Mountains, Trails, and Heroes: Stories of Pack Animals in Hard-to-Reach Places
An RA Book List
After seeing donkeys and horses being used to deliver water and supplies in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, I was reminded of how essential these animals are in reaching remote areas. This book list is dedicated to the incredible contributions of pack animals—mules, donkeys, and horses—that have historically served in mountainous and hard-to-reach places. From delivering mail and library books to assisting in military operations, these stories showcase the power of resilience and partnership between humans and animals, bringing critical resources to those in need when more modern methods fall short.
Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson; illustrated by David C. Gardner
Dow Cut Shin Creek: the Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky by Kathi Appelt and Jeanne Cannella Schmitzer
That Book Woman by Heather Henson; illustrated by David Small
That Book Woman has been released as a video and is available to view on Prime Video.
Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown; illustrated by John Parra
Biblioburro; a True Story from Columbia by Jeanette Winter
My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World by Margriet Ruurs
The Horseback Librarians by Jane Yolen; illustrated by Alexandra Badiu
Books by Horseback; A Librarian’s Brave Journey to Deliver Books to Children by Emma Carlson Berne; illustrated by Ilaria Urbinati
Horses, Donkeys, and Mules in the Marines by Meish Goldish
Mule Train Mail by Craig Brown
If you enjoyed this list, you might also like this book for further reading:
Animals to the Rescue!: Amazing True Stories from around the World (Sandra Markle's Science Discoveries) by Sandra Markle
