That Book Woman gets 4 Stars {picture book, historical}

Happy Labor Day!  Most libraries are closed today, but I figured I'd share with you a story of some librarians that seriously labored no matter the day or weather.  The Pack Horse Librarians during the 1930s in the Appalachian Mountains are pretty much rock stars in my eyes.  They are the toughest librarians around.

That Book Woman by Heather Henson is a fantastic historical picture book that will teach you more about these amazing librarians who brought books to the people.  Even the people that lived. "So high, we hardly a sight, a soul."  The Pack Horse Librarians traveled miles upon miles through sunny weather as well as snow storms to share the joy of books with anyone and everyone.  Those librarians effort and love for sharing literature was truly powerful and impactful to even the most stubborn, like Cal.  I like to think librarians today can have similar influence on the Cals of the world with how they share their passions and love for reading and books with everyone.

I give That Book Woman 4 out of 5 stars.  It's a great book.  It's beautifully written and the illustrations are fantastic.  I feel the message the story shared was great and would entice the reader to want to learn more about these super tough and awesome Pack Horse Librarians.  

This book is best suited as a read aloud for 4th through 8th grade in my opinion.  It's a great book, but I don't see students gravitating to this book on their own.  I also see few students wanting to read the book on his or her own even after a teacher or librarian reads it aloud.  It's a great book, but it is limited in it's audience.  I think this limitation is the main reason this book lost a star in my rating.  It's a good historical picture book, but it isn't a great book that will be read over and over again.  

A great teacher and/or librarian could use That Book Woman to spark a study on life in rural settings during the great depression.  They could research more about life in the mountains, education for children during that time, and how the Pack Horse Librarians started.  Overall, it's a book with a lot of educational value, but a limited audience.   

Have you ever heard of the Pack Horse Librarians?      

Happy Inspiring Historical Fiction Picture Book reading! 

That Book Woman by Heather Henson
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 10 - 13 year olds, 4th through 8th grade.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: Librarians should definitely have this in their collection, and possibly their personal collections as well. 
Read Aloud: Upper elementary and middle school librarians and teachers could use this in many historical lessons.  
Lesson Ideas: History, 1930s West Virginia, Pack Horse Librarians, Power of reading, Great depression.