With 180 invaders already in the Great Lakes, it might take a superhero to keep them out. Luckily, we have one: Sooper Yooper! A new children's book written by Mark Newman and illustrated by the late Mark Heckman, features Billy Cooper, an ex-Navy Seal who lives in the U.P. with his scuba-diving bulldog, Mighty Mac. I spoke with Mark Heckman's wife, Diane, and author Mark Newman about the book and Mark Heckman's legacy.
Top 3 Things to Know about Sooper Yooper:
- A dive in icy Lake Superior to catch a sea lamprey is not for the faint of heart. Please leave this to the professionals.
- Billy Cooper is not a shapeshifter, nor does he have x-ray vision or invisibility. Instead, he's super smart.
- Having trouble getting legislation passed in Congress? No problem for Sooper Yooper. He must have some mighty good lobbying skills.
Diane Heckman says her husband always admired people from the U.P.
