Discover ‘Hope Rode’: Celebrating Packhorse Librarians

Promotional image for the virtual book tour of 'Hope Rode' by Lauren H. Kerstein, featuring illustrations from the book and a photo of the author.

Hope Rode: The Promise of the Packhorse Librarians

Written by Lauren H. Kerstein

Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander

Ages: 4+ | 48 Pages

Publisher: Union Square Kids (2025) | ISBN-13: 978-1454948483

Illustration of a girl riding a brown horse through a green landscape, carrying a pack of books on her back, with two other riders in the background.

Publisher’s Book Summary: An empowering ode to the brave librarians from Kentucky.
Following the Great Depression, literacy rates in the country had dwindled, and education and opportunities were harder to come by, especially in areas like rural Appalachia. But still, there was a dream: a vision of a nation in which reading was accessible to all—even those in the most remote places.

The Packhorse Library project of the 1930s and 1940s called upon Kentucky women to make that vision a reality and rise to the difficult and demanding job of delivering books on horseback. The Packhorse librarians were brave, steadfast, and resilient. For years, the women endured rough terrain, harsh conditions, and exhaustion. And with each book delivered and reading lesson taught, the librarians ushered in a new era for Kentuckians.

With uplifting prose by Lauren H. Kerstein and lush, hand-painted art from Becca Stadtlander, Hope Rode tells the true story of the strength, courage, and conviction of the Packhorse librarians.

PURCHASE LINK

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hope-rode-lauren-h-kerstein/1146850702

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9781454948483

DISCLOSURE

This post is sponsored by Lauren H. Kerstein. The opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.

FOR THE LOVE OF LIBRARIANS

In a moment that can’t be coincidental (the universe is quite mysterious), I am writing this blog post on a weekend designated to celebrate school librarians. And, oh how librarians need to be celebrated, not just this weekend, but every day.

Librarians need our support, advocacy, and respect.

For librarians, the very people who help readers feel seen, protected, and loved, are under attack. If this is news to you, I recommend watching The Librarians Documentary. It is beautiful, heartbreaking, and a masterpiece that is both timely and essential.

Illustration of four women on horseback in front of buildings, representing the Packhorse Library Project. The women are dressed in period attire, with mountains in the background and a sign indicating a library project.

This need to recognize and thank librarians played an enormous role in writing HOPE RODE. Bear with me as I expand…

Cover of the book 'Hope Rode' featuring a person riding a horse in a vibrant landscape, with text promoting the book's relevance to American history and librarianship.

I am one of those creators who finds ideas everywhere. I uncover so many ideas, I can’t possibly write them all. I write to shed light. I write to offer goodness to the world. I write to make our world a better place. And so, when a spark of an idea— like HOPE RODE— canters through my mind, I ask myself:

Do I love this enough to spend months and years with these characters? With this topic? On researching information about this particular period of time? YES! YES! And YES! I LOVED researching the packhorse librarians and am still reading about them!
And then I ask if I am the right person to write this book. And why? YES! Librarians changed my life when I was a child. They enriched and continue enriching my creative journey. I have the passion and tenacity to write this book.
Finally, I ask if this book will add goodness to the world. 100% YES!

Then I think about my WHY? Why am I writing this book?

I want EVERYONE to know about these fearless librarians who didn’t just change the lives of readers in rural Kentucky during the Great Depression, but all over the world. Their commitment to bringing books and the gift of reading to Kentucky hollers sparked ripples that can still be felt today.
The packhorse library program was an example of a woman-driven mission (Eleanor Roosevelt and Elizabeth Fullerton) that was carried out by women— women who were given $28/month and then had to rent mules or horses and find their own materials to share, since they were not given a single book. And yet, through donations, fundraisers, and sheer will, these librarians were able to gather enough books, create scrapbooks, and acquire periodicals and magazines for an estimated 1.5 million people during the program.
I love stories about strong and quite honestly, badass women. These stories are not told often enough. I love advocacy and social justice and EDUCATION. HOPE RODE offers all three. And this program is a beautiful example of the goodness we can add to the world.
When I learned about the packhorse library program, I was both aghast that I’d never heard of it before and determined to show the ways in which librarians and by extension books and reading make our world a better place. Given the times we live in, this message can’t be shouted loud enough.
Lastly, librarians NEED and DESERVE all the love we can give them! HOPE RODE is my love letter to librarians everywhere who are fighting for their jobs, and at times, their lives in order to get books into readers’ hands. We are forever grateful!

With my why firmly in place and my North Star to add goodness to the world, I pushed on. Through rejections. Through many, many rounds of revisions. Through multiple editors. Through research interviews on video in the heart of a pandemic. If the librarians could do it, I could too. And I immersed myself in the works of Kim Michele Richardson, Jojo Moyes, Kathi Appelt, Jeanne Cannella Schmitzer, and many others. I collected every beautiful picture book written on this topic. Thank you, Heather Henson/David Small, Emma Carlson Berne/Ilaria Urbinati, Kim Michele Richardson/David C. Gardner, Jane Yolen/Alexandra Badiu…

And I read fiction after fiction novel about this topic. The more books that gallop into the world about these strong, brave, and bold women, the better.

An idyllic rural scene featuring a blue house and several children gathered around a woman on a horse. The landscape is filled with autumn trees and rolling hills, depicting a charming small-town atmosphere.

Writing HOPE RODE taught me to follow that idea spark that touched my heart so deeply, no matter how winding the path might be and how many obstacles I’d face along the way.

Librarians do this every single day. They put their readers’ needs above their own in

order to help others feel seen. Librarians change lives one book at a time.

And I will forever be grateful!

Giveaway – Click the Pic to Enter

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.

Prize Pack

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A smiling woman with long brown hair, wearing a blue top, sitting outdoors with green grass in the background.

Lauren H. Kerstein is an award-winning author, psychotherapist, creative coach, screenwriter, and NYT-bestselling ghostwriter. She is the author of the Rosie the Dragon and Charlie picture book series, Home for A While, Remembering Sundays with Grandpa, and Hope Rode. Lauren writes books in her field and just released a book about emotion regulation. Her board books with Creative Publishing Services are due out this Spring. Lauren is one of the founders of #ReVISIONweek, a judge with Rate Your Story, and is a long-time member of 12×12 and SCBWI. Her writing goals are simple. Read voraciously. Embrace feedback. Grow each day. Work hard. Be passionate. Write courageously. Touch children’s hearts.

For more information, visit Lauren at www.LaurenKerstein.net.

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