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Wednesday, September 7, 2011

You never know what you'll discover....


Sometimes a library is more than a place where you pick up a good book or find a new resource. Sometimes it can teach you about life and connect you with people you never thought you’d ever meet.
Such was the case when 7-year-old Emma of Oliver won a book at her local library branch called “My Horse, My Passion” by Kenra Willis. Emma is a horse lover, so wining this title was a perfect fit for her. But Emma and her family discovered the story within those pages had much deeper meaning.
“My Horse, My Passion” was compiled by Kenra’s mother after Kenra died of cancer in 2003. Her mother, Val Willis, found the manuscript among Kenra’s things and discovered it was written when Kenra was only 11 years old. The book features tips about caring for and riding horses along with personal photographs and illustrations done by Kenra. It also highlights the deeply personal story of the bond between Kenra and her horse Ragtime.
Emma, an aspiring equestrian, was moved by the book and wanted to reach out to Kenra’s mother. Though many years and miles separated Kenra and Emma, a library book brought them together through their shared passion for horses. Emma’s mother wrote Val an email about their love of Kenra’s story, with this excerpt:
“It is really such a lovely story that touched our hearts….thank you so much for the book. What a lovely gift you have given. If anything I hope you receive this email and know that you have touched our lives with this book. Much appreciated.”
“My Horse, My Passion” is part of the ORL collection.