Jill A. Johnson grew up in the Minnesota towns of Strandquist, population 69, and Karlstad, population 760. In 2007, her father returned from a 50th class reunion for the first class he taught in Strandquist. His comment that "all the tiny towns would be gone in a few years," sent Jill and her husband, Deane L. Johnson, on a journey across Minnesota to write Little Minnesota. When researching the state's smallest towns, the Johnsons were astounded at the number of men who died in World War II. They both grew up listening to stories of uncles and family friends who served in World War II, a war in strange lands, unknown to many in rural Minnesota. Little Minnesota in World War II tells the story of the men who died in the war in a heroic effort to defeat Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Emperor Hirohito. Jill, a retired physical therapist, lives with Deane, a retired physician, photographer, writer, and musician, and their beagle, Kallie, the namesake of Beagle Books, the bookstore they founded in Park Rapids in 2001.