Novel Adventure KC’s small but mighty book bus offers access to literature around the metro
Crystal Fritz (L) and Shannon Langdon (R) of Novel Adventure KC // Photo by Rowan Bickelhaupt
On a crisp, rainy October afternoon, booths filled the open-air Monster Market at the Merriam Marketplace. Between tables of handmade crafts and Halloween treats, a teal-blue trailer stood out against the gray sky. Lined with wooden shelves along its front and back, the caravan was small but striking—a mobile bookstore called Novel Adventure KC.
When I stopped by, the pop-up was quiet, allowing me to take in the trailer’s aesthetic and the neatly lined shelves. Every book was organized with care, and the arrangement was made more charming by modest displays of tote bags, candles, pins, and other bookish items.
Novel Adventure KC is the creation of Shannon Langdon and Crystal Fritz, two special education teachers who share a lifelong love of reading. The pair launched their mobile bookstore on July 29 this year, bringing literature and locally made goods to Kansas City’s community events.
The idea first sparked when Langdon saw a business on social media called Good Girl Books, another mobile bookstore in Knoxville, TN. The concept stayed with her. She contacted Scott Reed from Analog Woodworks, a local craftsman who had previously renovated her home, to help design and build the trailer. Together, they brought the vision to life.
Photo by Rowan Bickelhaupt
The end result is a teal, book-lined trailer that wanders to local markets and pop-ups, inspiring a spirit of exploration wherever it parks. Unlike traditional bookstores, there’s no need to step inside. Because the shelves are integrated into the structure, visitors from all directions can gravitate to each sector of the space. Langdon said she loves taking books to places people might not expect to see them—farmers markets, festivals, and outdoor gatherings—then watching how surprised they are to find stories waiting for them.
Inside each display, the shelves are neatly organized into sections: Fiction, Self-Care, Thriller or Mystery, On the Big or Small Screen, Romantasy, Owners’ Faves, and more. While the themed pop-ups may have seasonal offerings, like their Christmas in July event, this is not expected at each pop-up, as was the case for the Monster Market.
“We looked at our favorite authors and some of our favorite titles,” Langdon says. “We reached out to our bookish friends and asked them for their favorite titles. We definitely follow what best sellers are and what anticipated releases are coming out.”
Photo by Rowan Bickelhaupt
Langdon and Fritz balance their teaching careers with running the business, making their story especially meaningful. “I think of our business as being really heartfelt and really powerful, because it was done at a time when neither one of us really had a lot of time or energy to give to it,” says Fritz.
When asked what kind of story their business would be if it were a novel, Langdon thought for a moment before smiling. “A female-driven story—a femme fatale, a tale of friendship, and just taking a dream and making it come true,” she says. As a fantasy reader, Fritz had another answer within the same vein as Langdon’s. “She would be very much like a warrior of some sort, maybe a modern-day Tolkienist.”
That sense of empowerment and imagination carries through everything they execute with the business. Upcoming events include the KC Wine Co. Holiday Market on Nov. 1 from 12 to 6 p.m. and Boozy Book Fest at The Abbott on Nov. 15 and 16 from 4 to 9 p.m. They are also working on an indoor booth setup for winter and for venues that can’t accommodate the trailer, ensuring that Novel Adventure KC can continue bringing books to readers year-round.
One of their signature touches is a collaboration with Ace of Cups Candle Company, a fellow Kansas City small business. Together, they create custom candles inspired by the spirit of book lovers.
Photo by Rowan Bickelhaupt
But beyond books and candles, Novel Adventure KC offers tote bags, T-shirts, coloring books, glass coffee cups, “blind date with a book” packages, literature lamps, and more. The mix of items adds to the browsing experience, making the trailer a small but complete bookstore wherever it appears.
The inspiration for the booth traces back to both owners’ childhoods. “My aunt used to buy me Beatrix Potter books. Giving books as gifts and getting books as gifts, that’s really how it started,” says Fritz.
“I’ve been a reader since I was very young,” she says. “When I’d come back to visit family, a friend would take me to Rainy Day Books every single time I was in town.”
For Langdon and Fritz, the essence of Novel Adventure KC lies in the small, meaningful moments, offering a reader a conglomeration of words that sparks joy, witnessing a familiar title bring a smile, and weaving the love of reading into the fabric of Kansas City. Every pop-up adds a chapter to their ongoing narrative, and this adventure is far from over as the trailer embarks on its next destination.
