1936. In the midst of the Great Depression, in the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky, nineteen-year-old Cussy Mary Carter, nicknamed Damsel and with a rare peculiarity in her skin, is one of the traveling booksellers of the Equestrian Library Project sponsored by Roosevelt as part of his "New Deal". Motherless, spirited and stubborn, Damisela has to brave harsh weather, rugged terrain, hostile characters and all manner of dangers on her daily route to deliver books and other reading materials to the most vulnerable. This is an exciting story that shows the determination of a brave young woman to bring a glimmer of hope to her neighbors and the magical spell of literature.