About
Kristin Schmidt Larson grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She had a unique childhood traveling and working on her family’s carnival in the summers. She traveled the Dakotas, and experiences were written in “Traveling Caravan, Growing Up Under The Big Top.” The book also includes stories from her grandfather’s Schmidt Family Circus.
She also just published her children’s book, “Rosalita Spreads Kindness,” which is illustrated by Maria Standing Bear. A delightful and lovely illustrated book about Rosalita, who travels with the Schmidt Family Circus with the rest of the kind animals.
TRAVELING CARAVAN: Growing Up Under The Big Top
Step into the extraordinary life of Kristin L. Schmidt Larson in TRAVELING CARAVAN: Growing Up Under The Big Top, a captivating non-fiction narrative that takes you on a journey through the Midwest with a family steeped in the vibrant yet challenging world of traveling carnivals.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Harold Earl Schmidt, Kristin’s grandfather, traveled with his One-Man Band, eventually married Phyllis Maas, and raised four children under the big top. The circus, transitioning into a traveling carnival by the late 1960s, became the backdrop for Kristin’s teenage years. As she traveled the Midwest with her family’s carnival, she experienced the hard work, the exhilaration, and the unique challenges of life on the road.
Through vivid storytelling, Kristin shares her family’s history, their travels, and the sense of community and exclusion they faced as ‘Carni people’. This compelling memoir offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of carnival workers, revealing the joys and perils of this unconventional lifestyle
Rosalita Spreads Kindness
In Rosalita Spreads Kindness, readers are invited into the colorful world of the Schmidt Family Circus—a place where joy, friendship, and acts of kindness take center stage. Follow Rosalita, a gentle elephant with a loving spirit, as she delights children and brings a message of compassion to every town she visits.
From performing daring tricks to forming unbreakable bonds, Rosalita shows that kindness is the greatest act of all. Alongside her circus friends—Tommy the lion, Sally the bear, Tojo the wonder dog, and more—she inspires children to dream big, care deeply, and always smile.
Perfect for children ages 4–9, this beautifully illustrated storybook combines the excitement of circus life with meaningful lessons about empathy, teamwork, and the magic of helping others.
Max The Traveling Cat
Max the Traveling Cat is a heartwarming adventure about courage, curiosity, and the discovery of the world, one pawprint at a time.
Filled with imagination, kindness, and playful charm.
Max shows children how to explore the world, embrace new experiences, and believe in the magic of every journey.
This story is inspired by my real-life cat, Max, who travels with me across the Dakotas.
Perfect for young readers ages 6 to 9.
Moorhead Friends Writing Group 