…Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland set off on their circumnavigational race. Millions followed their story from every corner of the globe. For a time, winner Nellie Bly was the most famous journalist in the world.
What an incredible piece of history!
I hope to reach as many young readers as I can with Nellie and Elizabeth’s story. But here’s the tricky part. Nonfiction titles for children don’t often get a lot of exposure. Readers primarily discover books like A Race Around the World through libraries — a lifeblood and lifeline for titles like mine. At this point in time, only sixty-three public libraries have purchased copies.* (Thank you, Washington state, Chicagoland, Iowa, the Netherlands, and Germany!)
I hate to think children, families, and teachers might never discover Nellie and Elizabeth’s story simply because their local library never learned of A Race Around the World.
This post is my grassroots effort to spread the word. Like Bisland and Bly, I’d love to see this book race across the country and around the globe! I’ve marked on a map the libraries that currently have copies. I’d love if you’d help me add more!
Would you please consider placing a purchase request at your local library? My library system allows me to do this online. It takes three minutes tops. Though your library might do things differently, this is how mine works:
From the homepage, I go to the “Books and More” tab. Under this is the option “Suggest a Purchase.” To make a request, I need to include my name and library card number plus information about the book:
title: A Race Around the World
author: Caroline Starr Rose
publisher: Albert Whitman and Co.
publication date: October 2019
ISBN-13: 978-0807500101
If you make a purchase request at your library, could I ask one more favor? Would you add a comment with the name of your town and library system? And if you’re really feeling adventuresome, once your library copy arrives, you could take a picture of the book with a landmark in town (to mark the book’s stop on its race around the world). Just don’t forget to send me a copy!
You are welcome to request A Race Around the World as a purchase for school libraries, too!
I plan to share map updates and and landmark photos on social media. (You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter.) On Twitter I’ll also run a 76-day accounting of where Nellie and Elizabeth were in the world during their race — an opportunity for anyone interested to follow along in real time.
Thank you, friends. Book people are the best people. I can’t express how much your support means.
*Information on books in public libraries can be found at WorldCat.org.
I live in Eden, Utah and use the Weber County Library System. I requested that they purchase this book a few weeks ago and I can see that it is “on order” and on hold for me! I can’t wait!
Thank you thank you thank you!
My library up here in British Columbia doesn’t have it, so I’ve requested it. I often use the Blaine, Washington library (that does have it–just put it on hold) because I cross the border to pick up a lot of packages I can’t ship into Canada. So…international library submissions! I’ll be picking it up from Blaine, and it will travel internationally with me back home…how fun for this book in particular. 🙂
Thank you, Sarah! I love that this book gets to cross borders. Looking at my map, I see the dot representing the Blaine library.
I just put in a purchase request for this book at the Johnson City Public Library in Johnson City, TN. It is part of a larger system that services East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. I’ll let you know if they purchase it; fingers crossed!
Thank you so much. Making note!
I received an e-mail saying that the ordering process has been started and that I will be notified when the book arrives. Yay!!!
Wonderful! And so quick! Thank you for letting me know (and for doing this). I’d love if you took a picture of the book with a local landmark. 🙂