Books Up the Mountain: A Packhorse Librarian Story
During the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration hired almost a thousand women living in Appalachia to deliver books, newspapers, pamphlets, and other reading materials to people living in their isolated mountain communities. The unnamed protagonist of Books Up the Mountain represents these women who served their neighbors in this way between 1935 and 1943. Traveling by mule, the librarian crosses swollen rivers and icy trails to bring much-anticipated reading materials to houses and schools. She collects and shares knowledge from local farmers and reads to the sick. She meets with the other librarians to repair donated books and compile scrapbooks that contain their community’s history.
Rose’s poetic text, mostly free verse but sometimes rhymed couplets, captures the rhythm of riding the mountain trails and the language of the people. Grimard’s expressive illustrations give life to the characters and gently convey the hardships and joys of the work. This picture book for children in the early elementary years poignantly shows what books and reading meant for the people who lived in these mountains during a difficult time nearly a hundred years ago. An author’s note, books for further reading, and historical photos are included.
