Books by Horseback: A Librarian's Brave Journey to Deliver Books to Children

Educational and inspiring.

In rural Kentucky, Edith, a pale, freckled human with a red braid, is a packhorse librarian, who "travels for miles to deliver books" every day atop her trusty brown steed, Dan. Berne describes Edith's journey to deliver books to one white family, the Caudills, employing plenty of sensory details that effectively convey the stakes ("Water splashes up onto Dan's chest. Edith grips the book sack tight. If her books get wet, they'll be ruined"). Urbinati contributes absorbing natural spreads awash with muted color, depicting dynamic characters in the ever-smiling Edith and lithe Dan. The book ends on a strangely tense note ("The creeks are going to be extra dangerous after the rain"), but the fictional narrative proves captivating as young readers learn the lengths real-life librarians went to serve their communities during the Great Depression. Back matter includes an author's note and bibliography. Ages 4-8. (May)

Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2--A simple story about the lengths that people will go to in support of literacy. Delivering books on the back of a horse is no easy task. Faced with storms and flooding creek beds, Edith, who is white, and her trusty horse Dan make their way through the mountains to ensure William gets his adventure book. But with the weather and terrain, Edith and Dan have an adventure of their own. The story is greatly enhanced with panoramic illustrations in single- and double-page spreads. With a natural, earthy palette throughout, close perspective drawings appear on single pages, while action and depth are spread across two-page expanses that convey the danger and vastness of the area that Edith must traverse to complete her task. This is an excellent forum for bringing history and literacy together while broadening the experiences and perspectives of young readers. VERDICT Whether to incorporate into lessons about transportation or on westward expansion, this is an excellent addition for libraries and classrooms.--Elizabeth Speer, Weatherford Coll., TX

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

This story of a dedicated Kentucky librarian pays tribute to the Works Progress Administration Pack Horse Library Project of Depression-era Appalachia.
Edith is a packhorse librarian and travels on a daily basis to deliver books to the people who live deep in the hollers of eastern Kentucky. She sets out to deliver a book to 8-year-old William Caudill, who loves tales of derring-do. The trip is a dramatic and challenging one: Edith and her horse brave thunder, lightning, and hard wind and rain, complete with falling trees; slippery mud and steep mountain slopes; rushing creek waters; high mountain ridges a-bristle with thorny branches; and sliding rocks. But Edith's determination is fierce, and she successfully delivers books to the Caudill family, even staying to dry off, warm up, and visit with the family. Capturing one librarian's breathtaking fictional journey is a riveting way to showcase and honor the risky work of these real librarians, and the text communicates a deep reverence for their mission-and their tremendous fortitude. Illustrations depict a pale, red-haired librarian, nearly always smiling despite the obstacles that nature puts in her path. Light and shadow are used effectively to convey Mother Earth's shifting moods. An author's note and bibliography provide further details about the work of these resilient packhorse librarians of the Great Depression: "In the winter...librarians' feet were often frozen to the stirrups." All characters present White.
Educational and inspiring.— "Kirkus Reviews"