regional authors who we sell in our store, including authors and poets who produced independent zines and booklets. We are known for showcasing the region and the people who make this place so special. You can find regional authors in our store that are hard to find anywhere else. We are proud of that.
Is there one character in a novel with whom you most identify?
Again, it depends on the mood I am in or what I am currently reading that resonates with me. The whole idea of a good book is that it will allow you to identify with all kinds of people, who may or may not be very different from you and your life, and walk in their shoes, thereby increasing your ability to be compassionate.
What is your favorite thing about our store?
Everything, I love everything about our store...the books inside, the view outside, the color scheme, the whole building itself including the intimate size and the staff we have. I love it all.
KEVIN KAGER (Owner)
What’s your favorite part of reading to the kids:
I love it when the kids try to correct me when I read Green Eggs and Ham! Three year-olds often correct me if I miss a beat while reading and I love how closely they are paying attention. I love hearing the kids participate and giggle along with their parents. Often times, adults without kids come to Story Time on our beach and the adults giggle just as much as the children.
Who is the the author who has influenced you the most?
My mother, Joan Drury.
What was the most influential book when you were young?
Everything by Hitchcock and Stephen King's The Stand. Jasper Fforde is also one of my favorites. And the Choose Your own Adventure series, of course.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Grand Marais:
Siting on the deck at The Java Moose coffee shop and walking out to the lighthouse.
What is the funniest children's book in our opinion?
There are so many! A few come to mind immediately: I Yam a Donkey by Cece Bell; Do Not Open This Book by Australian radio DJ and comedian Andy Lee; Moo by David LaRochelle and illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka; and The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak.
Do you have a favorite history book?
King Leopold’s Ghost tops my list for history as well as writing by Joseph Conrad.
Who is one of your most inspiring Children's Book illustrators?
I appreciate everything by David Catrow. Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs by Alan Katz and illustrated by David Catrow is delightful. Every time.
When does Story Time start?
We are on the beach in front of the bookstore every Saturday at 11:00am Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. Come join us!
GWEN DANFELT (Store Manager)
What was the most influential first book or author for you?
The Babysitters Club series by Ann M. Martin...The joy of reading and reading and reading. I was aghast when I realized I would grow up and those girls would stay 10 and 12.
What is the one opening line to a novel that you will never forget?
"The sun has set, not long ago..." The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton. My daughter and I can (and do) recite it from memory.
Do you have a favorite author fiction or non who writes about our region?
Sarah Stonich. She captures North Woods rural life without making it into a caricature. And she's funny!
Who is the one character in a novel with whom you most identify?
Gosh, that's a personal question. Violeta from Violeta by Isabel Allende
You've now managed Drury Lane Books for seven years. What are your favorite thing about our store?
Observing Lake Superior from our window through all of the seasons. Especially I love the early morning winter light. The Hmong tapestry behind the counter is a favorite. Also, finding the right book for the right person and listening to kids squeal about our children's nook and the children's books we select. I also love listening to couples and friends toss book recommendations across the aisles to each other.
JANE GELLNER (Bookseller)
What was the most influential first book or author for you?
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
What is the one opening line to a novel that you will never forget?
From The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: "Marley was dead, to begin with."
Do you have a favorite author fiction or non who writes about our region?
William Kent Kreuger.
Who is the one character in a novel with whom you most identify?
Meg Rittenhouse in the House of Many Shadows by Barbara Micheals.
What is your favorite thing to do in Grand Marais?
Hike Sweetheart's Bluff. Hiking everywhere.
You've now been on the Drury Lane Books team for seven years. What are your favorite thing about our store?
I love how welcoming and homey our store is to everyone who enters.
MARY ELLEN ASHCROFT (Bookseller)
What is the most influential first book or author for you?
When I was in sixth grade, I'd grown blasé about reading. A teacher suggested I turn to Ray Bradbury's short stories, and entering this world of Sci-Fi fantasy re-energized my reading joy.
Can you recall one opening line to a novel that you will never forget?
Alan Paton's opening of Cry the Beloved Country speaks to me of the beauty, rhythm, and wildness of Africa. "There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it. The road climbs seven miles into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa."
Do you have a favorite author—fiction or no—who writes about our region?
Sigurd Olsen's The Singing Wilderness—foundational to setting aside the Boundary Waters as Wilderness--has always fed my soul. Clearly his writing about the area places me there even when I'm not sleeping under the stars.
Is there one character in a novel with whom you most identify?
A character I relate to? Dorothea, in George Eliot's Middlemarch, with the way she allows her deep feelings about things to sway her.
Can you share your favorite aspect of working at Drury Lane Books?
I love the books, the view, the space, but I especially love the folks that come in who want to talk books and life.
CYNTHIA BURTON (Events Manager & Bookseller)
What is the most influential first book or author for you?
The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien. Reading this as a 12 year-old shaped me in more ways than I can begin to fathom or describe. Simply put, it totally and completely converted me into a nerd.
Can you recall one line to a novel or essay that you will never forget?
"Even when seized by a thousand fears, we can make strange and wonderful things simply for the sake of the strange and the wonderful, we can make without permission, we can write into the unknown." Akwaeke Emezi's closing line in their essay "Writing Into the Unknown" on the topic of authors of color and faced limitations.
Do you have a favorite author who writes about our region?
Recently, I've been reading Benjamin Percy's work which a blend of Action, Noir, SciFi, in Northern MN settings. For naturalist writings, Larry Weber is my go-to, and Beth Dooley is the patron saint of my cookbook shelf- I always recommend her books and co-operative projects.
What's your favorite thing to do in Grand Marais?
My favorite routine is to grab a sandwich from The Crooked Spoon food truck and then find a quiet corner on the beach to eat and then lay on the hot stones afterwards. A new summer staple for my partner and I are kombucha and sorbet floats from The Superior Creamery.
Can you share your favorite aspect of working at Drury Lane Books?
I love to learn different observations and understandings about books we are all reading! Every person has a different life story that changes how they interpret or process books. The more we talk about different perspectives, the stronger we can build compassionate community... even with lighthearted topics and comedy pieces, there's always something that can help us to learn and grow.
GRACE DANFELT (Children's Book Reviewer and Store Artist, Age 8)
What do you most like about reading books?
That you get to imagine what is happening, especially if there are not a lot of pictures in the book.
What are some of your favorite books?
Mr. Lemoncello's Library series by Chris Grabenstien, Dragon Masters series by Tracey West, The Doll People series by Ann M. Martin, and Stacey's Extraordinary Words by Stacey Abrams.
Do you have a favorite author or illustrator?
Sophie Blackall. My favorite is If You Come to Earth.
What is your favorite funny book?
Hey, Bruce! by Ryan Higgins.
What is your favorite history book or historical series?
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
What do you like most about making art for our store?
That people like it! It is important for a store to have good signs.
What do you like to do for fun in Grand Marais?
Go to The Trout (Angry Trout Cafe). Go to the pool at the Y!
What is your favorite thing about the bookstore?
It's cozy, and it has a lot of books. And I like scanning the books to help people check out.