Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything-everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter. Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she's going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler. Inspired by the true blue-skinned people of Kentucky and the brave and dedicated Kentucky Pack Horse library service of the 1930s, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a story of raw courage, fierce strength, and one woman's belief that books can carry us anywhere - even back home.

The new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek! Bestselling historical fiction author Kim Michele Richardson is back with the perfect book club read following Honey Lovett, the daughter of the beloved Troublesome book woman, who must fight for her own independence with the help of the women who guide her and the books that set her free. In the ruggedness of the beautiful Kentucky mountains, Honey Lovett has always known that the old ways can make a hard life harder. As the daughter of the famed blue-skinned, Troublesome Creek packhorse librarian, Honey and her family have been hiding from the law all her life. But when her mother and father are imprisoned, Honey realizes she must fight to stay free, or risk being sent away for good. Picking up her mother's old packhorse library route, Honey begins to deliver books to the remote hollers of Appalachia. Honey is looking to prove that she doesn't need anyone telling her how to survive. But the route can be treacherous, and some folks aren't as keen to let a woman pave her own way. If Honey wants to bring the freedom books provide to the families who need it most, she's going to have to fight for her place, and along the way, learn that the extraordinary women who run the hills and hollers can make all the difference in the world.

From the New York Times bestselling author of “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” comes a triumphant tale of a librarian's fight to bring literacy to the prisons of Kentucky and the underserved neighborhoods of downtown Louisville, revealing a story of fierce love, quiet strength, and the healing power of books. When Cussy Lovett, a Packhorse Librarian famed for bringing books to the people of Appalachia, is unjustly incarcerated, she finds a new calling as a prison librarian, bringing hope to downtrodden women and voiceless city residents alike, finding a home even while separated from those she loves. A vivid portrait of mid-century Kentucky, from the hills and hollers of Appalachia to a vibrant city neighborhood on the cusp of urban renewal, “The Mountains We Call Home” explores the effects of criminalization and incarceration on the poor and powerless, while tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds. Gritty, heartbreaking, yet infused with hope, “The Mountains We Call Home” is an authentic American tale and a powerful testament of strength, survival, and the magic of the written word.

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.