Martinsville Woman Writes Children's Book About National Road

Molly Bellamey of Martinsville has written a children's story about traveling the National Road in the 1830s.

"Patch on the National Road" was written June 2013 to read to children from birth to 2nd grade as part of the Illinois Library summer reading program, Have Book, Will Travel. Since writing the story, Bellamey has read it at numerous libraries, school groups, and Eastern Illinois University students.

The book tells the story of a four year old Emma Grace Beckwith that moves from Maryland to Illinois during the 1830, because her father was hired to help build the bridges along the National Road. The story is told by her toy, a stuffed, quilted bear named Patch. Emma Grace also has a hound dog that ends up saving the day.

The book will be used as an educational tool by the National Road Association of Illinois to introduce young children to the concepts of family values and travel during the 1830s, without pushing facts and dates to children. ImagineThis! of Effingham designed the book and Kingery Press has printed the book.

Patch on the National Road is now available from the National Road Association of Illinois at 888-268-0042 or the Effingham Visitor Center. The author will also donate a copy to each library along the National Road in Illinois for their collections. Use the same phone number if you’d like to set up a reading and/or book signing.