Why I Started Book Train

First day of kindergarten

Hey!

One of the reasons, I loved going to my grandparents’ was their big wooden box in the basement filled with random toys–and a few books. There was one in particular that I loved. It was a giant picture book of Little Red Riding Hood. I’d run down, dig through the toys for it, and sit myself right down on that concrete floor and flip through the pages–long before I could even read the words. The deep greens in the paintings still stick with me. Although I had toys, I had no books of my own at home.

After publishing One for the Murphys, (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin, May, 2012) a children’s novel about a tough girl who is changed by a loving foster family, I’ve found that few foster children have their OWN books. Yes–most foster parents provide books but for a foster child to OWN a book? This is rare. I want to change that.

I know as an author, a teacher, a parent, and a former child that reading opens doors–not only out in the big world–but also within the heart. I know that if I had had books of my own when I was young, I may have been kickstarted earlier–rather than waiting until my sixth grade teacher changed everything. 🙂

And what did I learn from this? That books feed the mind. They change hearts and expectations and perceptions.

And, therefore, futures.

I hope you will help me spread, not only the books themselves, but also the love and pride of ownership of such beloved books.

Thanks so much. Now, Let’s get this train rolling…

Lynda Mullaly Hunt

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