Book Bus gets in gear

People are struggling and so was Jennifer Frances, founder of Bess the Book Bus.

Frances travels the city and county in a Dodge Sprinter van that is packed and organized with children's books. She reads to school-age children and gives them books.

But the economic crisis has affected her nonprofit work. Demand has increased and resources are stretched thin.

In February she got in touch with First Book, a national nonprofit group focused on literacy. Two months later, SuperYellowPages and Superpages .com of Dallas contacted her about hosting a nationwide book drive.

The company learned she had never embarked on her dream trip of traveling the country to promote reading and books among children. The Dallas-based company decided to sponsor the trip.

Frances, formerly Jennifer Pierce, will leave Sunday on a cross-country trip that will take her as far north as New York City and west to Washington and California. She plans to visit 27 states, more than 50 cities and be on the road for 70 days.

"I consider this a pivotal moment for the bus," said Frances of Tampa. "I think this is the next step.

"This trip is going to give us the visibility at a nationwide scope that is important to funders," she said.

Four years ago Frances started the book bus tour, traveling throughout the city to schools in West Tampa, Ybor City and East Tampa.

She was working as an apartment manager but thirsting for a purpose. She was writing in a journal about her future when the idea was sparked. She cashed in her 401(k), bought a 1972 Volkswagen van and named it Bess the Book Bus after her maternal grandmother.

"I don't know what started it," said Frances, 38. "I call it the pull of the moon. The pull that you can't escape."

She donates an estimated 30,000 books to Tampa children each year. Locally, she is sponsored by organizations including the Children's Board of Hillsborough County, Tampa Bay Lighting, Publix and Target.

When not running her program, she works at Pane Rustica restaurant in South Tampa or assists at Inkwood Books, where she has arranged to be paid in children's books.

Frances said she remains moved and motivated when children remember the last book they read with her and are eager to read more. She said reading "opens the world to kids."

She hopes the nationwide trip can show people in other cities that they, too, can form grassroots programs to meet needs in their city.

"I want to show people it can be done," Frances said.

CHILDREN'S AUTHORS

Recommendations from Jennifer Frances:

1) Mo Williems

2) David Shannon

3) Steve Jenkins

40 Graeme Base

5) Karen Beaumont with illustrator David Catrow