Discover Wisconsin's treasures

Did you know Wisconsin is full of hidden treasures? From little known bike paths to roads for your Harley, Wisconsin is full of hidden fun. Here's a look at some books available at The Reader's Loft that help you uncover all the secrets.

Hush, Little Dragon
By: Boni Ashburn
Baby and Mama dragon are almost ready to settle in for the night. But Baby can’t sleep until he gets a treat, so together they search for one in a beautifully detailed village. But there are so many options to choose from! Will they devour the town’s magician? Eat the three musketeers? Gobble up the princess? Or maybe dine on the mean old queen? Exhausted from their clever culinary adventure, Mama and Baby dragon settle down to a good night’s sleep in this warm, funny tale.

We have five signed copies of this book, we consider it a story of "Hidden Treasures" because it is a re-telling of a treasured folk song.

Over at the Castle
By: Boni Ashburn
In this clever reworking of the classic folk song Over in the Meadow, readers meet villagers who spent their day spinning, cleaning, cooking, dancing, and more. The text counts up from one baby dragon to ten court jesters, and kids will enjoy counting along with each of the characters as they go about their daily work. At the end of the day, all the villagers look out their windows for a special surprise from their dragon neighbors.

We have five signed copies of this book, we consider it a story of "Hidden Treasures" because it is a re-telling of a treasured folk song.

Gentle Hikes: Northern Wisconsin's Most Senic Lake Superior Hikes Under 3 Miles
By: Ladona Tornabene, Melanie Morgan, and Lisa Vogelsang
Do you want to go for a hike, but have limited time? Want to see the best that northern Wisconsin's Lake Superior region has to offer despite a restricted time schedule? Gentle Hikes shows you where to go for the best northern Wisconsin hikes under 3 miles. With this book, you have details on over 49 hikes and 23 picnic sites at your fingertips. Such details are useful for everyone but they are indispensable for those with small children, seniors, families with a range of physical abilities or people with physical challenges. From Superior to Hurley, these great hikes are inviting for everyone!

Weird Wisconsin: Your Travel Guide to Wisconsin's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets
By: Linda S. Godfrey and Richard D. Hendricks
As all good Wisconsinites know, there's a lot more to the Badger State than, well, badgers. We have cows, cheese, the Packers, bratwurst, lakes, the Packers, polkas, cornfields, and the Packers. But Wisconsin is also filled to the brim with weirdness. And the best chroniclers of our state's folks, strange beasts, and local legends are Linda S. Godfrey and Richard D. Hendricks, both firm believers that Wisconsin is one of the most bizarre states in the whole nation.

Strange Wisconsin: More Badger State Weirdness
By: Linda S. Godfrey
Pig men...trolls...pancakes from space...the Mormon King of Voree. When it comes to weird, Wisconsin's got it! And nobody is better at telling the bizarre stories of the state's odd side than best-selling author and paranormal authority Linda S. Godfrey. Join the fun on an eyebrow-raising tour of people, places, and things you just won't believe!

Sounds of Disaster: Great Lakes Shipwrecks
By: Wes Oleszewski
"Along the bottom of all the Great Lakes are littered the remains of hundreds of ship-wrecks. Lake Huron alone holds more than 200 historic vessels, like an icewater museum. A few of these lost lakeboats have had the stories of their spectacular disasters told, and told, and told again. Many more rest silently forgotten, their stature as a ship-sreck not being flamboyant or grisly enough to have their stories told. Still other lakeboats worked successful careers, always bringing their crews home. The adventures of these boats often passed with those who manned them. It is the overlooked adventures of these boats and the people who worked them that will be told in this book."
- Wes Oleszewski, Author

Stormy Disasters: Great Lakes Shipwrecks
By: Wes Oleszewski
Ride the stormy seas with the sailors of yesteryear. Tales of actual vessels, people, and events. "Along the bottom of all the Great Lakes are littered the remains of hundreds of ship-wrecks. Lake Huron alone holds more than 200 historic vessels, like an icewater museum. A few of these lost lakeboats have had the stories of their spectacular disasters told, and told, and told again. Many more rest silently forgotten, their stature as a ship-sreck not being flamboyant or grisly enough to have their stories told. Still other lakeboats worked successful careers, always bringing their crews home. The adventures of these boats often passed with those who manned them. It is the overlooked adventures of these boats and the people who worked them that will be told in this book."
- Wes Oleszewski, Author

