We spent a year (2007-2008) developing the idea of book parties as a way to get books into rural Lao villages. The parties got children excited about books. Then they each got their own book, and we left more with the school, so they could trade their book for a new one after they read it. During that year, our focus was making the book parties as effective as possible and we kept transportation simple, usually going to villages that we could reach by road.

But many Lao villages aren't on a road. They can only be reached by boat, or on foot. A boat can carry many books but when we were traveling on foot, that was more of a problem.

And so Boom-Boom became a part-time member of our staff, helping us get books into remote villages of Xayabuli Province. Kids had always been excited when Big Brother Mouse arrived in their village. They were even more excited when we arrived with an elephant.

Boom-Boom means "books" in the Lao language. Boom-Boom is (we're sure) delighted to be helping children in Laos discover the magic of reading. Moreover, she's the star of her own book: The Little Elephant That Could. Laos has many more roads now than in 2008, and Boom-Boom is enjoying her retirement.