TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tour de Frances

Tribune photo by José Patiño Girona

Jennifer Frances is traveling the country in her Bess the Book Bus. Sponsored by SuperYellowPages and SuperPages.com, she is reading to children and donating books.

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSE PATINO GIRONA

jpatino@tampatrib.com

Published: July 8, 2009

TAMPA - For those wondering about Jennifer Frances' book tour around the country, she's doing fine.

Frances, of Tampa, is the creator of Bess the Book Bus, a nonprofit program that travels in a van to Tampa schools and recreational programs to promote reading and distribute books.

This summer, SuperYellowPages and SuperPages.com of Dallas sponsored her national tour. She left Tampa in May and plans to be back July 29.

Last week, Frances was in Reno, Nev. It is the 29th state she has visited on the Bess the Book Bus tour. She has traveled 8,200 miles and given away 6,200 books to children.

On her visit to New York City, she was a guest on CBS' "Early Show." The national program did a segment about her and the book bus. Then several companies donated to her literary cause.

The biggest gift came from Ford Motor Co., which presented her with a new Bess the Book Bus van that she will receive later this summer.

"I can't believe it," Frances said from Reno. "It seems like I'm telling someone else's story."

Frances said SuperYellowPages and SuperPages.com have collected 7,000 books for her program and anticipate donating 11,000.

Reporter Jose Patino Girona can be reached at (813) 259-7659.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT