NEW NEWS
EAGLE BAY - The adventures of The Adirondack Kids® continue in, Escape from Black Bear Mountain, volume eight of the best-selling chapter book series by Adirondack Literary Award-winning authors, Justin and Gary VanRiper.
"Last summer we were trying to decide what this adventure would be about," said Justin VanRiper. "The Adirondack Kids® have had adventures in boats and on a plane and a train and Dax has even been in a bobsled and on a skateboard. We wondered what was left. Then I thought - how about a hot air balloon!"
And what is a hot air balloon doing in the story?
"You'll have to read the book to find out," said Justin.
Justin was in third grade when the first Adirondack Kids book was released. Today, he is 18, and in the autumn is headed for Houghton College. The father-and-son writing team has produced one new title in the series each year since 2001.
The Adirondack Kids ® #8 is once again set on the Fulton Chain of Lakes where both the fictional and the real Justin have family camps. Everyone's favorite characters are back including Justin Robert, Nick Barnes and Jackie Salsberry. And of course, Dax. This latest summer adventure involves what should be a simple hike up nearby Black Bear Mountain. Justin has a goal to climb all of the local mountains that have trails before summer vacation is over. He also wants to be the first boy to climb all of the mountains with a cat. If only the three friends had noticed the warning sign at the Black Bear Mountain trailhead
The Adirondack Kids® #8 - Escape from Black Bear Mountain can be found in bookstores throughout the Adirondacks and at independent and chain bookstores throughout New York state beginning in April of 2008. Books from the series are also available right here on the official website of The Adirondack Kids®. Just click here to go to our Bookstore.
GEORGIA - Many thanks to Joy Chapman of Kalon Media for her input with The Adirondack Kids® #8, helping us keep certain scenes in our new story authentic! Watch for her latest film due out this 2008 - Mandie and the Secret Tunnel - starring Dean Jones and Lexi Johnson. The film is based on the Mandie series of children's books. To view movie stills, trailers and film updates, click on the Mandie banner below or visit www.mandiemovies.com. We can't wait to see it!
SYRACUSE, NY - Borders at Carousel Center in Syracuse, NY recently helped Adirondack Kids co-authors Justin and Gary VanRiper celebrate the release of their latest book, Escape from Black Bear Mountain, as part of the store's Educator's Savings week. The good folks at Borders went an extra mile and also helped Justin celebrate his 18th birthday, complete with a sheet cake featuring the new book's cover! The VanRipers thank manager Alan Mash, the Borders staff and all those who stopped by for the book-signing, for making the event extra special.
PENFIELD, NY - The creative teachers at Scribners Elementary School surprised the authors of The Adirondack Kids with a musical production based on their first book, complete with tap dancing loons! The script called for three Justins - one as narrator, one as actor, and one inside a sleeping bag with a flashlight! Special sets included the ice cream stand, video games for the arcade and large backdrops dressed as the Adirondack landscape. There were even jet skis made using scooters! The photo with the Pied Piper sign features the real Justin with the student actors who played Justin and Nick.
JAY, NY - "The VanRipers are considered superstars of regional self-publishing..." That's what Nancy Davis Kho wrote in her article, Why Self Publishing Works for Regional Writers, in the June 2007 issue of Adirondack Life Magazine.
Adirondack Kids Press was established by the VanRipers some eighth years ago to launch The Adirondack Kids® series of self-published books. 2000 copies of the first book were printed and within several months they were gone. What began as a family project to keep Justin interested in reading has turned into a small company with thousands of readers across the country. The VanRipers publish one new Adirondack Kids title every year, and hope soon to break the 100,000 copy mark for total number of Adirondack Kids books in print!
ADIRONDACK PARK, NY - Gary and Justin and Carol VanRiper continue to tour with The Adirondack Kids® book series.
"We are visiting so many places in the Park where we have never been before," said Carol VanRiper, (wife, mom, bookkeeper, public relations head and interior illustrator!). "Last year, we visited a number of schools, libraries, book stores and conventions," she said. "Justin only does a few school visits per season, but I keep Gary busy most of the school year."
 Justin, Gary & Carol standing next to van at Camp Gorham |  Justin, Carol and Gary with chalkboard. |  Justin & Gary at
Barnes & Noble |
Every year the Summer Book Tour lands them in Old Forge, Inlet, Long Lake and Lake Placid. Keep checking the Appearances Page on this website for 2008 visits. And always call venues ahead and confirm appearances before traveling to a public event!
Below are a few photos from last year's visits.
Special Note: Our computer crashed at the close of the summer before we backed up our shots, and we lost nearly all of the season's photos, including special shots of our very first Adirondack 46Readers! Thanks to Nancy Davis Kho and other friends for helping us recover some memories on film!
ADIRONDACK PARK, NY - Adirondack Kids Press offers discounts on books sold at schools directly to students for class sets, school presentations, PTO's, school book fairs or other special school events. For information on school discounts contact Carol VanRiper at info@adirondackkids.com.
To schedule an author's visit, contact Carol VanRiper at that same e-mail address. Check out where the Adirondack Kids writing and illustrating team will be next by visiting the Appearances page. See the School Visit section at the bottom of that page for more details.
Did you know Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and The Boxcar Children have all had adventures in the Adirondacks? The authors of The Adirondack Kids® have discovered dozens of children's books set in the Adirondacks that have been published from as early as the 1890's! In fact, they have started a collection. To see a list of titles they have found so far, click on the updated Dax Facts page.
UTICA,NY - Gary VanRiper continues to host a special segment called Adirondack Journal for the Central New York television show - Mohawk Valley Living. Nearly every week Gary introduces a special person, place or organization related to the Adirondacks. Guests have included Adirondack Attic columnist Andy Flynn; musician Gwen Tracy; nature and wildlife photographers Eric Dresser and Robert Lubeck; authors Jay O'Hern, Susan Steverman, Lettie Haynes, Adirondack Detective author - John Briant; artist Jeanne Dupre and organizations such as the Adirondack Mountain Club and North Country Books. For more show information, visit www.mohawkvalleyliving.com
Adirondack Kids co-authors Justin and Gary VanRiper have been supporting several children in Zambia for several years through World Hope International. Now they plan to increase awareness and their support for some of the world's most vulnerable children.
Last year, they established a pilot program to increase their ongoing support by donating $1 from every book sold on The Adirondack Kids® official website from August 1, 2006 to August 1 2007 to World Hope International for its work among the needy children and their families in Zambia. *
"We are so blessed to live in this country," said co-author Gary VanRiper. "We sponsor three children in Zambia now, but the need is so great. So, we talked it over as a family and came up with a modest plan to try and do more to help children in a country that in many ways is less fortunate than our own."
"We sold nearly 100 books to individuals on-line last year so we rounded it off and were able to send another $100 to help," said Justin. "We've decided to continue this program now until further notice. The little bit that we send can make a big difference to those in need. Hopefully with what we give, they can afford food, water, education and a better place to live."
World Hope International is a faith based relief and development organization alleviating suffering and injustice through education, enterprise and community health.
According to the World Hope International website, Zambia is home to more than 10 million people with more than 600,000 AIDS orphans.
For more information on World Hope International and its work in Zambia and other countries in the world, visit www.worldhope.org
* Excludes sales to public schools and libraries which already realize a substantial discount.
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