Arroyo: The Dog that Loves to Dig!
With a nose for history and strong paws, Arroyo digs with his owner, Marie, at archaeological sites. From dusty desert landscapes to ancient ruins, Arroyo’s paws are always busy, and his heart filled with adventure! Join Arroyo on his many digs, and stay tuned for some silly digging songs!
Blending fiction with nonfiction elements, this STEAM-inspired picture book is perfect for curious readers ages 3–8.
Available to independent bookstores through IngramSpark distribution.
This book supports real archaeological research
The author, Gwen Olivier, MS, specializes in geoarchaeology and paleoenvironmental science. She loves studying desert soils at archaeological sites. Gwen is a Ph.D. candidate currently conducting research in Chupadera Arroyo, New Mexico. Gwen’s dog, Bash, and her long hours digging in the field inspired her to write the Arroyo the Archaeologist series.
Arroyo: The Dog that Loves to Dig! helps fund fieldwork and lab analyses for student research projects. Our first "Arroyo Research Grant" will be announced in early 2027. If you feel called to make an impact and share your expertise with young minds, scroll down to Publish With Us.
Inspiring future archaeologists to dream big and go dig!
This book aims to spark curiosity about archaeology in young minds. Archaeology students are often asked, “What are you going to do with your degree?” Many people don’t realize archaeology is a real profession! Today, there are many jobs in archaeology, especially in Cultural Resource Management (CRM). Any state- or federally funded construction project must be reviewed by archaeologists (so you can imagine there’s plenty of work to do).
We hope this book inspires kiddos to get outside, explore the landscape (with a guardian, of course!), and get their hands dirty! Beyond a whimsical mystery, this book includes an at-home dig kit guide and educational pages about archaeology.
Dig on!
Publish With Us
Who We're Looking For
Arroyo Books has big goals to grow into an imprint of peer-reviewed children's books for readers of all ages. We're looking for field scientists, researchers, academics, and industry professionals who want to give back through storytelling and art.
You don't have to be a children's book author already. In fact, you might be an archaeologist who has been sitting on a fantastical story idea, a geologist who wants to tell the history of a volcanic eruption from the perspective of the lava, or an environmental scientist who wants to make their field feel exciting and accessible to the next generation.
What to Expect
We're looking for charming, high-concept ideas grounded in real expertise. For picture books, manuscripts should generally stay under ~600 words. Ideally, the book falls within the fields of archaeology, geology, environmental science, and anything incorporating the natural world or human/animal history.
You'll bring the expertise and story. Arroyo Books handles the editing, illustrations (if needed), design, and publishing process. Books are a LOT of work, and we're to help you get your story in front of young readers.
If you have an idea but need help writing the story, Arroyo Books also offers co-authorship pairings.
All of our books will undergo scientific review by experts in the relevant field(s) before publication.
We do not accept AI-written manuscripts or AI-generated illustrations. Submitted work must be human-created, and manuscripts may be screened for AI-generated content.
Let's Talk Money
Arroyo Books is mission-driven and was created to fund graduate student research. Our goal is to make amazing books rooted in science and the love of learning, compensate the people who create them, and raise money for research.
So, no, Arroyo Books royalties will not fund your life. But depending on how your book does, your marketing efforts, and the market for your book's topic, it might fund your grocery bill. However, it will look fantastic on your CV for public outreach.
We want to be upfront about this because we're not looking for authors whose primary goal is to make money through children's publishing. We're looking for people who already have careers in their respective fields and always wanted to write a book to give back to their community.
