March is reading month and a few Sault area book enthusiasts are all about promoting literacy, filling their little free libraries year-round with books for all.
Perhaps Joy Anderson of the Whitney-Jo and Walter Free Library said it best in just three words, “Knowledge is power.”
Many know the Carl and Joy Anderson family story, parents of six with one special little girl remaining in spirit.
Daughter Whitney-Jo DeVaughn Anderson lost her battle to leukemia on April 19, 2008 at the tender age of nine. She enjoyed many passions in her young life, especially dancing and reading to her baby brother, Walter.
Whitney was adopted at 18-months-old, miraculously gaining a whole new family in the Chippewa land of her ancestors.
The young tribal member had been diagnosed with Noonan syndrome, but Joy and Carl were determined to guarantee her the best possible life.
The National Human Genome Research Institute website describes the disorder as a combination of any or all of the following: unusual facial characteristics, short stature, heart defects present at birth, bleeding problems, developmental delays, and malformations of the bones of the rib cage. Noonan syndrome is caused by abnormal changes in an autosomal dominant gene.
Whitney was mute and suffered from a heart condition affecting the pulmonary valve between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, having had two surgeries by the age of five.
“They could either be mentally hanicapped or geniuses,” Joy said about the condition. “When we adopted her, she wouldn’t talk. But she was a reader from the get-go and read books all day long.”
Reading was exactly what three-year-old Whitney was doing in the play area one evening, while mom and dad relaxed in the living room.
“Mute the TV,” Joy asked Carl. “I swear, she is talking...”
Carl was in disbelief; They both were.
“We went over and she was reading a book, word for word,” Joy said, recalling the first time they heard their little girl speak.
Crediting Whitney’s love for stories, Joy continued reading with her little girl. But she could never get enough.
“Whitney was between 36 and 48-years-old cognitively, and exceptionally smart,” said Joy. She read books verbatim and had them memorized. I would be driving and reciting a book back to her while she was in the backseat. If I said a word wrong, she knew.”
Another surprise was in store for the Andersons when Joy learned she was pregnant. Whitney, a self-proclaimed princess at the time, hosted tea parties and wore tiaras.
Soon, the little princess would be forced to share her space and toys with someone new. Using Whitney’s passion to create a positive reaction to the changes to come, Joy knew just what to do. She would use the power of books.
“Whirney read to him while I was pregnant and read to him after,” said Joy. “She had to tuck him in every night.”
Although only two-years-old at the time of his sister’s death, acts of love and the memories they inspired would never fade.
“Walter loved to read,” Anderson said. “I credit her with that. Every time we would go out, he wanted to go to a library.”
Why not start a library of their very own? The family unanimously agreed to such an idea, opening the Whitney-Jo and Walter Free Library on Aug. 22, 2016.
“It was something Walter wanted to do,” said Anderson. “My son wanted to have a grand opening. We put a video on Facebook and made flyers.”
Walter also prepared a speech to read before cutting a red ribbon at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
“There were a whole bunch of people,” Anderson said.
That did not deter him. 10-year-old Walter proceeded to read his speech to those in attendance:
“Hello and welcome to our grand opening. My name is Walter Anderson and this is my library. Thank you all for coming and sharing this very special day with us today. The little free library is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I love to read and I love to share that with other people. I learned to read from my big sister, Whitney-Jo. Whitney-Jo read to me all the time. She also loved reading. My sister died when I was only two after a long battle with leukemia. When I read, it makes me feel close to my sister Whitney. My Grandpa Tom made the library for me, and my dad and mom painted it. I will be checking the library and adding new books whenever we need them. The little free library is free for everyone to use. I want our neighbors and other people to feel like this is their library too. Please use the library and I hope everyone loves to read, like my big sister and I do. Thank you again for coming today.”
The library has been stocked with books since. Many visitors leave donations, while others trade and return.
Some of Whitney’s favorite books were “Angelina Ballerina,” “Junie B. Jones,” and “Amelia Bedelia.” Walter’s taste was always tad different from his sibling’s, often reading the “American Chillers” series by Jonathon Rand.
Today, the Whitney and Walter Free Library is full of books, ranging in genre according to age group. Sometimes, there is a special prize inside.
“If I have a ‘Clifford’ book, a ‘Clifford’ stuffy goes in with it,” said Joy. “People donate a lot too. people come in and out. There is a kid down the road who likes “Chiller” books. I try to keep Westerns in there. We stamp the inside of the covers with our library name and address.”
Most of Walter’s brothers and sisters like to read as well. Joy and her husband have seen the benefits of this first-hand.
“When we adopted our eldest daughter, she could not spell ‘cat,’” Joy said. “She struggled.”
She was eight-years-old at the time and just out of foster care.
“The key thing I saw that changed in her was reading,” said Joy. “Twilight. Everyone was reading them and she couldn't. She had a lot of books on audio. I would have her follow along. It made a huge difference in her education over time. She read every day.”
Today, she is a college graduate with “multiple degrees.”
Joy believes her daughter was saved by books. She worries about others, sharing concerns that too many kids are absorbed in social media.
“It can stress them out,” said Joy. “Reading is an important stress reliever.”
Soon after the Whitney and Walter Free Library took off and people started taking books, Judy Jones set one up at her house.
“The more computers come in, the more concerned I am about literacy,” Jones agreed. “I want to ignite that spark, so kids can’t wait to turn the page to see what is going to happen next.”
While wondering what will happen next, Jones has reportedly watched children drag their parents down the street to get a book.
“Moms know the library, so they will drive by at about a half-mile per hour,” said Jones. “If they see that something has changed, they will stop.”
Some children and caregivers pick out princess books, others go for “Dora” books and some choose books about dinosaurs.
“The spark for me was ‘A Wrinkle in Time,’” said Jones. “The book is full of adventure, travel and secrets. It is so cool. I grew up on a farm, so it was a great adventure. There are so many great authors out there… James Patterson, Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts.”
Her mystery books, like “Goosebumps,” tend to “fly off the shelves.”
“A lot of people are on a tight budget,” said Jones. “How do people afford these books? Even Dr. Seuss is $9 to $14. In my own small way, I am giving kids access to books.”
Jones is happy to help and even happier to see “all these little libraries springing up” around her.
Jones spoke highly of the Anderson family and all their hard work to help improve literacy and cultivate learning.
In honor of a little girl who touched many lives, the Anderson family united with the Chippewa County Community Foundation to start the Whitney-Jo Anderson Memorial Dance Scholarship Endowment Fund to award a scholarship to any dance studio within the county. Donations were impacted by COVID last year, as were Joy’s plans to open the “Tipsy Fairy Tea Shed.” Whitney also loved fairies. Once developed, Joy hopes to host summer reading on Saturdays.
The Whitney-Jo and Walter Free Library is located at 3016 Radar Rd. of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Judy Jones’s little free library is by Sherman Park at 24th and 4th Ave. There are several other little libraries around town. Book donations are always appreciated.
A special shout-out to Walter Anderson who will be turning 16 soon. Happy Sweet 16, Walter!