When Buying a Book Means Making a Difference

Way back in November, the amazing Sara Lewis Holmes floated a proposal to put books in the hands of some very deserving kids. Inspired by her niece Emily, an amazing young woman in her own right who's been battling cancer for over two years now, Sara suggested starting a library of camp and horse related books for Flying Horse Farms. Here's a bit of information about FHF.

Flying Horse Farms is a nonprofit organization committed to building a summer camp and year-round retreat center that inspires children with serious illnesses to reach beyond their diseases and embrace the healing power of unbridled fun!

This special place is located in the heart of the Midwest, Mount Gilead, Ohio. Situated on nearly 200 acres of gently rolling hills, lakes, woods, trails, meadows, and wetlands, Flying Horse Farms promises to help children and their families trade the restraints of hospital visits, blood transfusions, chemotherapy treatments, overwhelming stress, worry and fear with days of swimming, fishing, horseback riding, and nights of campfires and singing! All camp activities are designed to allow campers to experience success no matter what their disease or disability. The camp will focus not only on activities but also on building self-confidence, friendships and, of course, providing good old-fashioned fun... at no cost to the campers or their families.

You can participate and help breathe life into this dream by purchasing a book or two for Flying Horse Farms. Here are several ways you can contribute.

• Sara set up a wish list on Amazon. You can choose a book and donate it directly from there. The list is small now, but it will grow as the campers and counselors and the director add new requests to it.

• You may also buy from that list at your local independent bookstore and have them ship to the address below.
  Flying Horse Farms
  225 Green Meadows Drive South, Suite A
  Lewis Center, Ohio 43035

• You can blog about your favorite camp or horse related book. Sara will round up those posts and forward them to the director and consult them in expanding the Wish List.

• If you're an author or illustrator or publisher or blogger with a camp or horse related book, you can donate directly to the camp, but please remember that the camp serves kids ages 7-15 and your donation should reflect the needs of the camp. (Please, in all cases, only NEW books.)

In our house, stories with horses generally revolve around multicultural titles and folktales. Here are some of our favorites.

Fritz and the Beautiful Horses
written and illustrated by Jan Brett

Horse Song: The Naadam of Mongolia
written and illustrated by Ted and Betsy Lewin

The Magic Horse of Han Gan
written and illustrated by Chen Jiang Hong

The Lost Horse: A Chinese Folktale
written and illustrated by Ed young

We have purchased two of William's favorites, Fritz and the Beautiful Horses and The Magic Horse of Han Gan, for Flying Horse Farms. Won't you join us in sharing the gift of a book?