Hidden Shelf Blog
Summer Reading 2023
Summer Reading List 2023 A book to read on a long flight. A book to read while lying in the hammock. A book to read while relaxing on the beach. A book to read when you wish you were relaxing on the beach. A guilt-free option for entertaining your children. A new...
Summer Reading 2023
Summer Reading List 2023
A book to read on a long flight. A book to read while lying in the hammock. A book to read while relaxing on the beach. A book to read when you wish you were relaxing on the beach. A guilt-free option for entertaining your children. A new summer read for your book club. A book to complete your summer reading bingo sheet or the summer reading challenge at your library.
Whatever it is you are looking for we listed a few suggestions to get you started.
Legend Keepers in the News
The Legend Keepers Series has won three awards due to its uniquely crafted narrative and important message– a blend of fantasy and fiction promoting an environmental message!
“I blended what we know about animals from research, and what we would like to know about animals but don’t — the stuff we imagine and wish we knew,” he said. “As a novelist, I have this freedom that I don’t have as a scientist writing nonfiction.”
Celebrating the Earth and Environmental Education: A Message From Our Kids’ Future
Science has the wonderful capacity to open young minds to possibilities. It prompts them to ask questions about the world they live in, especially the “how” and “why” questions.
I also believe that literature can enhance classroom science education. Both nonfiction and fiction—including eco-fiction—convey engaging and evocative examples of science in action. Such storytelling helps both young and old to see what’s possible. Stories inspire us to imagine what could be. We need to be able to imagine, to dream of the future we want. Only then can we seek and achieve it. This is our shared responsibility to future generations, and to planet Earth.
Green Earth Books: A Book List for Earth Day!
My favorite way of exploring any topic with my kids is—you guessed it, with books! There are many books that cover topics of pollution, the Earth, climate change, environmental activism and activists, recycling, science and scientists, plants and animals, both fiction and nonfiction, picture books, and chapter books. I am grateful for the wide variety, but it can sometimes make it a bit tricky to know just where to start. Here’s a quick tip–find a list of books that have been nominated for or won an award. These books have been vetted and have a stamp of approval. For my 2023 Earth Day Book Recommendation List, I am pulling from The Green Earth Book Awards. Seems pretty fitting for Earth Day, don’t you think?
Hidden Shelf Catalog 2022
In Iceland, the beautiful tradition of “Jolabokaflod” translates to “Christmas Book Flood”. On the 24th of December, Icelanders give books to each other and then spend the night reading.
Perfect for a winter evening, the Icelandic tradition is finding its way to other book-reading nations.
Browse the 2022 Hidden Shelf Publishing House Catalog and participate in this wonderful tradition!
Creative Gift Ideas From Your Favorite Award-winning Authors!
Looking for the perfect gift? Award-winning authors share their gift recommendations for the holiday season!
At Hidden Shelf Publishing House, it is no surprise that we think books are ALWAYS a great option for any gift-giving opportunity!
Yes, you’ll find books on this list, but you’ll also find a variety of unique gift recommendations from Hidden Shelf authors!
Home
I’ve been asked often about the significance of the narrator in House Number 12 Block Number 3. This time, when I was in Karachi I was asked the same question– why did a house have to narrate the story?
Award-winning Fiction from Hidden Shelf Publishing
Every Hidden Shelf author that released a book in 2021 has received at least 1 award or finalist recognition for their notable works of fiction!
Browse the titles below and see for yourself what all the hype is about!
Authors Reflect on Mother’s Day
This Mother’s Day Hidden Shelf authors share stories of their mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures in their books.
Encouragement for Young Writers
April 10th is National Encourage a Young Writer Day– Hidden Shelf authors share advice and encouragement for aspiring writers.
“Legend Keepers: The Chosen One” Wins Book Award!
Award-winning wildlife author, Bruce Smith, wins award for debut middle-grade novel, “Legend Keepers: The Chosen One” and has plans for second book in the series to come out later this year.
