Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

I’m hopping on The Children’s Book Review blog tour bandwagon for author Lauren Kerstein and her amazing new release: HOPE RODE: THE PROMISE OF THE PACKHORSE LIBRARIANS!

GIVEAWAY! Don’t miss the special opportunity below to win a signed copy of HOPE RODE from Lauren Kerstein!

Congratulations to Teresa Robeson, the winner of a copy of LEAVE IT TO ABIGAIL! from Barb Rosenstock!

The Promise of the Packhorse Librarians

by Lauren H. Kerstein

I absolutely loved the challenge of going back through my notes in order to write this blog post. It created an opportunity for me to re-experience the initial spark I felt when I began researching the packhorse library program.

HOPE RODE is an ode to the packhorse librarians who braved rough terrain, challenging weather, and tremendous distance to bring books to rural communities in Appalachia. These tenacious women changed the lives of Kentuckyians and the world around them forever.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s take a step back so I can share my “Mining for Heart” process.

SPARK: I read Jojo Moyes’ book, THE GIVER OF STARS, a fictionalized story about the packhorse librarians and LOVED it. At the end, Jojo Moyes wrote a tiny paragraph about the fact that this story was based on a real-life program. How had I not heard about this program before? 

VALIDATION: I told one of my critique partners, Katie Frawley, about the program, and she said, “You need to write a picture book about this.” I was so excited she saw the same potential I saw.

STORYSTORM: I wrote down the initial spark on a template I often use for Storystorm. But unlike other planning sheets, I only wrote these words: “Spark of the Idea: From Jojo Moyes’ book. Katie encouraged me to write this. What if I did it from the perspective of the horse and how much the horse loved visiting the children, but they have an obstacle and she is worried they won’t make it.  (Idea to do it from the perspective of the horse hit me the moment I began reading: Down Cut Shin Creek. I was just looking at the cover.)” 

On the template, I had also noted some of the books I’d begun ordering in order to dive deeper into the topic (including comps).

DEEP DIVE: And then, in case you missed it, we fell into a global pandemic. But have no fear, I used the time wisely (in between cleaning groceries, scrubbing my house, and panicking), I read, researched, and read some more. I conducted video and phone interviews and became well acquainted with the wonderful work of Kim Michele Richardson, Kathi Appelt, Jeanne Cannella Schmitzer, and many others. My inspiration grew as did the heart.

MINING FOR HEART: I have a document I created to track quotes, notes, and page numbers for every reference I find. On that document, I often write extraneous notes as I search for my door in, characters, setting details, historical context, etc. On my spreadsheet for packhorse, I wrote a ton of notes alongside the research to help myself organize my thoughts. Here is a sample:

HEART: The heart felt complex. I wanted to show the value of books and reading. I wanted to show the determination, grit, and sheer will of these incredible librarians. But I also wanted to show the relationship between the horse or mule and the librarian. Most importantly, I wanted to explore the light these packhorse librarians (in partnership with their horse) added to dark times. And I wanted my book to reflect that light— to show the power and promise of books, reading, and the packhorse librarians.

FOUR MILLION DRAFTS: This was one of those books that went through a million revisions. I wrote the first few drafts from the initial drafts from the point of view of the horse.

And many revisions later, this book changed into a lyrical ode. (Shout-out to Esther Cajahuaringa Hernandez for truly seeing the heart of this book and encouraging me to lean into my lyrical voice!)

And because of the care of all of the editors at Union Square Kids (Esther, Sally, and Emily) the HEART remained. The packhorse librarians brought light to their patrons in rural Appalachia.

These incredible librarians rode 100 to 120 miles per week to deliver the gift of connection, books, and knowledge. Their work increased the literacy rate in Kentucky for adults and children. They even inspired Carl D. Perkins, a teacher who worked in a school that received books from the packhorse librarians, to sponsor the Library Services Act (1956) when he became a congressman. This act provided the first federal money for library services. These brave women not only changed the lives of rural Kentuckians, they changed the world.

Enter for a chance to win one of five signed hardcover copies of Hope Rode by Lauren H. Kerstein. One lucky grand prize winner will also receive a signed copy, a swag pack, and a $30 gift card to their favorite indie bookstore. Giveaway ends April 30, 2026, at 11:30 PM Mountain Time.

And…If you enjoy a book, please support authors and illustrators by leaving online reviews. 😍