Pre-Trip Fun for Upper Peninsula, Michigan

"Escanaba in da Moonlight" -- Jeff Daniels wrote, directed and stars in this hunting comedy (deer-lovers beware) that takes place in the Greak Lakes region. (Teens)

Pasties -- Pastry-based meat pies, pronounced "pass-tee," are a local favorite.

Crispy Whitefish -- Add potato fries to this Great Lakes native for family-friendly fish and chips.

"Clever Beatrice: An Upper Peninsula Conte" by Margaret Willey -- Brains triumph over brawn when a quick-witted girl takes on the big bad woods -- and a bigger giant. (Ages 4 to 8)

"Paddle-to-the-Sea" by Holling C. Holling -- The Great Lakes are just one of the picturesque spots an Indian boy encounters in his round-the-globe journey. (Ages 4 to 8)

"Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell" by Kathy-jo Wargin -- Learn about local lake history with this picture-book tale of the 1975 shipwreck on Lake Superior. (Ages 4 to 8)

"Next Spring an Oriole" by Gloria Whelan -- For a more kid-friendly take on history, try this short but engaging pioneer journey to Michigan. (Ages 9 to 12)

"The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich -- Fans of "Little House on the Prairie" will also be riveted by the challenges facing this Native American family in 1847 Lake Superior. (Ages 9 to 12)

"Song of Hiawatha" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow -- Filled with mysticism and romance, the 1855 epic poem about a magical Native American is enchanting for older readers. (Ages 13 and Up)

Making Boats Float -- Teach little sailors how all of the U.P's enormous freighters stay afloat.

Backyard Bird Feeder -- Get an up-close preview of the rich bird-watching in the U.P. wilderness.