Delaware's First Lady launches reading and writing tour “Books for Blue”

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“Meet the little blue hen, simply called Blue… the youngest here and also the smallest…”

With those playful words, Delaware's future leaders gathered as First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney turned a recent storytime at the Wilmington Public Library into an unforgettable adventure. Quillen Carney read excerpts from her new children's book, “Books for Blue,” as she made the first stop on her statewide reading tour. In the story, a small but determined chicken named Blue goes in search of a new book and learns that every trip to the library is a chance to discover something new with an open mind.

“We have an author in the house,” said Delaware Governor John Carney, praising his wife’s commitment to the children of the First State.

“The tour gives us a chance to show off a little bit of the incredible investments we've made, primarily with federal and state funds, in new libraries and expansions of existing ones,” he said. “After serving as your governor for seven and a half years, I have the opportunity to thank Tracy for sticking with me all these years, for her service as First Lady, for the tremendous work she's done and for her contribution to our efforts to bring literacy to our state.”

The publication of her first book is a cornerstone of the First Chance Delaware initiative, which aims to give every child in Delaware a chance to thrive. This initiative focuses on improving readiness to learn through literacy, health and intensive parent-child programs.