Mama Sugar Bear by Katie Bosch

A Tale That's a Little Bit True

A Northern Michigan Sugar-Loving Bear Delivers a Sweet Story in Author’s Debut Children’s Book, Mama Sugar Bear

Traverse City, Michigan—An avid reader since childhood, a nature nerd, a wife and mother, and a doctor who delivered hundreds of babies followed by seventeen years as an emergency medicine physician, Katie Bosch’s life provided an abundance of experiences she could

to write her first book. But it was retirement in Northern Michigan and a bear with a sweet tooth that led to the publication of Mama Sugar Bear, A Tale That’s a Little Bit True, Mission Point Press, (October 21, 2025).

Mama Sugar Bear: A Tale That's a Little Bit True

The charming tale chronicles the adventures of Mama Sugar Bear and her two cubs who become unlikely friends with a park ranger after Mama steals and devours a bag of sugar from a local chocolate shop. The ranger encourages the trio to consider better nutritional choices by exploring nearby Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore for its natural bounty of berries, fish, and honey.

Grief, Loss, and Reflection

Before developing her children’s book, Bosch took a writing course that prompted her to develop a series of personal essays on grief and loss, reflecting on tragedies she had experienced with close family members. Then came a lightbulb moment that inspired Bosch to change course.

“In April 2024, the news of a bear stealing a fifty-pound bag of sugar from our local chocolate shop delighted everyone who heard the story. He ate the whole dang fifty pounds but didn’t touch anything else!” Bosch said. News coverage confirmed this, noting that five gallons of honey and small chocolate bear cubs in the shop were ignored. “I took our dog for a hike the day I heard the news and a story spun itself in my head. As soon as I got home, I grabbed a notebook and wrote down the basis of my tale. While the culprit was believed to be a male bear, I used some artistic liberty and instead created the kind-hearted and little bit naïve Mama Bear.”

Peaceful Storytelling

With her first children’s book complete and several more in development, Bosch is deliberate in her storytelling. “My personal rule is that I won’t write stories with ogres, monsters, or frightening situations. Even though I’d read books to my kids with those themes, I believe children now have enough to deal with in the outside world that is frightening. They need stories that are sweet, fun, and peaceful,” Bosch shared.

As a child who enjoyed family camping trips and park ranger events—and who now refers to herself as “the friend on a hike who lifts a fern leaf to see the pattern of spores underneath to identify the species”—Bosch is excited to share the beauty of Northern Michigan through the story of Mama Sugar Bear, supported by the whimsical illustrations by award-winning illustrator Mireille Belajonas.

Author Katie Bosch

The Author

Katie Bosch lives on Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula where she hikes the Sleeping Bear Dunes with her husband and their schnoodle, Wrigley. A retired ER physician, she now writes children’s books inspired by nature. Her fascination with bears began on a childhood camping trip in California, when two bears raided her family’s campsite. Though no longer afraid, she still keeps a respectful distance—and a growing collection of bear-themed treasures.

The Book

Mama Sugar Bear, A Tale That’s a Little Bit True

Katie Bosch, MD

48 pages, 11 x 8.5 inches, (Hardcover), 8.5 x 8.5 inches (Softcover), Color

Juvenile Fiction, Animals, Bears, General, Action & Adventure

ISBN: 978-1-965278-35-2, $28.95 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 978-1-965278-36-9, $16.95 (Softcover)

Mission Point Press, October 21, 2025

Copies are available for preorder at Bookshop.org, Amazon, and other online retailers. On its October 21 publication date, it will be available for purchase wherever books are sold. For information or to arrange for signings and events, contact the author at boschpublications@gmail.com or www.boschpublications.com.

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