About

Here is our mission.

1 – To inspire in your children and grandchildren (and for teachers, your young students) a love for reading and maybe even to try their hand at writing.

2 – To encourage your children and grandchildren and students to set down their electronic devices and spend time exploring the great outdoors.

3 – To introduce families as their tour guides to the Adirondack Park, encouraging them to get out and explore the wonder and adventures that can be found (that await) in this amazing 6 million-acre Park located here in eastern New York state – beginning with the places we write about in our books.

We will be doing this with regular blog and vlog posts, that is, both by writing about it and on location with video. 

So – if this resonates with you, please consider signing up for our mailing list and we will alert you to new posts and videos – our new book releases – book specials – and our book signings and special events, like our annual Adirondack Kids Day™ where we hope to meet many of you and your ‘real’ Adirondack Kids®, in person.

Thank you!

Gary VanRiper

“It is my love for the wilderness that led me to become an Adirondack 46er (#6202) and following that to tackle the Saranac 6, the Fire Tower Challenge, Tupper Lake Triad, and the Cranberry Lake 50. My current quest is to summit all 100 of the highest peaks in the Adirondacks with 18 remaining to go. (Actually, I just like collecting the awesome patches!)

“It is my love for writing and photography that has led to awards in journalism, photo-journalism, and to articles and photos in such publications as Adirondack Life, The Conservationist and Birder’s World.

“It is my love for children that led to coaching both young men and young ladies in high school basketball and engagement in therapeutic foster care. Carol (my wife) and I were honored to receive the Rotary Community Service Award for our work with those children.

“For several years I had the privilege to host Adirondack Journal, a segment on the Adirondacks for the regional television show, Mohawk Valley Living, and I still enjoy writing about the Adirondacks for the monthly MVL magazine.

“I am currently a full-time pastor, and along with co-creating The Adirondack Kids® book series am working on a non-fiction book concerning books written for children that are set in the Adirondacks, and writing a fiction book with my grandson, Levi! 

“Nothing, however, is more important to me than my faith and my family. Carol and I have been married for 42 years and I am second only to her in boasting about our three children and five grandchildren.”

Justin VanRiper

"I have a great passion for the outdoors. It's because of this passion I pursued a Bachelors degree from Houghton College in Outdoor Recreation, achieving this goal in 2012. While there, I trained with U.S. Army ROTC to broaden my skills and leadership knowledge and also obtained my wilderness first responder certification. This same passion drove me to join the Civil Air Patrol after college, and further my education in Search and Rescue and small aircraft piloting, and getting certified in open water scuba diving.

"I have a great passion for storytelling. I love stories, whether it be in the form of books, film, photos or word of mouth. This passion is what has continually motivated me to write the best-selling children's book, The Adirondack Kids®, and to speak about the importance of reading and writing to thousands of students, teachers, and parents over the past 20 years.

"My ultimate passion is rooted in my core beliefs, Faith, Family and Freedom. My wife Lauren, my son Levi (7) and I love spending our free time at our 110+ year old family camp on 4th lake, kayaking, hiking, camping, and more. "