Snohomish’s Emerson Elementary librarian nationally recognized for her roving Book Cafe

SNOHOMISH — The photographers tipped her off.

Jenny Granger, a librarian at Snohomish’s Emerson Elementary, suspected something was up at the Friday school assembly, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. So she was surprised to learn that she was receiving national recognition as a “Life Changer of the Year.” That’s why reporters and photographers were there.

Granger was honored for converting an old yellow school bus into a rolling library that brings books to low-income neighborhoods and places where children gather in Snohomish during the summer.

“This is overwhelming,” she said. “But the project really depended on a lot of people. It was a lot of blood, sweat and tears.”

At Friday’s assembly, students and staff clapped and cheered for their librarian. They were told she was selected as one of the top 10 life-changing educators from more than 600 nominees across the county.

“I should have clapped more,” Emerson third-grader Jaden Riffe, 8, whispered.

The award came with $1,500 for Granger and another $1,500 for Emerson Elementary. Principal Craig Church gave Granger the school’s money to invest in her book bus. He hopes the award will help put more energy into her project and attract more volunteers and donations.

“This shows that somebody’s little idea can grow into amazing things and touch people’s hearts,” Church said.

The National Life Group, a Vermont-headquartered company that provides financial services for educators, pays for the award program. A committee of past winners chooses the recipients.

“Changing lives for good is something we can all value,” said Bob Johnson, the company’s field vice president in Auburn. “That’s what educators do all of their working lives.”

Granger’s mother, Rob Graham, came to the school assembly from Bellingham on Friday. She said she wasn’t surprised when her daughter wanted to spend her summer break getting kids to do more reading.

“She’s just always loved books,” Graham said.

Granger has long had her sights on beating the “summer slide.” That’s a term educators use to describe a general drop in student scores between tests in June and September. Granger says a big factor is the fact that kids don’t read as much during the summer.

So she decided to do something about it. Granger opened the school library for a few hours each week during the summer of 2012. But many students didn’t have a ride to the school.

In 2013, she tried the traveling library approach in a 1970s van. That was tough because tubs of books had to be lugged in and out of the red van at each stop.

Last summer, she turned a bus into a roving bookmobile. The Book Cafe makes stops that coincide with the times and locations of subsidized summer lunch programs. Granger encourages kids to come aboard and pick out books.

“You can get as many books as you want,” said sixth-grader Leslie Hernandez, 12. “And you can keep them or return them.”

Inside the bus, the books are shelved in wooden boxes similar to those in a record store so kids can see the illustrations on the front as they sort through titles.

“They have good books that I like,” said Emerson fifth-grader Jessica Rojas, 11, noting that her favorites include realistic fiction and books with chapters.

The bus looks cartoonish, with hot-pink eyelashes over the headlights. The extendable stop sign that was used to stop traffic while loading and unloading kids now says “Read.”

For the first time this summer, students will be able to download e-books on the bus. Granger also hopes to add a couple of stops to the route.

Kim Heinemann, the district’s administrative assistant, nominated Granger for the award.

“It makes a big difference,” Heinemann said. “She truly changes lives.”

Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Everett Historic Theater owner Curtis Shriner inside the theater on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Historic Everett Theatre sale on horizon, future uncertain

With expected new ownership, events for July and August will be canceled. The schedule for the fall and beyond is unclear.

Contributed photo from Snohomish County Public Works
Snohomish County Public Works contractor crews have begun their summer 2016 paving work on 13 miles of roadway, primarily in the Monroe and Stanwood areas. This photo is an example of paving work from a previous summer. A new layer of asphalt is put down over the old.
Snohomish County plans to resurface about 76 miles of roads this summer

EVERETT – As part of its annual road maintenance and preservation program,… Continue reading

City of Everett Engineer Tom Hood, left, and City of Everett Engineer and Project Manager Dan Enrico, right, talks about the current Edgewater Bridge demolition on Friday, May 9, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
How do you get rid of a bridge? Everett engineers can explain.

Workers began dismantling the old Edgewater Bridge on May 2. The process could take one to two months, city engineers said.

Smoke from the Bolt Creek fire silhouettes a mountain ridge and trees just outside of Index on Sept. 12, 2022. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County will host two wildfire-preparedness meetings in May

Meetings will allow community members to learn wildfire mitigation strategies and connect with a variety of local and state agencies.

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Vehicles travel along Mukilteo Speedway on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo cameras go live to curb speeding on Speedway

Starting Friday, an automated traffic camera system will cover four blocks of Mukilteo Speedway. A 30-day warning period is in place.

Carli Brockman lets her daughter Carli, 2, help push her ballot into the ballot drop box on the Snohomish County Campus on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Here’s who filed for the primary election in Snohomish County

Positions with three or more candidates will go to voters Aug. 5 to determine final contenders for the Nov. 4 general election.

Sound Transit approves contract to build Bothell bus facility

The 365,000-square-foot facility will be the heart of the agency’s new Stride bus rapid transit system, set to open in 2028.

One dead in Everett crash involving motorcycle and two vehicles

Police shut down the 10300 block of Evergreen Way in both directions during the multi-vehicle collision investigation.

Katie Wallace, left, checks people into the first flight from Paine Field to Honolulu on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Executive order makes way for Paine Field expansion planning

Expansion would be a long-range project estimated to cost around $300 million.

A person pauses to look at an art piece during the Schack Art Center’s 50th anniversary celebration on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett to seek Creative District designation

The city hopes to grow jobs in the creative sector and access new grant funds through the state label.

Former Herald writer Melissa Slager’s new book was 14-year project

The 520-page historical novel “Contests of Strength” covers the 1700 earthquake and tsunami on Makah lands.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.