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” -Dr. King
Martin Luther King once stated, “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” This statement, looking back at all he had done in his short life, is remarkable in so many ways.
10 Gift Ideas for Book Lovers (That Aren’t Books)
10 Gift Ideas for Book Lovers (That Aren’t Books)– from book themed teas to a book embosser to enhance their personal library– check out our list of creative ideas for every book lover in your life!
9 Books to Give as Gifts This Year
2021 Holiday Gift Guide–
Books make great gifts! Check out our list of 9 great books to give as gifts this year!
Top 5 STEM Books For Kids
Top 5 STEM Books For Kids: A Granddad’s Guide to Great Books for the Curious Grandchild.
“Sure, I give my grandchildren cool toys. But I also send gifts that will last. My grandkids (ages 10, 8, 7) are probably a lot like yours – curious, creative, fun … and obsessed with books that spark their intelligence.” Here’s a short list of great books for bright kids (ages 7-12).
Writing Wrongs– How My Family’s History Influenced My Novels
I learned that my fate is indeed tied up with historical moments but that writing helps me understand it and right the wrongs of the past.
I took time to write two novels both involving three-year-old boys. Ironically, the Christy Award winning novel Stars in the Grass, centers around a family and the loss of their three-year-old son.
The Heat Is On
Like many of you, I’m sweltering through a historic heatwave plaguing the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains. By July 4th, my hometown in Montana has already had more 90+ degree days than we used to have all summer. As the heat dries out forests, wildland fires will follow. We know the pattern. As a wildlife biologist, I take the scientific consensus seriously. Along with habitat destruction, pollution, and human exploitation of plants and animals, climate change is now a leading threat to life on Earth.
National Doughnut Day
We are a doughnut loving family! I love that the popular “national days” give us the excuse to indulge in these delicious treats! What better way to celebrate this sweet holiday than sinking your teeth into a tasty tale–featuring our favorite fried delicacy of course!
Grab your favorite doughnut (and a cup of coffee) and start reading!
New Release – The Souls Of Clayhatchee
Fan readers of which authors/books do you think would enjoy this title and why? Walter Mosley fans would enjoy this book because it’s a mystery that’s steeped in black tradition and vernacular. Fans of Eric Jerome Dickey books would also enjoy this read because of its humor and accessibility.
The Warden’s Son Book Release Party
Mark your calendars for the release of The Warden’s Son, a posthumous memoir about growing up at the Idaho State Penitentiary by Jerry Clapp, son of Idaho’s longest serving Warden, Lou Clapp, and featuring an introduction by Anthony Parry, Old Idaho Penitentiary Interpretive Specialist.
Bruce Smith Author Spotlight
Bruce Smith is a wildlife biologist and an award-winning author of five books of natural history, conservation, and outdoor adventure, including Life on the Rocks: A Portrait of the Mountain Goat, which won the National Outdoor Book Award.
Send Judah First Giveaway
Martin Luther King, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Oluadah Equiano; all familiar names that have been readily adopted by American history. These Black history figures have been canonized for oratory skills, abolition work, or for being a first. While their exploits are worthy of consideration, our history books have ignored countless members of society whose exploits are not chronicled, remembered, or celebrated by many.
Dr. Anthony Todd Carlisle on Family Legacy
When I think of family, I think of fragmentation.
I was nurtured in the Pennsylvania mill town of Ambridge, raised by my maternal grandparents, Perry and Ellen Carlisle. My mother, Janice, moved down the road to Pittsburgh and my father, Butch, lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Hidden Shelf Gift Guide 2020
Books are always great options for gifts. Especially this year when people are spending more time at home, less time traveling, less time socializing; a perfect opportunity to grab a warm drink, a great book, and snuggle up at home.
Non-Fiction November
As the spring blossomed into summer and assumptions of a temporary quarantine faded into a more dismal reality, I stacked my new books back on the shelf in favor of some old favorites. I needed the familiar cadence of pages I had turned countless times. I needed to know what to expect, what the ending would look like, and what emotions would surge.
Author Spotlight Featuring Scott Ziemer
Basic info:
Full Name: Scott Ziemer
Printed works: Jiemba & Friends
Current Projects: Jiemba II, III,
Background, Growing up, and a little bit about yourself: Where did you grow up? Lakewood, (Southern) California
Describe your hometown in three words: Friendly, Scenic, Growing.
Artist Spotlight – Mariah Ziemer
Basic info:
Full Name: Mariah Ziemer
Printed works: Jiemba and Friends, written by Scott Ziemer, illustrated by Mariah Ziemer
Current Projects: Loose Chronicles, Bob Gaines
Pandemic Comfort Reading: Our Top Picks
Before we began our social isolation I had checked out several books from the library. Every spring I try to focus on reading Irish authors and books that are based in Ireland as part of my tribute to St. Patrick. This year I was excited about the stack of books I had selected.
Boomerangs
After reading Jiemba and Friends, I started thinking about boomerangs. I remember my cousin having one when I was a kid. I’m not sure any of us had much success getting it to fly back. Regardless, I always thought they were fascinating and I’ve realized a lot of people have questions about boomerangs.
Free Printable Worksheets for Kindergarten!
We recently released Jiemba & Friends and we are celebrating by giving away FREE printables to go with the book!
The worksheets are perfect for preschool and kindergarten kids, plus a few that are geared toward older elementary school.
7 Earth Week Worthy Reads for Adults and Teens
I consider myself a “part-time hippy”. I use essential oils, and I also vaccinate my kids. We eat a whole foods diet, but occasionally hit up the drive-thru. I eat a mostly vegan diet, but I eat eggs and honey. I use non-toxic, dye-free, scent-free …
Literary Activities for All Ages
Books provide entertainment, education, and even escape for people of all ages. As many of us find ourselves spending more time at home than perhaps ever before, we want to present a few activities that fall “outside the pages”.
Share your book-related activities with us by tagging @hidden_shelf on Instagram!
Hidden Shelf Revealed: Author Spotlight – Dan Moore
Basic info:
Full Name: James Daniel Moore
Do you write under a pseudonym? How did you decide which name(s) to include on your books? No. I put the name I go by, Dan Moore, simpler the better.
Printed works: Promise Lost: Stephen Joyner, the Marine Corps and the Vietnam War. As well as numerous academic articles and book reviews.
Current Projects: Author’s Expanded Revision of Promise Lost: Memoir of my year in Vietnam, 1967-68
Black History Month: Adult Book List
Earlier this month I talked about some of the things I look for when choosing picture books for my kids. I apply much of the same concepts when choosing books for myself, and that includes diverse representation.
• Diverse representation in characters
• Diverse representation in authors
• Diverse representation in content
Hidden Shelf Revealed: Author Spotlight Series, Featuring Brian C. Johnson
Basic info:
Full Name: Brian C. Johnson
Printed works: Send Judah First: The Erased Life of an Enslaved Soul; The Room Downstairs.
Current Projects : Caesar: Free Slave; Me, My Selfie & I: A Black Lives Matter Novel; Sintimacy: The Novel
Quick Facts About Me: I am the father of 4, and the grandfather of 8, and I am an avid kite flyer.
Black History Month: Childrens Books
Black History Month Book List
Featuring children’s books by black authors.
In our house, we try to make sure that the books we are reading to our kids, and the books they are reading to themselves, expose them to a wide array of diversity; racial, ethnic, cultural, gender, socio-economic, and thematic.
New Year’s Resolution: Read More Books
Several years ago, I decided that I liked the idea of a “New Years Challenge” rather than a “New Year’s Resolution.” As a person with a competitive nature, a “challenge” was something I felt more compelled to work toward and “win”, rather than a resolution, which always felt like a change you made for January and then forgot about for the rest of the year.
