Nearly all the reviews on this blog are organic, meaning they are of things I’ve read, listened to, or attended because I discovered them and chose to review them on my own. This is one of the very few exceptions. The author, Beth Bacon, emailed me and suggested that since my site was about road trips and I did book reviews, I might be interested in reviewing her latest work. Right off the bat, I was impressed that she knew road trips and reviews were involved in the site. Most of the email requests/offers I get seem pretty oblivious to that. Cryptocurrency, miracle medical treatments, and streaming services are popular—the most recent involved ancient coins.

This email was legitimate, and a quick look at some accompanying information made me think the suggested review made sense. But there was one problem. Being a children’s book wasn’t the actual problem, but it was part of it. I’d never reviewed a children’s book, despite coming across a few “organically”. A couple of those were also related to Route 66, and were written by friends. That they were aimed at children was the only reason I’d not reviewed them before. It didn’t feel right to review a book by a complete—but polite and likable—stranger, when I’d not reviewed similar books by people I actually knew. I solved that problem by using the last two Wednesdays to post belated reviews of Emily Priddy’s Route 66 for Kids 2026 and Anne Slanina’s Annie Mouse’s Route 66 Adventure. Apologies, ladies. I hope you believe that late is at least a little better than never.

Beth Bacon has all the right credentials. There’s an MFA degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults, a string of books for kids, and a bunch of awards for them that include a couple each from Mom’s Choice and Chanticleer Little Peeps. She has illustrated some of those books herself and worked with various artists on others. As far as I know, this is her first time working with Jodi Woolsey, but it is hardly Woolsey’s first time working with authors. She teaches art at the college level and runs her own freelance studio. Her illustrations tell much of this book’s story and do an excellent job framing the names and other details in Bacon’s words.

Those names, and the places too, seem carefully chosen. A road that’s 100 years old and nearly 2,500 miles long certainly has plenty of both. It’s easy enough for adults to be swamped and even easier, I imagine, for the 5-10 year olds that are the book’s target readers. Bacon picks subjects likely to interest the 5-10 crowd and doesn’t overwhelm by trying to include everything. The book opens with a few bits of information about the entire road and about Cyrus Avery, who was instrumental in establishing it. That’s followed by one- and two-page sections on each of the route’s eight states. One of the names appearing for Illinois is Bob Waldmire, who traveled the route in a Volkswagen bus. Missouri’s pages include Alberta Ellis, who operated a hotel and other businesses where people of color were welcome at a time when that was often not the case. This brief, casual mention of the topic earns a bonus point from me. The Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, is an obvious kid-friendly subject, and Bacon introduces its creator, Hugh Davis, and his wife, Zelta, to her readers. Bacon also identifies more key names and places for these three states, along with a handful for each of the other five. A personal favorite is Bacon’s mention that Snoopy’s brother Spike lives near the Route 66 town of Needles, California.

I have a hunch that recognizing the publisher had a little bit to do with me wanting to review this book. The list of Reedy Press authors contains quite a few familiar names. Two of my recent reviews (Aprons Away and Route 66: The First 100 Years) were of Reedy Press publications, which left me impressed with their product. And they’re just a couple of miles off Route 66. 

Route 66: Faces and Places Along America’s Most Famous Road, Beth Bacon (author) and Jodi Woolsey (illustrator), Reedy Press (August 15, 2026), 11 x 9 inches, 32 pages, ISBN 978-1681066776
Available through Amazon.