Books published by publisher Leathers Pub

Before storm sirens, before the Weather Channel, before Doppler Radar, a tornado "dropped out of a troubled May sky and twisted its way into our lives forever." On the evening of May 20,1957 three communities south of Kansas City, Missouri were destroyed by a seventy-one mile, F-5 twister. This monstrous storm left in its path five hundred injured, forty-four dead and over a million dollars worth of property damage. Nothing defines a community more than its reaction to disaster. Caught In The Path is a story of fear and courage, suffering and resiliency. The hardest hit area, four year old Ruskin Heights, was the first post-war tract housing development in the Kansas City area. Like so many of their generation, its residents, mostly first time home buyers in their twenties and thirties, came to Ruskin to raise their baby-boom families with the optimism of the fifties. When the tornado scattered their dreams along its path, they came back, and changed a housing development into a community. Author Carolyn Glenn Brewer's family was among those caught off guard by the tornado. Most of the houses on her block were leveled to the foundation. She combines her story with extensive interviews from nearly one hundred survivors and period media coverage. The narrative flow of this book reads like fiction, but makes the tornado, and the summer that followed, pulse with reality.

Miss Lilly and the Hollyhock Garden is a delightful new children's book just released by Leathers Publishing. Written and illustrated by first time author Mary Martin, this book is certain to become a favorite among children. In the book, Miss Lilly, a beautiful flower blossom, lives in the Hollyhock Garden where everyone is special in his or her own way. Every hollyhock family is a different color. But no family is lovlier than the other. Although the Garden is peaceful and happy, Miss Lilly can't help but wish she could go other places, too. One day an enormous wind hits the garden and blows Miss Lilly out into the world. And this is where her adventure begins. The hollyhock lady meets many interesting friends on her journey home.

A book that is so charming and so beautifully illustrated that it is a pleasure for every reader. Preschoolers and early readers will especially enjoy discovering the hidden world of a tiny insect. Ralphina is a young roly-poly, living in the garden of a family with a little boy. Ralphina asks her mother how she can get the little boy to be her friend. Once they meet, Ralphina tells Alec all about roly-polies. The book is both fun and educational.

Meet five of the most mischievous (and cutest) little ghosts ever created. The Chocolate Chip Ghost will appeal to preschoolers and early readers. It gently introduces children to the concept of consequences - what happens when the little ghosts disobey their Papa right before Halloween. Children will learn about expectations, responsibilities and most of all the unconditional love of a parent.

Family, fantasy and adventure are the keys to every child's heart and imagination. Leathers Publishing's latest release, Ashley and the Mooncorn People, weaves the three into an engaging tale, enhanced with delightful color illustrations. Ashley, a young Kansas girl captivated by classic fantasy stories and fairy tales, comes upon an amazing adventure in her very own backyard. This tale full of gypsies, magic spells, doll-size friends, evil cats, hungry rabbits and a bit of heartland history will keep you and your children enchanted to the last page.

Here's a book that is more than just a children's book. It has wonderful illustrations and catchy verses, but it also delivers a powerful message. The author is a talented illustrator who uses his talents to help children deal with their own differences or those of other children. Each character in the book has been hurt by an unkind remark. But they learn to be grateful for what they have by a blind girl who explains that we are all equally special on the inside.

Born at the right place at the right time, first time author Dave Wheeler remembers being surrounded by the likes of the Boss Tom Pendergast, and baseball legend Pat Noland, during his youth. This Kansas City, Missouri native has witnessed and worked along side some of the biggest movers and shakers of Kansas City. This book is full of action packed stories that have never been told about the history of Kansas City. Chauffeuring the reader from present day to a time in the 1930's when "a hand shake meant the deal was signed and delivered," Wheeler gives his personal narrative of life in Kansas City. From meeting and working with a former president, to briefly working for the infamous James A. Farley to running his own private investigation company, Wheeler has conjured a lifetime of interesting stories that are sure to entice any audience.