The Traverse City Record-Eagle has a nice feature on Traverse City's Tim Smith, author and alter-ego of the popular "Buck Wilder" children's book series that is worth a read. Smith self-published Buck Wilder's Small Fry Fishing Guide and sold 100,000 copies in the first year. He has released a lot of titles in the 10 years since, including three new titles this year: Buck Wilder's Animal Wisdom and the first two in the Buck Wilder's Adventures series Who Stole the Animal Poop? and The Work Bees Go on Strike.

The success of his books have led to new media efforts including a web video series in association with FOX and a potential show on Outdoor Life Network. The outdoors is important, Smith notes:

"The average American spends less than 10 minutes outside every day. The peacefulness that it gives you is something you do not get from a TV set or from a computer game.”

Read Could it get any Wilder? in the Record-Eagle and/or visit publisher Mackinac Island Press and the Buck Wilder's web site.