Our Story
OUR VISION:
A nation where children, educators and families have equitable access to and ownership of books they want to read.
OUR MISSION:
Bess the Book Bus is a nationwide mobile literacy organization that provides access to and choice of high-quality free books in conjunction with joyful reading experiences. Our pop-up book fairs focus on building home and classroom libraries while helping to cultivate a culture of reading in economically vulnerable schools and communities.
Bess’ History
During her childhood, Bess the Book Bus founder Jennifer Frances' maternal grandmother, Elizabeth “Nana Bess” O’Keefe would bring Jennifer and her cousin to the library or general store each week. There they would be allowed to pick a book to take home and read together. Jennifer moved away when she was four, but Nana Bess kept the tradition alive by mailing books to Jennifer. In 2002, Jennifer decided to turn her fond recollections of Nana Bess’ books into new memories for kids. She cashed out a 401K account, bought a used VW van that she dubbed Bess the Book Bus and began visiting hospitals, clinics, Head Start classrooms and afterschool programs to let each child pick several books to keep. Since 2002, the Tampa-based nonprofit has shared over one million such memories with children in all 48 contiguous states. Bess the Book Bus reaches the most vulnerable children in communities by partnering with schools, daycare centers, libraries, summer programs and other nonprofits. The mobile nature of the programming allows Bess to meet children, teachers, caregivers and parents where they are, entering book deserts where access to and choice of quality reading materials is missing.
Our Team
Founder and Executive Director
Favorite childhood book: Frederick by Leo Lionni. This book taught me that stories and art are as nourishing and important as food.
Why reading is important to me: Reading is the foundation for every other tool we need to live our best lives. Books are magic. Opening a book transports us to other worlds, shows us other possible lives and connects us to other people and cultures. Stories are ports in the storm; salve for the soul, joyous vehicles in which to explore the world.
Jennifer Frances
Associate Director
Favorite childhood book: Are You My Mother? by PD Eastman. I love that little bird! I continue to relate to a determined, tiny and tenacious bird tromping through a wondrous world asking questions.
Why reading is important to me: As a child, reading kept me from being in trouble for never sleeping - I was allowed to read all night if I wanted to! As a grownup, I crave the continuous learning that books offer me. I want everyone to have access to this life enhancing resource.
Michelle Box
Our Mouse-cot
Favorite childhood book: Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems. I love this book! I keep asking Jennifer if I can drive Bess the Book Bus so I can relate!
Why reading is important to me: I think books are magic because they can take you anywhere just by opening them! I feel very lucky to live on a book bus where I have access to an ever changing supply of beautiful new books.
Once
Our Board
Sara Arias-Steele
Favorite childhood book: The Boxcar Children series—because no matter what life throws at you, family, resilience, and a passion for doing what’s right will always lead to a successful conclusion to any challenge or mystery!
Why reading is important to me: Reading is like taking a holiday in your mind. Growing up in a low-income immigrant family, books became my gateway to new worlds, ideas, and possibilities. They fueled my passion, shaped my career, supported my mental well-being, and continue to inspire my lifelong learning and growth.
Grace Ann Alfiero
Favorite childhood book: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.
Why reading is important to me: When I think about reading and why it is so important to me, I think of Ernest Hemingway's famous quote: There is no friend as loyal as a book!
Amy Jean Smith
Favorite childhood book: Choose Your Own Adventure Series by R. A. Montgomery, Edward Packard, and Joe Stretch.
Why reading is important to me: Reading opens our minds and opens doors to places that we would otherwise never visit.
Heather Black
Favorite childhood book: The Ramona Quimby Series by Beverly Cleary.
Why reading is important to me: I love the escape that reading provides - and I really love books where the author vividly describes the setting in a way where I can picture myself there. That's the escape I seek when reading a great book!
Sherry Whitley
Favorite childhood book: It’s difficult to name just one favorite childhood book, but I loved Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs because the idea of living in a town where food fell from the sky was just amazing and creative at the same time! As I got older I enjoyed series books, such as Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators and Sweet Valley High!
Why reading is important to me: As a child, I always loved reading books because reading books gave me access to places, people and events that I might not normally have had access to in my real life. My parents took me to the library and to bookstores, so my love of reading was supported and encouraged.
Kris Brazeal
Favorite childhood book: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.
Why reading is important to me: Reading is important to me not only for its educational value, but also for its ability to expand my vocabulary, fine tune my critical thinking skills and most of all enjoyment. Reading stimulates my mind and reduces stress, it encourages feelings of love, happiness, sadness and adventure.
Leah Wooten
Favorite childhood book: The Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Why reading is important to me: Reading allows me to escape from the ordinary, consider alternate ways of seeing the world and deepen my empathy and understanding of the experience of others.
Marcia Israeloff
Favorite childhood book: It’s hard to pick just one, but one of my favorite books from childhood is Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Even back then, I gravitated toward stories with strong female characters, especially if they defied some societal norms.
Why reading is important to me: It may be trite, but it is also true: reading opens doors to places, times, adventures, characters, and thoughts we might not otherwise experience. Reading allows us to see the world through others’ eyes, walk in others’ shoes, and imagine what other lives we might have led. It helps us understand ourselves and the world around us. Reading makes us better people.
Our Gracious Partners & Supporters
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