Hope Rode Book Review and GIVEAWAY

Son's microbuild of a librarian
delivering books to a farm.

BOOK REVIEW and GIVEAWAY

Hope Rode: The Promise of the Packhorse Librarians 

Written by Lauren H. Kerstein
Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander
Published by Union Square Kids

Mom's Review

I both have the chills and feel like I am about to cry - I am almost overcome with emotion reading about the packhorse librarians of Kentucky. First, this little-known history is inspiring. Second, it's an exciting story. And third, the illustrations are based on actual photographs. The back matter doesn't just expand on the topic, it enhances the reader's appreciation for what she has just read.

Hope Rode is a lyrical picture book that begins with the institution of packhorse librarians, then traces their challenges and successes. As part of the New Deal's WPA, librarians were hired in Kentucky to deliver books to patrons living in nigh-unreachable locations with no library service. The narrative conveys the harsh conditions faced by the necessarily brave librarians - harsh in terms of weather, landscape, and some people's reception of them. Readers will understand how librarians supported literacy even in households where it was not initially valued and how the women connected with patrons and meaningfully impacted their lives. The words and pictures paint a rich picture together of who the packhorse librarians were and why they matter.

And now I rather want to be a packhorse librarian, not a behind-a-desk library branch supervisor. (That's what I am employed as right now.) What a physically strenuous job, but also what a unique one!

Any fans of libraries MUST read this!

Son's Reaction

This is an interesting part of the library's history.


GIVEAWAY

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.



The image above is a link to the giveaway, or you can follow this giveaway link (they are the same): https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/hope-rode-the-promise-of-the-packhorse-librarians-book-giveaway

Note

Per FTC guidelines, I disclose partnership with Lauren H. Kerstein. All thoughts are our own.