Posted on February 4, 2025
To know the impact a single book can have on a child, you need look no further than the impact the book "We Shall Overcome" has made on Zoe Roseberry, a fourth grade student at High Country Elementary School.
Every other week for the past year and half, Zoe has checked out this book from the school library.
"I was looking in the "everybody" section of picture books and I found 'We Shall Overcome.' I started reading it, and it meant so much to me," Roseberry said.
The book, an illustrated children's book about the Civil Rights Movement, using lyrical text from the anthem "We Shall Overcome" greatly impacted Roseberry, and she connected with the girl who is the book's main character.
"I love the book and how it is designed. It is a historical book that to me means all people should live in peace and freedom and deserve the same rights," Roseberry said.
As Roseberry kept checking out the book every other week, Cathy Fassett, the High Country Librarian, had an idea.
"I had the thought this book means so much to her, that she needs to have her own copy, and it would be really cool if she had it signed. So I looked around and found the 
author's email address," Fassett said.
So, she sent author Bryan Collier an email.
"I am the librarian at High Country Elementary School in Saginaw, TX. I am reaching out to you in hopes of doing something special for a student. Every other week, she checks out We Shall Overcome. She asked me where it was on the shelves every week last year. Now, she knows! She says it is her favorite book, and she hugs it every time I comment on her checking it out from the library. I got to thinking that it would be amazing to give her a copy of the book to keep for herself, and it would be even better if she had a note from the author. Her name is Zoe, and she is in 4th grade. I know this would just make her day! Please let me know if you can help surprise this sweet young lady," Fassett's email read.
She was not sure if she would even receive a response. But then, two hours later, this message from Collier popped up in her inbox.
"Hi Cathy, No problem. Sounds like a great idea and I would love to be a part of it. Please send me a mailing address and I will send Zoe a copy. Also, the little girl in that is my youngest daughter."
Collier sent the school's address and didn't hear anything else until a couple of weeks later, a package arrived at school.
"He sent 'We Shall Overcome' and 'We Are Here' and autographed them both," Fassett said.
Fassett couldn't contain her excitement, but she also didn't want to just hand the books to Roseberry. The situation was very special, and the presentation needed to be as well. So she arranged for Roseberry's mom to join them in the school's front office, "And then they called me on the announcements and I was praying that I wasn’t in trouble," Zoe said.
She walked in with a nervous face, but that soon changed to disappointment and disbelief when Fassett told her, "You can't check ['We Shall Overcome'] out anymore."
Her emotion quickly changed again, this time to pure joy and jubilation when Fassett presented Roseberry with a signed copy of her own, along with the signed copy of 'We Are Here.'
"It was the best moment ever of my life. It was a surprise for me. I started crying,' Roseberry said. "It means so much to me. All I want to just say is thank you to Bryan Collier. Your books are amazing to me. They make me feel happy that I’m reading and they teach us to live in peace."
And if you need to look into the heart of a school librarian to know where their motivation lies to come in and work with children each day, to know the family culture librarians bring to EMS ISD campuses each day, look directly towards Cathy Fassett.
"I think the number one goal of any librarian is to connect readers to books and books to readers and I think when they can connect to an author, the book becomes that much more real to them," she said. "I knew this was a book that was important to her. We want our students to love reading and we can help them develop a lasting love for reading when we help make a book personal and memorable."
With Roseberry, there is no question this effort landed on memorable.
"Mrs. Fassett, you are a gift to me in my heart," Roseberry said, turning towards her librarian. "I just want to say that I love you so much, and thank you for doing this for me."
