Missouri Weird and Wonderful is a fast-paced, fact-filled collection of the most fascinating parts of life in our state, with a kid's-eye point of view. Learn the many wild nicknames of our famous native amphibian, get an appreciation for how radical Scott Joplin's ragtime music was in the early 1900s, and discover the entire branch of medicine that was born here. Sports, history, wildlife, food, inventions, architecture, natural wonders, and just plain fun come to vibrant life in these richly illustrated, full-color pages. Author Amanda E. Doyle and illustrator Dan Zettwoch scoured the state, from border to border, to find these nuggets for curious kids of all ages. Find out how much MO you know!

Where in St. Louis can you… …picnic at a radioactive waste dump? …learn what West County Center’s famous dove really represents? …visit the grave of the man who burned Atlanta? …join a nudist resort? …view a cube comprised of a million dollar bills? …see a piece from New York’s Twin Towers? …find out exactly what a Billiken is? Whether you are piloting a simulated barge on the Mississippi River, exploring the hidden history of Abraham Lincoln’s bizarre swordfight in St. Charles County or eating a ten-pound apple-pie in Kimmswick inspired by the Great Flood of 1993, it is hard to get bored with a copy of Secret St. Louis: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. By turns wistful and whimsical, this is a book which answers the questions you never knew you had about St. Louis while taking readers on a whirlwind tour through 97 unique but often little-known spaces and places that can’t be found anywhere else. A tourist handbook for people who thought they never needed one, “Secret St. Louis” provides a scavenger hunt of hidden gems traversing the somber, strange, surprising and silly locales which define the culture and history that make St. Louis such a diverse and amazing place to call home. From Weldon Spring to Wildwood, from Overland to O’Fallon, from Bellefontaine to Bridgeton, this is an exploration of St. Louis’s odds and ends like no other.

Most visitors know all about Kansas City’s barbecue, jazz, and football success, but there are hidden gems and wild pieces of trivia around every turn in Missouri’s largest city. Is the giant Hereford bull anatomically correct? Can a seed that’s been to outer space still grow into a normal tree? And who really killed President William Henry Harrison? You’ll find answers to the questions you didn’t know you had in Secret Kansas City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Learn why three completely unrelated groups have chosen Kansas City as the center of the world and the place you want to be when the world ends. Between these covers, you’ll also find castles, a horse buried in a cul-de-sac, a ghost who likes a good laugh, and the world’s longest snake. This is not a tour guide for outsiders; it’s a scavenger hunt—insiders only, please. Longtime Kansas Citian Anne Kniggendorf is at your service to bolster your love and boost your respect for this middle-of-the-map city. With her eye for the odd leading the way, you’ll have a great time discovering Kansas City.

Missouri is called the Show-Me State for a good reason. From cosmopolitan rooftop bars to breathtaking mountain views, there are so many amazing things to do here that you could spend a lifetime exploring and still not cover it all. Make your goal easier with 100 Things to Do in Missouri Before You Die, a curated collection of the best from every corner of the state. Discover architectural wonders beyond the Arch, outdoor escapes like scuba diving in the Bonne Terre Mine, and museums and festivals celebrating everything from ragtime to road trips. Take the time to experience the legacy of George Washington Carver, Daniel Boone, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Harry S. Truman. Find ideas for exploring the Ozark mountains, Missouri’s big cities, unique small towns, and even prehistoric caves. Don’t miss insider tips to world-famous attractions, distinctive food and nightlife scenes, cultural creatives in fashion and the arts, and where to shop for everything from fine furniture to fine whiskey. Local authors John W. Brown and Amanda E. Doyle invite you to buckle up for this nonstop adventure ride around their home state. Special features such as seasonal and themed itineraries make planning a snap, so there should never be a reason for you or your family to say, “I have nothing to do!”

Aptly named the Show Me State, Missouri has shown the nation its past, present, and future for more than two centuries. Representing the state's 200 year history in a way that is both educational and entertaining, Missouri Timeline offers a look back even as it looks ahead to a fabulous future situated perfectly in the middle. As a state, Missouri blends everything our country has to offer, just the way we like it. As Missouri recognizes its 200th Anniversary as a state, it's important to look back at the amazing history that has had an impact far beyond the boundaries of the Show Me State. From successes in business, sports, and cultural events, to struggles against Mother Nature and failures of civil rights, a retrospective study paves an even better path for the future. This Missouri Timeline highlights the important moments in Missouri's history that have defined the state and notes the parallels in the state's trajectory as only a timeline can. Not long after the first skyscraper was built in Missouri, Laura Ingalls Wilder moved to southern Missouri where she wrote about life on the prairie. At the same time Lake of the Ozarks was filling up, Prohibition was ending, Bonnie and Clyde were having shootouts, and a golfer from Springfield was winning the first Masters Golf Tournament. This book allows readers to see Missouri's defining moments and provides a new understanding of how it all lines up historically.

