Is there anything better on a cold winter day than snuggling up in your favorite chair with a blanket, a furry pet and a good book? For some of us, it is the best part of winter, those quiet days when the snow silently falls and the only sound is the turning of a page.
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to reduce stress, get better sleep and improve your overall mental health, the experts say pick up a book. Studies by the Baylor College of Medicine say reading helps reduce stress and anxiety by taking your mind away from other things happening in your environment.
Some studies suggest that older adults who read frequently tend to fare better when it comes to cognitive outcomes, potentially lowering the risk of dementia and other cognitive disorders.
Those of us in the Northland are blessed not only with independent bookstores and a great library system, but also talented neighbors who write those books that keep us company throughout the year.
You’ll find lots of books by local authors at Parkville Coffee, owned by Kristin Helling, also an author. Because good coffee and a good book go together, she added a Book Nook in the historic building in 2018 featuring Kansas City area authors. Kristin has authored 15 books; 13 novels under her name and two children’s books under the pen name Kristin Allis.
One of the authors featured there is Tiffany Killoren, a Parkville resident who also writes for Northland Lifestyle. Her first book, Six Weeks in Petrograd, follows a young woman on a six-week work trip to Russia. She doesn’t speak the language and must rely on others to help her navigate the culture as she is stranded in St. Petersburg.
Tiffany followed that with Good Will, Uncharted Therapy, and Pretty Dead Things. All of her books are set in small towns. Among her favorite books by other authors are Anna Karenina and In Cold Blood.
If you love horses, you will love the two books written by Platte County resident Catherine Huddleston. Cathy was raised on a farm in western Kansas and is now the CEO of Northland Therapeutic Riding Center. Her first book, Because of My Horse, is a memoir about how horses helped her overcome trauma in her personal life. It’s certainly a book for adults.
Cathy’s second book is ideal for children about 10-12 years old. Through the Eyes of a Horse teaches about acceptance, trust and empathy.
“Many animals offer a sense of healing, but I believe horses offer unconditional acceptance,” says Cathy. “Humans have a long history with horses and, as a result, I believe horses and humans have a unique emotional connection.”
Cathy has two more books coming out in 2026.
Another interesting book to be on the lookout for this year is co-authored by Parkville resident Barbara Luetke and Liberty resident Shelton Ponder. The tentative title is An Erased History: the African-Americans and Platte County Missouri. As the title suggests, it is about the many enslaved people whose labor helped build much of Platte County.
Barbara, who is a Quaker, has two novels set in the colonial era and told through the experience of Quakerism. The first is The Kendal Sparrow, followed by The Frontier Chrysalis.
TJ Dailey is another Parkville resident who recently published Pure American Nostalgia, a novel that pairs restored archival photographs from 1960s Kansas City with a fictional story about an aging writer who, through an old stack of 45s, relives a wild summer night in 1964.
The book is inspired by TJ’s dad, who graduated from North Kansas City High School. You’ll recognize many places that still exist in Northtown, including the old barber shop on Armour Road and the Screenland theater. Working with the Clay County Historical Society, TJ included several historical photos in Pure American Nostalgia.
One of the authors at Parkville Coffee is me, Diana Lambdin Meyer, a resident of the Northland since 1987. Many years ago, I was delighted to work with Shifra Stein, the original author of Day Trips from Kansas City. Shifra passed away in 2008, and I have been blessed to continue her legacy. We are now at the 17th edition of Day Trips, which offers you interesting ideas of places to visit and things to do within a two-hour radius of Kansas City.
My other book is Myths and Mysteries of Kansas. From the disappearance of our Atchison neighbor, Amelia Earhart, to the death of my great, great aunt in Independence Kansas, this book highlights 13 unsolved mysteries in the Sunflower State.
Last, but certainly not least, is Natalia Kreinbring. You’ll recognize her name as the publisher of Northland Lifestyle. Just Breathe is the true story of Natalia giving birth to her first child at just 26 weeks. Her son Beckett is now a happy, healthy 15-year-old, but the journey to this point is filled with heartbreak, hope and love.
So grab a book or three or a dozen. Find a nice cozy chair and a warm blanket. Let your mind take you to another time and place. You’ll be a better and healthier person for the time you spend with a book in your hands.
Northland Bookstores
Parkville Coffee
103 N. Main St., Parkville
Basement Books
13 E. Kansas St., Liberty
Eden Bookshop
118 N. Main St., Liberty
Holy Grounds Coffee and Bookshop
342 N. Water St., Liberty
Steel’s Used Books
7313 North Oak Trafficway, Gladstone
Lucky Rabbit Books (inside The Rabbit hOle)
919 E 14th Avenue
North Kansas City
“If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to reduce stress, get better sleep and improve your overall mental health, the experts say pick up a book."
Northlanders are blessed not only with independent bookstores and a great library system, but also with talented neighbors who write the books that keep us company throughout the year. You’ll find many of these local authors featured at Parkville Coffee’s Book Nook.