The Hackensack Café Adventures

The Hackensack Café Adventures is an endearing children's story about a small town in Minnesota, a family of second- and third-generation Greek immigrants, their friends, and a famous donut shop, with delightful illustrations and characters. The book was prompted by stories the author, Norrie Thomas, told to her grandchildren, which all three embellished together. The story was prompted by her grandchildren wanting to learn the Greek alphabet. A major crime has occurred in this small town--a stolen donut recipe. This drives a delightful tale and the main characters, including Mayor Rainbow and young town residents, to solve the mystery using a code based on the Greek alphabet.

Norrie Thomas is an author, scientist, businesswoman, and artist. She earned her PhD in Pharmacy Administration from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. She was a pioneer of the pharmacy benefits field and founding member of a national pharmacy association, the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. Norrie also published a fictional murder mystery entitled Murder Under the Oak, which was set in England; The Needlepointer, reflections on 30 years of color and artistry, and An Unbalanced Success, a memoir of her experiences as a woman executive advancing in the evolving pharmacy benefits industry. The Hackensack Café Adventures is her first children's adventure book, which was inspired by her grandchildren and her own life's adventures. She hopes the stories will continue.Meghan Syndergaard graduated with a BFA in drawing from the University of Colorado at Denver. With aspirations of becoming a children's book illustrator she decided to go back to school a few years later and get a degree in graphic design. She enjoys painting, gardening and spending time with her family.