Your round-trip ticket to the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things the Show-Me State has to offer! Whether you’re a born-and-raised Missourian, a recent transplant, or just passing through, Missouri Curiosities will have you laughing out loud as Josh Young takes you on a rollicking tour of the strangest sides of the Show-Me State. Wander with tigers at the world’s only big cat bed-and-breakfast, browse through America’s only corncob pipe museum, and swim in the world’s largest underground lake. Meet some crazy catfish-catching noodlers; a wacky-artwork-welding artist; and a pint-size, punch-packing former wrestling champ. Discover the fun of swinging sausages while you dance, and duel with dinosaurs—you’ll roar with delight!

How do you step into a live fairytale with aerial dancers, opera singers, and a huge rabbit? Where can you walk on a beach covered with broken pottery? What is the Institute for Abnormal Arts? Who will show you evidence Bigfoot is real? Find the answers to these questions and many more in Secret California: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. This is a book for travelers who love to meet quirky characters, discover oddities, and experience littleknown aspects of the Golden State. Learn the fascinating tales behind all the points of interest and discover some new places to look for adventure. Learn where to spend a night in a museum, explore an underground city, and watch silent movies in the same theater where Charlie Chaplin premiered The Tramp. Find out about the country’s only perfume museum, how a wall became covered in frogs, and why a colorful garden will not grow. Whether it’s an ancient society’s crypt or the second city underneath the capital, this guide leaves no stone unturned. Author Ruth Carlson uses her years of experience as a Californian to fill you in on the hilarious, the bizarre, and the beautiful in this unusual guidebook so you can experience the hidden treasures locals would like to keep to themselves—if only they knew about them!

Did you know that there’s a Connecticut hotel room with a real helicopter inside? Can you guess who inspired the character of Indiana Jones, who was president before George Washington, and who flew before the Wright Brothers? Find the state’s most interesting and offbeat stories in Secret Connecticut: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Are you interested in taking a safari or racing a chariot? Had you ever heard that Martin Luther King Jr. spent two summers in Connecticut? Included are more than eighty engaging stories that provide insight into one of America’s oldest states. Inside are tales of pirates, an underground prison, and a possessed doll. Aren’t you curious about the spectacular stained glass church that was unknowingly built in the shape of a fish by a famous architect? From the world’s smallest Native American reservation to professionally coiffed cows and a replica of Marie Antoinette’s palace, you’ll find intrigue around every corner of this small but surprising state. Author Anastasia Mills Healy brings to life the long history of intriguing people, places, and events that will fascinate even life long residents of Connecticut.

Many of North America’s most beloved regions are artfully celebrated in these boardbooks designed to soothe children before bedtime while instilling an early appreciation for the continent’s natural and cultural wonders. Each book stars a multicultural group of people visiting the featured area’s attractions—such as the Rocky Mountains in Denver, the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Lake Ontario in Toronto, and volcanoes in Hawaii. Rhythmic language guides children through the passage of both a single day and the four seasons while saluting the iconic aspects of each place. The Mississippi River, the Gateway Arch, the Ozarks, and Route 66 are some of the places and features highlighted in this board book of all things Missouri.

Oklahoma City was called “A City Born Grown” after it went from a population of a handful at Oklahoma Depot to over 10,000 on its first day. Nobody seems to mention how the streets were laid crooked and took 80 years to fix by tearing up half of downtown and that two rival city governments aimed guns at one another until the Supreme Court sorted out who was in charge. And that was only its first six months! Secret Oklahoma City: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure shares the places and stories that you won’t hear in History class, though you probably should! Learn about the Chinese Tunnels that housed hundreds of immigrant workers underground. Visit the Overholser Mansion and see if the lady of the house is still in, sixty years after her death! Gain new respect for animal heroes at the American Pigeon Museum. Find out what a giant milk bottle is doing on top of an old grocery store off 23rd. Speaking of groceries, did you know the grocery cart was invented on the south side of town? Or that the parking meter got its start in downtown Oklahoma City? Oklahoma farm kid-turned-professor Jeff Provine has spent more than a decade learning the lesserknown tales of OKC. Come with him on a tour of the unexpected side of Oklahoma City.