More than anything, nine-year-old Booker T. Washington longed to go to school, but he had to get a job to earn money for his family. Though the Civil War had freed them from slavery, Booker''s family had to work hard to survive. Booker didn''t forget his dream. He taught himself the alphabet, studied at night after work, and was able to realize his dream.

Jeni Reeves is a painter and children's book illustrator with a background in communication and fine arts. Her illustrated picture books include authors' stories about world culture, history, biography, and folklore. Travel and study fuel Jeni's work, as does an abiding interest in history and language.