True Tales of Ghosts & Gales: Mysterious Great Lakes Shipwrecks
By: Wes Oleszewski
Across

the history of the Great Lakes there has been many a stormy night when the time has been right for telling a tale about a ghost or gale. In every telling of such a tale it is claimed that the story is true or the ghost is real. Within the pages of this book we will trace those true and sometimes ghostly tales and find out about the people and vessels involeved. Along the way we will discover long lost shipwrecks and experience deadly gales. From the bones of a forgotten vessel that at this moment rests, hidden, in the heart of a major city, to the ghostly captain who appeared to his granddaughter on a stormy night in 1869, these are the stories that have been overlooked by other researchers.

Shipwrecks of Lake Michigan
By: Benjamin J. Shelak
An excellent addition to any maritime history collection! Vintage maps, historic photos, and detailed charts highlight this extensive volume. Featured are detailed accounts of disasters involving significant loss of life or property, or those that were particularly harrowing. This is the most comprehensive, accurate collection of information ever compiled about the legendary wrecks on Lake Michigan from 1800 to the present.

Historical Wisconsin Getaways: Touring the Badger State's Past
By: Sharyn Alden
Journey into Wisconsin's past and experience the state's agricultural, mining, and manufacturing influences. From the first farmers to tame the land to the subterranean lead miners who were deemed "Badgers" and the industry that still supports the state today, Wisconsin's history is fascinating. The birthplace of the Repblican Party and the home of the first kindergarten, Wisconsin often set the stage for the rest of the nation. Take a trip back in time through Wisconsin's past with this useful guide. Historic places, people, and events come to life in this delightful book. Included is information on where to stay and dine while exploring the Badger State's heritage. This is a great resource for Wisconsin travelers and history buffs of all ages.

Sacred Sites of Wisconsin
By: John-Brian Paprock and Teresa Peneguy Paprock
For the traveler seeking to find the "spirit," this guide to sacred places provides a unique point of departure. Profiling over 400 sites around Wisconsin that are noted places of worship and pilgrimage, the book includes churches, temples, synagogues, cemeteries, effigy mounds, retreat centers, and more. Learn about each site's history, what makes it sacred, why it is worth a visit and contact information, such as location, phone number, and hours. From cathedrals and mosques to synagogues and shrines, this book reveals the continuing importance of spirituality today.

Wisconsin's Outdoor Treasures
By: Tim Bewer
This guidebook describes more than 150 of Wisconsin's best outdoor treasures - places to hike, canoe and kyak, bicycle, view wildlife, take a scenic drive, cross-country ski or snowshoe, or just enjoy the solitude of rushing waterfalls, blue lakes, scenic bluffs, and deep forests. Bewer describes each area and offers practical advice for visitors - how to get there, accessibility, a description of the trails, where to find the best scenic views, when to go to avoid crowds, and where and when to go for the best chance to see wildlife.

Great Lakes Camping: The Complete Guide to More Than 750 Campgrounds in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan
By: Bob and Ginger Schmidt
If you're looking for the ideal place to camp in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, you need this book. It's the best resource available for finding campsites - from secluded wilderness spots to convenient roadside stopovers - throughout this portion of the Great Lakes region.

Wisconsin Day Trips
By: Mary M. Bauer
If you believe that Wisconsin only offers the Packers and homebrews, you've really been missing out! This handy guide covers dozens of unique attractions around the Badger State. You can take a simple day trip or string together a longer vacation of activities that catch your interest. No more information overload! Useful for singles, couples, and families, this guide emcompasses a wide range of interests.

Sidetracked In Wisconsin: A Guide for Thoughtful Travelers
By: Mary Bergin
Wisconsin is a state of incredible diversity, transition, accomplishment and modesty. We are much more than great beer, brats, cheeseheads, and polkas. You can stay close to home and think you're in another country, find stunning and unusual getaways on a tankful of gas, feel among kindred spirits in the most remote areas, eat the finest of foods in the smallest of towns. This guide is for the thoughtful traveler, willing to be sidetracked and experience something new, quirky, interesting, and unusual.

Motorcycling Across Wisconsin
By: William Murphy
"Wisconsinites are fortunate indeed" writes Bill Murphy in his fourth motorcycle tour guide of the Midwest. Bill mapped 19 backroad routes for this book through historic places, scenic vistas, small villages, and miles and miles of