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Step off the ferry from Seattle, and the city fades behind you—its noise, its rush, its endless complication. What remains is the quieter rhythm of Washington’s small towns. In this collection of writings, Mary Lou Sanelli introduces readers to Bainbridge Island, its people, places, and the conversations that define “this island of us.” Here, life moves to its own pulse and rituals, kindnesses, grudges, and quiet truths unfold beneath the endless gaze of the surrounding waters.
Sanelli has a rare gift for balancing the personal and the universal, guided by a wry, irreverent wit and an unflagging curiosity. She observes the full spectrum of human emotion with compassion, never sentimental and always honest. In An Island Called Bainbridge, her writings move effortlessly from reflections on friendship, “her generous nature filled every inch of my kitchen,” to the currents of local and human politics, “there is fear under the surface of a lot of us”. Through it all, her attentiveness reveals the intimate bond between people and the land that sustains them, a lens through which she discovers balance, within herself and in the world around her.
Mary Lou Sanelli is the author of fourteen nonfiction titles, including Every Little Thing, Among Friends, and In So Many Words. Her novel, The Star Struck Dance Studio of Yucca Springs, was published in 2021, followed by the children’s book Bella Likes to Try. She is also a professional literary and keynote speaker, a columnist, and a master dance teacher. She lives with her husband on Bainbridge Island.
“Sanelli’s writing is a fine mixture of literary nonfiction and memoir that often, and honestly, examines the act of writing itself.” —The Stranger, Seattle
“Sanelli is an exceptional observer. Her writing is at once intellectually inviting and deeply personal.” — The Seattle Weekly
“Mary Lou writes with a voice that resonates with readers and neighbors. I hear often about how her topics seem to echo what’s on someone’s mind, telling stories with wit and charm that resonate in people’s lives.” —David Nelson, Editor, Kitsap Sun
“Sanelli brings a welcome sense of the very human. Her essays are communal moments of grace and connection.” — Rick Simonson, Elliott Bay Book Company
Publication date: October 6, 2026
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-63398-198-0
“There is a rain that almost defies description in these parts—somewhere between mist and showers.” —from the foreword by Jean Sherrard
In Seattle: Rain or Shine, Rik Katz presents a powerful portrait of the Emerald City—capturing its beauty and grit through a sharply observant lens. From fogbound ferries and shimmering high-rises to intimate glimpses of everyday life, Katz reveals a Seattle that is deeply alive, shaped as much by its people as by its weather.
With a career that began in the analog era of the 1980s, Katz brings the eye of a photojournalist and the patience of an artist to each frame. His images bridge the worlds of documentary and fine art, offering quiet moments of clarity in a fast-moving city.
In addition to the paperback binding, we are pleased to offer 200 limited edition hardcover copies of this book. The limited edition hardcover of Seattle: Rain or Shine includes an original, signed photograph from Rik Katz.
Publication date: December 9, 2025
Pages: 152
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-63398-189-8
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-633981881
These multilingual field guide cards feature 23 common plant and animal species of the saltwater beaches of the Pacific Northwest, with photos, key characteristics, and fun facts, as well as resources for tending the ecosystem health of shorelines, and sources for further reading. Names for each plant and animal appear in English, Latin, Klallam, Northern Lushootseed, and Southern Lushootseed.
This card set is part of the Tend, Gather & Grow Indigenous ecology curriculum, with a particular focus on saltwater beaches as Cultural Ecosystems. The cards are super durable—fully waterproof and washable, great for outdoor use. Full color, 4.25 x 5.5 inches, double sided, 27 cards in all, bound with a metal ring for easy portability in the field.
Native Peoples have harvested saltwater beach species for food, medicine, and technologies for thousands of years, and they have cared for these beaches in return. This practice continues and is being revitalized today. We hope these cards help you to understand and develop a relationship with saltwater beach ecosystems!
