The Picture Book to Novel Transition: Carole Lindstrom Presents RED RIVER ROSE and We Reveal the Cover

It pays to have a long memory.

Two years ago I interviewed author Carole Lindstrom, who is Anishinaabe/Metis and an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, about her picture book biography Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior. Now in the course of our discussion I did the thing that I pretty much do in all my interviews (because it yields such delightful results much of the time) and asked Carole what she might be up to next. She responded:

“I am working on a middle grade historical fiction book with Bloomsbury. I’m excited about this story. It’s based on my Metis ancestry and the Northwest Resistance.”

Now it’s not like Carole didn’t do anything between 2023 and now. She is a bit on the prolific side of things, and one of her books that released this past February was The Gift of the Great Buffalo. In an interesting twist, that little picture book has a companion. A middle grade companion! Yep, the character of Rose in the picture book now returns to us in the novel Red River Rose (out March 17, 2026) and today we have not only the cover but also a talk with Carole about how all of this came to be.

But first! Let’s indulge in a bit of a plot synopsis to get things rolling:

---

This adventurous historical novel by bestselling author Carole Lindstrom offers readers a dramatic portrayal of a young Métis girl who takes a stand to protect her way of life.

Rose, her family, and the Métis people have lived on the land for generations. She spends afternoons tracking rabbits and gathering roots with her best friend and her little sister. She loves to watch the ferry arrive, delivering goods and news to their remote community.

But then Rose’s elders start speaking in hushed tones and her parents discuss whether they should “join the resistance.” When she learns that the government wants to push the Métis off their land again, Rose fears that their lives, their entire lifestyle, are at risk. Determined to help, Rose sets out on an adventure that will test her bravery more than she ever expected. She’ll do anything to protect her family, her home, and her way of life.

Set amid the Northwest Resistance of 1885, where the Métis people fought to defend their land, this powerful historical narrative illuminates the less often told side of history and gives a glimpse of Indigenous life on the prairie.

Naturally, I had a question or two:

---

Betsy Bird: Carole! Congratulations on your debut middle grade! RED RIVER ROSE looks great, and it has the additional interesting detail of starring a girl who has been seen on the printed page before. As I understand it, Rose first appeared in the picture book THE GIFT OF THE GREAT BUFFALO. How did she manage to convince you to give her an entire novel as well? Was that always the plan from the beginning or did it come later on in the process?

Carole Lindstrom: Miigwech for your kind words, Betsy. Yes, Rose first appeared in THE GIFT OF THE GREAT BUFFALO. The middle grade novel was an organic idea that grew from the picture book—I loved writing about Rose and her family. I knew I wanted to write historical fiction, and my editor Mary Kate [Castellani] and I felt there was more of Rose’s story to tell. We both felt strongly about setting it in the late 1880’s to offer an authentic experience of a Native child, family, and community, especially as an alternative to the typical historical narratives of that period, which mostly represent the settler point of view.

For me, that was the Little House on the Prairie series. It was one of the only series available to me as a child, and I was very conflicted and hurt while reading it. While I loved the family dynamic and Pa and Laura’s relationship, I saw how they felt about Native Americans, and it hurt to know that the family I loved didn’t love me in return. RED RIVER ROSE is also my response to that series, and a way for me to heal myself and others who may have felt the same.

But most of all, Rose was such a compelling character – full of courage and pluck – and my editor and I thought the connection to the picture book would give readers of all ages a chance to meet her.

BB: And have you always intended to write a middle grade novel someday or was it an idea that popped up all on its own?

Carole: Yes. I want to write everything! When I was growing up, we went from juvenile fiction to adult fiction; there wasn’t middle grade or young adult. I didn’t know there was a market for writing for young people so I thought one day, maybe, I would write for adults. It wasn’t until I had my son, and when I began reading children’s books to him that I realized the world of children’s literature had completely changed. Starting when he was a baby, I knew that I wanted to write across all age groups, so I began to study the craft of writing.

BB: Writing is one thing, but choosing when to set a novel is another. How did you come to learn about the Northwest Resistance of 1885 yourself? And what is it about this particular moment in history that spoke to you?

Carole: Many of my ancestors fought against the Canadian government in the Northwest Resistance of 1885. When I was researching RED RIVER ROSE, I read about and saw photos of them in books. It was surreal to see my relatives in shackles and chains, who were fighting to retain their homes and their way of life.

My goal was to create a story with a young girl protagonist who wanted to help her community fight for their land. While I knew her efforts wouldn’t change the outcome of what happened to her and my people, it allowed her to feel like she did all she could to help.

