Library on Wheels by Sharlee Glenn

After reading about Emily getting a library for her town, I wanted to keep that library love going with Mary Lemist Titcomb, who created America’s first bookmobile. 

Not much is known about her early life, but Sharlee Glenn did amazing research on her work and the times to compile an inspirational book. The images of the bookmobile’s progression over the years were especially interesting to me. I've never actually been inside a bookmobile, but had dreams of starting one a few years ago. It's a lot to manage so I really loved seeing how Titcomb did it so long ago.

Beverly Cleary Author Study: Emily's Runaway Imagination

Illustrations by Beth and Joe Krush, though the cover is a different artist.
I can't find the cover artist's name, but the inside illustrations are much more classic.

This is my favorite Beverly Cleary book, mostly because of my own memories around it. My maternal grandmother grew up on a farm around the same time this book is set, so a lot of the stories she told me about her childhood make me think of Emily. I took this book to my grandmother's house when I was younger and we took turns reading pages aloud to each other. The backdrop for this book photo is actually a patchwork pillow my grandmother made to really channel her spirit.

Emily is a more relatable character for me as well. Her imagination runs wild, yes, but she's not as mischievous as Ramona. As much as I love Ramona, she's much bolder than I am, so I liked seeing myself in Emily. Plus, Emily helps her small town start a library, so that's obviously something I'd love to read about.