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Books
Hickory Hollow Series
Welcome to Hickory Hollow! The town may be tiny, but it is a special place for the people who live there. There is always fun and adventure to be had in Hickory Hollow. It’s a great place to be a curious kid! There are important discoveries to be made, secret riddles to be solved, unexplained mysteries to be discovered, and even hidden treasures to be found. But watch out! Sometimes, the town seems to have a mind of its own.
Lost in Shellbark Forest: Natalie’s Story
by Mari Bolte | Illustrated by Shams Nelson
Natalie Kim is the new girl in Hickory Hollow. Her parents took over the local candy store after her Grandma Bernie passed away. But Natalie isn’t too happy about the move. She misses her old home. She misses her old friends. Worst of all, she misses Grandma Bernie. Natalie feels lost in her new town. But that is nothing new. As her twin brother Josh often reminds her, Natalie is terrible with directions.
Natalie joins her school’s orienteering club hoping to make new friends and get to know her way around Hickory Hollow. But the Shellbark Forest that surrounds the town seems to have a mind of its own, and soon Natalie finds herself lost and alone. Does she have what it takes to find her way back home?
The Perfect Recipe: Eva’s Story
by Kelly J. Baptist | Illustrated by Shams Nelson
Eva Williams is determined to bake the perfect pie and win the Hickory Hollow High Pie Competition. The perfect pie could make up for her recent big mistake and prove to her parents that she can handle responsibility. But she won’t become the first kid to win with just any old pie recipe. She needs something extra special if she is going to triumph.
Eva enlists the help of her friends Ollie and Natalie to go on a secret adventure for the perfect pie. The kids head into Shellbark Forest and encounter a series of challenges to collect the perfect ingredients. But will their pie be good enough to win the competition?
Secrets in the Shadows: Skye’s Story
by Eleanor Cardell & Alfred Rodriguez | lllustrated by Shams Nelson
Skye Douglas is not excited about her newest school assignment. She’s got better things to do with her time than research a former Hickory Hollow resident. But when Skye stumbles across a poem on Annabelle Ainslow’s town monument, she’s intrigued. The poem hints about a mysterious creature that supposedly lives in Shellbark Forest. But no one, aside from Annabelle, has ever seen this creature. With the encouragement of her Grandpa Louie and the help of her friends Josh and Mateo, Skye is determined to prove the legend and redeem Annabelle’s name. But finding a creature that may or may not exist isn’t easy. Will Skye ever find the creature and prove Annabelle right?
The Problem at Halfway Pond: Ollie’s Story
by Jason M. Burns | Illustrated by Shams Nelson
Ollie Olson loves spending time with his dog, Duke, down at Halfway Pond. But today, something seems wrong. All of the animals that call the pond home have mysteriously disappeared. Even more concerning is the smelly goop that Ollie finds polluting the water. Something is definitely not right. Ollie enlists the help of his friend Eva to investigate. Ollie is determined to use all of his detective knowledge to find out what, or who is polluting the pond. Together, Ollie and Eva take off on a dangerous journey through the woods to find the source of the pollution. Will Ollie be able to solve the mystery and save Halfway Pond?
A Hickory Haunting: Josh’s Story
by Mari Bolte | lllustrated by Shams Nelson
Josh Kim has created a pumpkin sculpture to be proud of. He’s hoping his hard work will pay off when he wins the Hickory Hollow Fall Festival Pumpkin Art Contest. But when he turns his back for just a minute, Josh’s pumpkin goes missing. Josh is devastated, but he isn’t the only person who has lost something important. His twin sister Natalie and friends Skye and Mateo are also missing special items.
As the friends investigate, Josh becomes convinced that there is only one explanation. There must be a ghost haunting Hickory Hollow! But whose ghost could it be, and why did they take Josh’s pumpkin? Will Josh be able to solve the mystery and find the missing items in time?
X Marks the Spot: Mateo’s Story
by Eleanor Cardell | Illustrated by Shams Nelson
Mateo Diaz loves history, especially when he gets to help out his abuela at the Hickory Hollow History Museum. When Mateo stumbles upon a riddle on a monument in Town Square, history becomes even more exciting. It seems like a former resident, the mysterious Ms. X, left a buried treasure somewhere in Hickory Hollow!
Mateo gathers his group of friends, and together they embark one grand treasure hunt around town. Every clue they find helps them learn more about Ms. X. But will Mateo and his friends be able to find Ms. X’s treasure?
Global Editions
Coming soon.
Spanish
- Terminatio tabella tredecim aufero undique
- Repellendus venustas delego alioqui taceo
- Catena tot cuius talis auditor certe tepesco
- Suffoco suppono subnecto temperantia trans
- Earum vorax velit cupiditas peccatus
French
- Terminatio tabella tredecim aufero undique
- Repellendus venustas delego alioqui taceo
- Catena tot cuius talis auditor certe tepesco
- Suffoco suppono subnecto temperantia trans
- Earum vorax velit cupiditas peccatus
Chinese
- Terminatio tabella tredecim aufero undique
- Repellendus venustas delego alioqui taceo
- Catena tot cuius talis auditor certe tepesco
- Suffoco suppono subnecto temperantia trans
- Earum vorax velit cupiditas peccatus
Our Creative Contributors
Mari Bolte
Mari Bolte has written and edited hundreds of books for kids. Every book is her favorite as long as the reader had fun. She lives in Minnesota with a menagerie of dogs, cats, and horses.
Kelly J. Baptist
Kelly J. Baptist is the author of six (almost seven!) books for kids. She lives in Southwest Michigan with her five amazing children and embraces Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality every day!
Alfred Rodriguez
Alfred Rodriguez began his career as a columnist for Mexican magazines. He is also a comic book translator, editor for domestic projects, and the host of a weekly podcast about pop culture. Additionally, he has written short stories for Fan The Flame Studios’ licensed Neymar Jr Comics.
Shams Nelson
Shams Nelson is an illustrator and designer specializing in children’s books and fantasy art. He graduated from Academy of Art University. A passionate learner and teacher, his videos and mentorships have helped thousands of budding artists develop their skills.
Jason M. Bums
Jason M. Bums has had a successful career in the comic book industry, two original novels, and multiple film and television projects. Jason lives in Massachusetts with family.
Eleanor Cardell
Eleanor Cardell lives in Los Angeles with her family. When she’s not writing you can find her rock climbing, hiking, and looking for cryptids in the California scrub.