Miss Dorothy and her Bookmobile
Written by Gloria Houston and Illustrated by Susan Condie Lamb
Published in 2011 by Harper, ISBN 978-0-06-029155-6
All Ages
Review
I developed my love of reading because a bookmobile came out to the country every week and I was able to pick out books. I fell in love with this book just from the cover because it resonated with my childhood walks to the bookmobile to get my treasures.
Young Dorothy dreams of becoming a librarian in charge of a “fine brick library.” She pursues this dream, obtaining the education that she needs. When marriage takes her to the Blue Ridge Mountains where resources are scarce, Dorothy advocates for the construction of a local library and finds like-minded book-lovers who instead raise funds for a bookmobile. Through rain, snow, and even floods, Miss Dorothy travels the countryside bringing books to readers of all ages. Eventually, Dorothy gets her library, a donated country farmhouse, and the community members all pitch in to set up the collection. Beautiful landscapes in soft pastels with careful details provide a strong sense of this rural area and the people who inhabit it. In an author’s note, Houston informs readers that Dorothy Thomas was her childhood librarian who touched the lives of many people by sharing her love of books and reading. Houston’s historical fiction picture book with its lyrical text is fitting tribute to the woman that she describes as her hero.
Curriculum Links
I developed my love of reading because a bookmobile came out to the country every week and I was able to pick out books. I fell in love with this book just from the cover because it resonated with my childhood walks to the bookmobile to get my treasures.
Young Dorothy dreams of becoming a librarian in charge of a “fine brick library.” She pursues this dream, obtaining the education that she needs. When marriage takes her to the Blue Ridge Mountains where resources are scarce, Dorothy advocates for the construction of a local library and finds like-minded book-lovers who instead raise funds for a bookmobile. Through rain, snow, and even floods, Miss Dorothy travels the countryside bringing books to readers of all ages. Eventually, Dorothy gets her library, a donated country farmhouse, and the community members all pitch in to set up the collection. Beautiful landscapes in soft pastels with careful details provide a strong sense of this rural area and the people who inhabit it. In an author’s note, Houston informs readers that Dorothy Thomas was her childhood librarian who touched the lives of many people by sharing her love of books and reading. Houston’s historical fiction picture book with its lyrical text is fitting tribute to the woman that she describes as her hero.
Curriculum Links
The Bookmobile
Wisconsin Library Heritage Center: Bookmobiles
Michigan Lighthouse Conservancy: Traveling Libraries
Pack Horse Librarians: Photo Gallery
History of Books and Printing