We offer a volume discount to Tribal entities and educational organizations. Click here for bulk pricing. If you are a Tribal or educational organization, and are ready to place an order, please email or call us directly: 206-624-4442 or info@chatwinbooks.com
We are pleased to offer the Tend, Gather and Grow Curriculum as a five-volume set in paperback! Each volume is approximately 160 pages, printed in full-color, and available for individual purchase at $45 per volume. Click here to purchase the complete five-volume set.
Tend, Gather and Grow is a place-based curriculum for teaching adults and children about plants, local landscapes, and the rich cultural traditions of the Native peoples who are interwoven with them. The curriculum focuses on native and naturalized plants of the Pacific Northwest region and includes Northwest Native knowledge, stories, and plant traditions.
A teaching tool for teachers, mentors, parents, schools, and community organizations. You do not need to be an expert to learn how to teach and share this curriculum. It starts with the basics, and builds from there.
Volume 1: Teacher Guide, Cultural Ecosystems Field Guide, & Ecosystems Garden Guide
The Teacher Guide is an introduction to and overview of the entire curriculum and teaching toolkit, and is fundamental to effective use of this work. The Cultural Ecosystems Field Guide introduces five distinct ecosystem types and the positive role of humans in maintaining these ecosystems’ integrity over millennia. The Ecosystems Garden Guide is a resource to support growing native plants in garden settings, and connecting with traditional Native cultural ecosystems.
Volume 2: Plant Guide Part One (Alder–Hawthorn)
The Plant Guide Part One includes 10 regional plants, each with an overview and multiple hands-on lessons. From Alder to Hawthorn, teachers can choose plants and lessons based on what is available, in season, and most relevant to students. A seasonal calendar is included for quick reference. Each plant covers physical identification, range, seasonality, harvest (if appropriate), preparation, traditional technologies, and ecological relationships. Plants that are at risk of overharvest have not been included unless there is a specific emphasis on restoration.
Volume 3: Plant Guide Part Two (Huckleberry–Yarrow)
The Plant Guide Part Two includes 10 regional plants, each with an overview and multiple hands-on lessons. From Huckleberry to Yarrow, teachers can choose plants and lessons based on what is available, in season, and most relevant to students. A seasonal calendar is included for quick reference. Each plant covers physical identification, range, seasonality, harvest (if appropriate), preparation, traditional technologies, and ecological relationships. Plants that are at risk of overharvest have not been included unless there is a specific emphasis on restoration.
Volume 4: Herbal Apothecary, Plant Technologies, & Tree Communities
Herbal Apothecary includes an overview of plant medicine, with lessons on how to make herbal teas, infused vinegars, honeys, oils, salves, poultices, herbal baths, and aromatherapy. Plant Technologies describes how people have used the physical attributes of plants for millennia to create human technologies. Students explore ways to gather, process, and make useful items including cordage, baskets, mats, tools, and dyes from plant materials. This module is rooted in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics) concepts. Tree Communities introduces common Northwest conifer and deciduous trees, and explores identification, ecological relationships, and how trees are valued for food, medicine, and their role in traditional technologies. Lessons include a tree walk, and a deeper look at evergreen conifers. Social-emotional teachings, including collaboration, resilience, adaptability, and generosity, are integrated throughout these lessons.
Volume 5: Wild Food Traditions, & Career Connected Learning Toolkit
Wild Food Traditions focuses on seasonal attunement and ethical harvesting of native and wild plants including spring greens and summer berries, as well as preparation of healthy snacks and traditional beverages. Each lesson includes an extensive overview with plant identification, cultivation practices, ethical harvest techniques, and recipes for preparing and preserving foods. The Career Connected Learning Toolkit creates opportunities for understanding and exploring real world scenarios while establishing a relationship with future career possibilities. Career connected learning is a method where learning in the classroom can be directly applied outside the classroom.
We offer a volume discount to Tribal entities and educational organizations. Click here for bulk pricing. If you are a Tribal or educational organization, and are ready to place an order, please email or call us directly and we will get it started for you: 206-624-4442 or info@chatwinbooks.com