Rose believes, like many young people her age, that she can make a difference if given permission to help. I think most children feel like ‘superheroes’ – if adults would just ask for their opinions, they could solve whatever problem! But they just aren’t asked because they are too little, too young, or it’s too dangerous, etc.

BB: Tell us a little bit about the process of writing this book. How much did your earliest drafts resemble the final product? And was there anything about the process that surprised you along the way?

Carole: How hard it was emotionally for me to write. Reading about what my ancestors went through to save their homes and land was so challenging. This book took me much longer than I would have liked because of the emotional weight of it on my heart. But I am so glad my amazing editor pushed me and was so crucial to this story being in the world. I’m so grateful to her.

Because this is historical fiction, I had a pretty good idea early on what I wanted the inciting scene to be. I then had to build everything around that.

As for surprises, they definitely were all of the relatives that I recognized in my research.  

BB: In terms of the storyline itself, did you have ideas at the beginning that didn’t work out, or scenes/chapters that had to be excised? Anything you wish you could have included?

Carole: Oh, yes, definitely things that didn’t work out. My early drafts were way too research-heavy. I had to work hard to smooth all that out and focus more on the characters and their relationships vs. the actual history of the Resistance.

But I’m not sorry that it was taken out – the story is much stronger without it. If anyone wants to learn more about the Northwest Resistance, they can refer to the bibliography I included in the back. There is a wealth of information there. 

BB: I do love a good bibliography. I’ve seen you present and I know that you are relentless when it comes to research. Since this story focuses so strongly on the Northwest Resistance of 1885, where do you go when you want to get as accurate an accounting from history as possible? What sources do you prefer?

Carole: I love love love research. I could get lost in the research and forget to do the writing if it wasn’t for my editor. HA. But truly I love the research on all my projects!

• Since this story related to my Historic Red River Métis Nation ancestry, I went to an authority on the subject, Kade Ferris, Giniw Wiidokaage (Eagle Helps Him). He was an anthropologist, archaeologist, and knowledge keeper for our people – and also my cousin. We discovered that when we started talking about who our ancestors were. Sadly, Kade passed away almost two years ago, now. He was such a gentle giant who is sorely missed.
• The Gabriel Dumont Institute which promotes the Métis culture through research, materials development, collection and distribution of those materials, and the design, development and delivery of Métis-specific educational programs and services.
• The Manitoba Metis Federation

I also read many books written about the Northwest Resistance and the Battle of Batoche, which are listed in the bibliography of RED RIVER ROSE.

BB: When middle grade novels set their focus on historical moments that end horribly or in tragedy, they present a new kind of challenge for adaptation. How do you personally write a novel for young readers set in a moment in history where the outcome of that moment isn’t a happy ending?

Carole: Yes, that is tough, for sure. For me, it’s making sure the protagonist has onus in the outcome and can be involved in some way. I think that alone gives young people hope and some sense of control over a situation. That could be protesting, boycotting, or getting involved in grassroots organizations locally, anything where the reader can see the main character actively trying to affect change, no matter how big or small. It may just be changing one person’s mind. But when young people see and read about those moments, it’s imprinted on their memories. I know that was true for me and the books I read. 

BB: Now that you’ve gotten a taste for middle grade fiction writing, can we hope for more novels from you in the future?

Carole: Most definitely! I’m working on a few right now.

BB: Finally, what else is on the horizon for you? What else are you working on?

Carole: More picture books! I love writing them, so they will always be something I continue to write. I have a ton of ideas. I’m also working on a middle grade fantasy, as well as an adult fiction novel. I have boxes and boxes of story ideas just waiting for me to get to them.

I also want to give a shout out to the gorgeous illustration on the cover. Aly McKnight did the illustrations for THE GIFT OF THE GREAT BUFFALO and also painted Rose again for this book. We felt she was the perfect choice for the novel because her artwork is so lively and lovely, and ties the books together so nicely. Aly is such a talent! I was thrilled to work with her again on this book.

Miigwech for this opportunity to talk about RED RIVER ROSE. I am honored to share my debut middle grade novel with you and your readers.

---

Huge thanks to Carole for taking the time to do this interview with Me. Carole Lindstrom is the author of the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Award–winning We Are Water Protectors; My Powerful Hair; Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior; and The Gift of the Great Buffalo. She is Anishinaabe/Métis and is a proud member of the TurtleMountain Band of Ojibwe Indians. She was born and raised in Nebraskaand currently makes her home in New York.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the cover:

Additional thanks to Faye Bi and the team at Bloomsbury Publishing for helping to put all this together. Red River Rose, as mentioned before, is out March 17, 2026, so be sure to look for it then!

Filed under: Interviews