A book possibly on your shelf, written by Kewaunee author Chase Pagel, is officially an award winner. Pagel’s “Big Farms, Little Farms” outlasted seven other entries in the Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom Book of the Year contest for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year, which featured authors from around the state highlighting farming in children’s books.

The book showcases farms of all shapes and sizes and highlights not only Pagel’s home operation, Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy in Kewaunee, but also other operations in Kewaunee, Door, and Manitowoc counties, including Luxemburg’s Aissen Tree Farm and Casco’s Hillside Apples.

Pagel says it is an honor to receive the award, and she is thrilled the book is serving as the introduction to agriculture it was intended to be.

As the winner, the book will be incorporated into classroom curriculum across the state during the 2026-2027 school year. “Big Farms, Little Farms” is the third book written by Pagel, joining “Rosco’s Sweet Treats” and “Good Night Heifer” as part of her Dairy Diaries series, which has also been translated into Spanish.