Snowshoe Kate and the Hospital Built for Pennies

Newbery Honor–winner Margi Preus and illustrator Jaime Zollars shed light on a trailblazing doctor known as the “Angel on Snowshoes” in this picture book biography

Dr. Kate Pelham Newcomb (or “Dr. Kate,” as she was known to her patients) was a doctor in rural northern Wisconsin during the early 1900s, a time when very few women practiced medicine. Because the nearest hospital was over two hours away and the snowy roads were often impassable, Dr. Kate frequently traveled many miles by snowmobile or snowplow in order to reach her patients, which lead to her nickname, the “Angel on Snowshoes.”

In her years as a doctor, she delivered an astonishing 4,000 babies, and those same children later played a key role in the “Million Penny Parade,” a massive grassroots fundraiser inspired by Dr. Kate’s lifelong efforts to build a hospital in her community. Dr. Kate’s dreams of being able to better serve her community finally came to fruition in 1954 when Lakeland Memorial Hospital opened—with Dr. Kate serving as chief of staff.

From Newbery Honor–winning author Margi Preus and illustrator Jaime Zollars, this picture book biography celebrates a woman who defied gender expectations and dedicated her life to helping the farthest reaches of her community.

Includes author’s note, illustrator’s note, and bibliography.

About the Author

Margi Preus has written numerous acclaimed children's books, including the Newbery Honor book Heart of a Samurai, the Minnesota Book Award-winning West of the Moon, and the Midwest Booksellers' Choice Award-winning Enchantment Lake mystery series. Her books have been honored as ALA/ALSC Notables, landed on the New York Times bestseller list and many other "best-of" lists, been featured on NPR, and selected as community reads. Her picture books include The Littlest Voyageur, Storm's Coming, Celebritrees, and The Legend of the Ladyslipper. When not writing, Preus enjoys traveling, speaking, and visiting schools all over the world. At home in Duluth, Minnesota, she likes to ski, hike, paddle, or sit quietly with a book in her lap.

Jaime Zollars is the illustrator of the middle-grade novel Wicked Nix and the artist behind the iconic covers of the Greenglass House series. She is also the author-illustrator of the picture book The Truth About Dragons. Her art has been recognized by American Illustration, Communication Arts, the Society of Illustrators, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, among others. She lives in Southern California.