BOOK GIVEAWAY: JUNIA by Kim Michele Richardson

Kim Michele Richardson’s debut picture book, JUNIA , illustrated by David Gardner was published by Sleeping Bear Press on March 15th. Sleeping Bear Press has agreed to send a copy to one lucky winner in the US.

All you have to do to get in the running is leave a comment. Reblog, tweet, or talk about it on Facebook with a link and you will get additional chances to win. Just let me know other things you do to share the good news, so I can put the right amount of tickets in my basket for you. Sharing on Facebook, Twitter, or reblogging really helps spread the word about a new book. Thanks for helping Kim and David.

If you have signed up to follow my blog and receive it every day, please let me know when you leave a comment, and I will give you an extra ticket. Thanks!

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Junia is a mule. But she’s not just any mule. She’s a mule with an important job. Every morning she carries her Book Woman up and down the rugged hills and surrounding woodlands near the Kentucky town of Troublesome Creek. Book Woman is a Pack Horse librarian. She and Junia deliver free books and reading material to the people living in the hills and woods. It’s not easy work. Every month they ride hundreds of miles to make their deliveries. They’ve traveled through sunshine, rain, and snow, up twisting, turning paths where no car or wagon could ever go. But Junia can–steady, sure-footed, bighearted Junia. The library patrons are counting on Book Woman’s visits, and Book Woman is counting on Junia. And Junia won’t ever let her friend down.

Junia, the beloved, spunky mule from the bestselling The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series, comes to vivid life for young readers in this picture book tribute to Kentucky’s Great Depression Pack Horse Library Project.

BOOK JOURNEY:

For years, after writing The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, educators, teachers, and readers had asked me to write a children’s book about my brave Kentucky sisters. I thought who better to share this unique Kentucky history and many adventures than the spunky and much-beloved, book-toting mule, Junia in my other two Book Woman series.

I’ve always loved collecting children’s picture books as an adult. The first decade of my life was spent in a rural Kentucky orphanage, so growing up with 300+ other children, these beautiful treasures were scarce.

In Junia, the Book Mule of Troublesome Creek, I wanted children to experience this remarkable Appalachia tale of strength and courage and combine a heartfelt message about the power of literacy and inspire children to persevere no matter how big the obstacle and to always dream big.

It’s always been my belief that art, music, and storytelling cannot exist without the other. Every work should weave a tapestry of all three—and the greatest storytelling tangles a hymnal of beats across an artist’s palette.

With the children’s picture book, you get to experience the world and power of books through the eyes of a Packhorse Librarian’s most vital partner; a loyal mule who delights us while showing what a day in the life of a Packhorse librarian was truly like delivering books into the wilds of 1930s Kentucky.

I have a great love for Kentucky. This is my home and these are my people. As a native-born Kentuckian, all my books are set in my home state. It’s always humbling when I get to share my stories—and a privilege to honor the history and people—to bring my corner of the world into adult and children’s lives and make sure my beloved people are honestly represented.

The Kentucky people are intelligent, proud, and passionate, oftentimes misunderstood, sometimes persecuted, but in their complicated lives, history and stories, you’ll find a constant. You’ll find dignity.

The Pack Horse Librarian Project represented one of the most innovative and forward-thinking initiatives of Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration. Under the WPA it began as a sole effort to put the poverty-stricken Kentucky women to work in 1935.

Our Kentucky women had originally implemented the library project in 1913 with monies donated from local coal baron, John C. Mayo. Unfortunately, a year later it expired after their benefactor passed. However, it would become wildly successful after the Kentucky women revived it through the WPA. It was mostly made up of women who were called ‘Book Woman’ who delivered reading materials, by riding horse or mule on treacherous routes. Little did anyone realize the program would boost education and economic opportunity, raise literacy rates and become a precursor to Johnson’s 1964 War on Poverty and inspire other programs like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

In the 1930s, many Americans suffered from poverty during the Great Depression—but none greater than those in eastern Kentucky. Coal miners were going hungry, being exploited, and overworked, so they rebelled with violent strikes against coal companies. None of this stopped these fearless librarians.

One of the most striking things that stood out to me during my now 10 years researching the Packhorse librarian project was that Roosevelt promised that he would provide employment and pay the poor Kentucky women $28.00 a month to ride those dangerous paths and deliver books, but would not provide any mounts, books or places to house books.

So, our clever librarians rented their mounts, became authors, and began creating scrapbooks for their patrons until they could solicit cast-off books from big cities, PTA penny funds and women’s groups. Despite huge obstacles, the beloved library program became a successful educational outreach and an important bridge to education.

