New Picture Book 'The Library that Delivered Hope: The Women Who Brought Books by Horse' Released May 25
Kumon Publishing has released a non-fiction picture book depicting the activities of 'pack horse librarians' who delivered books to remote areas in 1930s America.
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- 📰 Published: May 26, 2026 at 07:04
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Kumon Publishing Co., Ltd. released the picture book 'The Library that Delivered Hope: The Women Who Brought Books by Horse' (written by Lauren H. Kerstein, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander, translated by Haruno Nakai) on May 25, 2026.
Set in 1930s America during the Great Depression, the story follows pack horse librarians who traveled to remote areas to promote literacy and equal access to reading. The book illustrates their efforts through beautiful artwork, serving as a starting point to think about modern social themes such as information inequality, reading barrier-free access, and women's advancement in society.
Key Points:
- Explains the full scope and historical background of the pack horse library project.
- An empowerment picture book portraying women's success.
- Translated by Haruno Nakai, translator of the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' series.
- Ideal as supplementary reading for elementary school Japanese curriculum.
Bibliographic Information:
- Target: Elementary school students and above
- ISBN: 978-4-7743-3969-6
- Price: 1,600 JPY + tax
- Release Date: May 25, 2026
Set in 1930s America during the Great Depression, the story follows pack horse librarians who traveled to remote areas to promote literacy and equal access to reading. The book illustrates their efforts through beautiful artwork, serving as a starting point to think about modern social themes such as information inequality, reading barrier-free access, and women's advancement in society.
Key Points:
- Explains the full scope and historical background of the pack horse library project.
- An empowerment picture book portraying women's success.
- Translated by Haruno Nakai, translator of the 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' series.
- Ideal as supplementary reading for elementary school Japanese curriculum.
Bibliographic Information:
- Target: Elementary school students and above
- ISBN: 978-4-7743-3969-6
- Price: 1,600 JPY + tax
- Release Date: May 25, 2026
FAQ
『希望を運んだ図書館』は何を描いた本ですか？
1930年代アメリカの世界恐慌下、へき地に住む人々に読書の機会を届けるため、馬に乗って本を届けた女性「騎馬図書館員」たちの活躍を描いたノンフィクション絵本です。
誰が翻訳を担当しましたか？
「グレッグのダメ日記」シリーズや「ワンダー」などの翻訳を手がけた中井はるの氏が担当しています。
この本の社会的なテーマは何ですか？
現代にも通じる「情報格差」「読書バリアフリー」「女性の社会進出」といった社会性の高いテーマを扱っています。
この本の対象年齢はどのくらいですか？
小学校中学年からを対象としています。
どのような資料的価値がありますか？
巻末資料に実際の写真とともに、プロジェクト誕生の経緯や社会に与えた影響について解説が掲載されており、資料的価値が高い一冊となっています。