Rural Missouri - October 2023 - 23

MISSOURI WEIRD
WONDERFUL
&
L
Reedy Press books celebrate
the Missouri you never knew
by Jim McCarty | jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop
et's face it: Missouri is a weird and wonderful state,
with natural wonders, peculiar history, eccentric
citizens and roadside attractions that rival those
found just about anywhere. Since 2004, Reedy Press
has celebrated that oddness through hundreds of equally
unusual books.
" We've got a lot of the weird, " agrees Josh Stevens,
owner of the St. Louis-based publisher. " We've covered
everything you can imagine but e still fi nd things that
are worthy of exploring. "
These include walking tour books, destination guides
and food travel books tied to specifi c regions. eedy ress
published the defi nitive book on issouri's bicentennial. t
also produced " Historic Missouri Roadsides, " a daily history
lesson called " Missouri 365 " and " Missouri Legends, "
a collection of profi les on famous issourians.
Other offerings include a book on Missouri weather
events, the state's natural wonders and numerous books
covering every aspect of the St. Louis Cardinals.
ts  hings to o efore ou ie series includes
ake of the arks and ranson.
There's also a " Secret " series on
obscure items of interest from a
variety of places.
The latest Reedy Press offering
sums up the type of books it is
known for. " Missouri Weird & Wonderful "
is a collection of the state's
most fascinating facts, presented
in a graphic style that is just plain
fun. uthor manda oyle teamed
up ith illustrator an ettoch to
select the material and present it in
A " shut-in " is an Ozark description of a river that
cuts a deep, narrow channel among surrounding rock,
leading to strong rapids scattered among peaceful
swimming holes. Like Mother Nature's waterpark, the
Castor River Shut-Ins near Fredericktown feature pink
granite boulders and a wide selection of shallows,
cascading rock slides, and wading pools.
10 | Missouri Weird&Wonderful:
Food
a colorful and vibrant style that almost leaps off the pages.
ncluded are glimpses of issouri fi rsts such as sliced
bread, famous Missourians like George Washington Carver
and natural features such as ohnson's hut-ns. here's
even a page dedicated to wildlife like the lovable but endangered
hellbender that seems to be everyone's favorite.
The book's intended audience is kids, but the goal
To be at the highest point in Missouri, head up to Taum Sauk
Mountain, where a plaque informs you you are 1,772 feet
above sea level. The sign won't tell you that it's also likely the
oldest peak in the state. Hiking down, you can see Mina Sauk
Falls, a 132-foot seasonal waterfall.
Our state, smack in the middle of the country,
manages to pack a wide range of natural features into its
approximately 70,000 square miles. From the wide-open plains
of north Missouri and the mountains in the southwest, to the
Delta-flat cotton fields of the Bootheel and the two longest
rivers in the country, you'll find a little bit of everything here.
Lace up your boots or slip on your water shoes, and get
exploring!
Massive (we're talking more
than 30 feet tall and wide)
granite boulders more than a
billion years old stand in a row at the top of
Elephant Rocks State Park, an easy hike up. You
is far-reaching and another mission of Reedy Press -
making learning fun. " Schools are excited about the book
because it can help them teach Missouri history in an
entertaining ay osh says. t's a challenge to get kids to
read anymore. "
esides creating books that can serve as tets for students,
Reedy Press goes further by doing presentations in
schools and other places of learning based on its books.
These often include an interactive game show with the kids
as participants.
Way beyond these presentations as the issouri ook
Festival Josh co-organized in 2022. The real fun came
from events tied to books. " We had done a book on Wrestling
at the Chase. We had a wrestling event, " Josh says.
" There was a book published by a circus company. So we
had a circus performance. We had
a oap o erby tied to a book on
the history of the automobile. "
f you think you kno issouri
take a look at the many offerings
from eedy ress. ou'll likely fi nd
there's way more to the state than
you thought.
can get some fun photos (pretend you're carrying the weight on your
shoulder!) but make sure to respect the natural surroundings.
Don't feel like traveling
all the way to Arizona for an
impressive canyon? Check out
the " Little Grand Canyon " at Grand
Gulf State Park, in Thayer. Stretching
close to a mile in length, the huge
chasm was created when an ancient
cave system collapsed, 130 feet
down between high cliff walls.
ou can fi nd Reedy Press books
online at www.reedypress.com. he
Missouri Book Festival returns ept.
-  in ashington.
Missouri Weird&Wonderful:
Food | 11
Left: The latest Reedy Press title, " Missouri Weird & Wonderful, " showcases content familiar to fans of the publisher's many other books. The
focus is on hidden gems even native Missourians would pass by without knowing the rest of the story. Above: Another Reedy Press goal is to help
educate the state's youth in a format they love. This spread from the book shows natural features.
OCTOBER 2023 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP 23

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Rural Missouri - October 2023

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