Sheboygan Reads 2009 featured local author, Betsy Michael, who self-published her memoir of bicycle touring this year, “The Green Steed.”

Sheboygan Reads supports literacy by encouraging community members to read and talk about the same book. In this way, Sheboygan residents become part of a summer communitywide book club. The first Sheboygan Reads program, in 2005, featured “The Breakdown Lane” by Jacquelyn Mitchard. The second, in 2007, featured two books by Michael Perry, “Population 485” and “Truck.”

The title of the book, “The Green Steed,” refers to Betsy's bike, which took her on many memorable trips including the Yucatan, England, Puerto Rico, and throughout Wisconsin. Her book is the story of a middle-aged woman who decides to ride her way to an undiscovered part of her existence - one that requires physical stamina, discipline, and a sense of adventure and independence.

Copies of the paperback book will be available for checkout or for purchase (for $15) at Mead Public Library. Copies also will be sold by the Friends of Mead Public Library at various library and other events. All book sale proceeds will benefit Mead Library. For more information on book sales, please send your query through the "contact us" link at the bottom of the library's homepage (www.meadpubliclibrary.org).

Betsy Jones Michael graduated from the University of Washington, majoring in music, and earned a graduate degree from San Jose State College in Early Childhood Education. She has taken writing workshops and has published articles in national magazines, newspapers, and education textbooks as well as many reviews, article and profiles for The Sheboygan Press.

While living in California, she taught preschool classes and produced and performed children's programs for the educational television in San Francisco. She taught Head Start children in the summer and then became the first year-round Head Start teacher-director. She also taught Early Childhood Education at Lakeshore Technical College. In 1967, she was asked to establish and be the teacher for the first preschool class at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC).

Mrs. Michael also sang and acted in many local plays and choral production over the years and was a volunteer at the JMKAC.

She and her husband, James Michael, have five children. He retired as a physician to devote full-time to painting and teaching watercolor painting.