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek also was much loved by Dolly Parton. Dolly is a true Book Lady, and along with my Packhorse librarian sisters, they have been a great inspiration to me. Dolly said, the sweetest gift is to twice give it. I’ve been trying to do just that by honoring the legacy of these fierce Kentucky librarians.

Valued more than any monies, award, or prize, has been the witnessing of great acts of kindness these Kentucky Packhorse librarians are inspiring from my books—from the thousands of letters I’ve received from folks across the U.S. and abroad—letters that informed me that after reading The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek they were inspired to start book mobiles during the height of the pandemic, and others who wrote they are now buying books for book deserts, and yet more who are regularly donating to food banks, and those who raise money for underserved libraries, and more. It’s been a ripple in the pond that keeps growing.

Just a few weeks ago, seven Appellant and Supreme Court judges from out of state contacted me to ask for help after reading the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. This latest act of kindness brought me to tears. They drove several hours to donate 250 new books to my two Little Free Libraries located inside the Jefferson County Judicial Center. Another reader from Ohio brought 240 new books to stock my Little Free Libraries shortly after. Many of my readers have reached out and sent books also.

Those who pass through the courthouse doors are economically oppressed and suffering, so to have the gift of being able to choose a new book for themselves or a child is priceless. This is how books change lives. This is the power of books. My plan is to eventually install Little Free Libraries in all the 120 courthouses across Kentucky, so my summer and fall will be very busy.

Currently, I am working with the Kentucky State government to honor these pioneer-leading librarians with a designated state historical marker.

One of my most treasured photos from my book launch week of Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek is from Carol Moore, the daughter of eighty-nine-year-old Julianne Stamper of eastern Kentucky reminiscing about the Packhorse Librarians who used to deliver books to her as a child. Today, she is reading Junia to her great-great-grandchild.

It’s very true that books can carry you anywhere, even back home.

KIM’S BIO:

By Kim Michele Richardson NYT, LA Times & USA TODAY bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, The Book Dolly Parton Recommended and Devoured!

The NEW YORK TIMES, LOS ANGELES TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kim Michele Richardson has written five works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir. She is a bestseller with a readership in the millions.

Her critically acclaimed novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a recommended read by Dolly Parton and has earned a 2020 PBS Readers Choice, 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, Indie Next, SIBA, Forbes Best Historical Novel, Book-A-Million Best Fiction, and is an Oprah’s Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. It was inspired by the remarkable “blue people” of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry and fear during the Great Depression. She spent over a decade researching the historical Kentucky Packhorse program and was also a contributor and researcher for the critically acclaimed PBS Television Documentary, “The Pack Horse Librarians of Appalachia.

The novel is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms and has been adopted as a Common Read selection by states, cities, and universities across the country and abroad. It has been translated into over 16 languages. Her latest novel, The Book Woman’s Daughter, an instant NYT and USA TODAY’s bestseller is both a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. Kim Michele lives with her family in Kentucky and is the founder of Shy Rabbit.

DAVID BIO:

David Gardner is an award-winning illustrator and visual development artist. Before going freelance, he was an artist for several animation studios, including Walt Disney Animation Studios. His work has appeared in magazines, including Cricket and Cobblestone, and he has illustrated numerous picture books, including the historical biographies The Harvey Milk Story and Sarah Gives Thanks.

A longtime member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators, Mr. Gardner teaches illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design. To learn more about his work, please visit him at FlyingDogStudio.com.

Kim, thank you for sharing your book and journey with us. I just finished reading The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek , and I love how you used Junia, the pack mule, in that story and made it the main character in this book to tell her story of her travels with his Book Woman. Although Junia and her Book Woman are fictional characters, there really were Kentucky Pack Horse librarians who delivered books to the poor people living in the hills of Kentucky. Since mules are stronger than horses and live longer, require less care, are more intelligent, have great survival instincts, and make good protectors, they were preferred by most Pack Horse librarians.

What a great way to bring the story of the poverty and hardship of the Great Depression to life for children by juxtaposing it with the beauty of the back hills of Kentucky.  David Gardner’s illustrations are exquisite.  It was so much fun seeing the joy on the children’s faces when they saw the Book Woman and Junia coming,. Everyone was yelling, “Hooray, it’s Junia with our books!” They cheered. “JOON-ya, JOON-ya!”

I held my breath when Junia dug her hooves in the mud and refused to let Book Woman cross the bridge in a storm, which suddenly washed away, saving her life. When they got home, Book Woman covered Junia with a comfy quilt, and Junia let the cat sleep on her back. That was so sweet.

To summarise, this book made me laugh, made me worry, and sigh. The whole book, visually and textually, was a joy to read and hold. It is a book to keep and treasure.

When the kids are old enough, I am sure they will love reading The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and visiting Junia again, and learning even more from that wonderful adult book, too. Good luck!

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy