We hope your Memorial Day weekend was filled with fun and family and maybe a bit of relaxing with a good book!
How about those gas prices?!!!! We can't affect those, but we can present this idea:
In these economic times, we wanted to bring to your attention to an absolutely wonderful guide book that you and your family could use to plan "Staycations" that will be interesting, fun and easier on the gas budget. Marci Penner spent two years researching and documenting hundreds of places in our home state that would be unique and - dare I say it - educational for everyone. She also gives excellent directions to every place featured and it is all organized so that you can find the exact area you might want to visit.
Denise Neil reviewed the book in the Wichita Eagle in November '05 and had this to say, "The book, which divides the state into six geographical areas, gives a county-by-county, town-by-town description of Kansas attractions, museums, restaurants, stores and more."
Penner has filled her colorful book with pictures of many of the things she saw as she traveled to all 627 incorporated towns in Kansas - scenes that whet your appetite to go there and see everything for yourself. But she has an ulterior motive. She was quoted in the Neil article giving her reason for such a huge effort.
"It wasn't just, 'Let's write a fun book about what there is to see and do in Kansas,' " Penner said. "It was, 'Let's write a book in a way that will make a difference in the viability of these communities.' "
"When you go to every town and you see what's happening, all the struggles, you also see the spirit and the will and the incredible efforts," she said.
"There's not money or power or population in small towns, so they get ignored, and that's one of the reasons I want this guidebook to make a difference."
Little did Penner foresee the cost of gas in 2008 (did anyone?), but she has handed us an intriguing and extremely useful tool to enable Kansas families to create those so valuable family vacations on a more affordable budget and support the small communities they visit -- all at the same time! We recommend this book with the proverbial FIVE STARS attached. Even if all you do is read about the places Penner showcases, you will enjoy the experience!
Penner and her father, Milferd Penner, also started the Kansas Sampler Foundation, "a nonprofit group dedicated to sustaining rural Kansas culture through education." Book Kansas! has had a booth at the Kansas Sampler Festivals several of the years and can heartily recommend the event to anyone looking for a fair that travels to various parts of the state and makes us all feel proud of our home. Unfortunately, Kansas Sampler is over for 2008, but it will be back next year in Concordia on May 2 & 3. See their web site at http://kansassampler.org for more projects and activities.
It constantly amazes us that Kansans are so talented and diverse in their interests and abilities. "Amazes" may not be the right word here. Perhaps "Fills us with pride" would be a better way to describe our feelings. After six years of ownership of Book Kansas! our admiration has grown even higher than it was in the beginning when we believed there was enough talent and interest here to support this business. We sure haven't been disappointed! Not only are there hundreds of authors who call Kansas home, there are hundreds of wonderful authors with lots of talent and lots to say! One of the best vacations may just be a week in a peaceful place (home?) with a pile of books you've been wanting to read - all by Kansans or set in our beautiful state! It's worth considering -- and we can help!
And did you hear . . . ?
The Kansas Center for the Book, part of the Kansas State Library, has won a national award for its innovative promotion of reading literacy programs for readers of all ages, presented by The Boorstin Center for the Book in the Library of Congress in Washington DC. This prestigious award was given to three state centers and we are so proud that Kansas was one. The center's role is to promote Kansas books, authors, libraries, booksellers, publishers and the book community, and to foster awareness of literacy and the literary heritage of the state. Obviously, it is doing an outstanding job! You can get more information on the Center's programs at their web site: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/orgs/kcfb/
We are enthusiastic Charter Affiliate members of the Kansas Center for the Book and participate on the Notable Books Recommendation Committee and in the promotion of the Kansas Reads books (for 2009 it's "Virgin of Small Plains" by Nancy Pickard). Of course, we also promote Kansas authors and books about our beloved state.
We will close with this thought: "Never lend books, for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are books that other folks have lent me." ~Anatole France So, get your own copy of the Kansas Guide for Explorers, write your name in it and get out there and enjoy your summer vacation! We'll be looking for you!
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