Carla Gover
Carla Gover is an eighth-generation Kentuckian and award-winning singer-songwriter who collaborates with artists and educators to foster cultural understanding and improve the quality of life in the Commonwealth through music and dance. Jeff Chapman-Crane is a professional Appalachian artist, four-time finalist in the Artists Magazine annual portrait competition, and illustrator of Ragsale, which won Best in Show at the New England Bookfair.
Featured Book
Me and the Red Bird River
Pin up my hair, there’s company coming.
We’d better get some biscuits in the oven.
You know I’ll fry this meat and when I’m through
You set the table and I’ll sing a song for you.
Named in honor of Red Bird of the Cherokee Nation, the Red Bird River is a tributary of the Kentucky River located in the Daniel Boone National Forest. The land surrounding the river, in what is today known as Clay County, has been home to Cherokee people for thousands of years. The river runs deep with history, and generations have built lives around its banks.
Based on author and acclaimed singer-songwriter Carla Gover’s own childhood experiences, Me and the Red Bird River is a heartfelt story about a young girl who lives along the river and learns about mountain lifeways—including how to fetch spring water and make a quilt from ‘old britches’—from her grandmother. This book combines Gover’s lyricism and musical rhymes, drawn from her song of the same name, with Jeff Chapman-Crane’s vibrant, detailed illustrations to portray Appalachia’s past with glowing authenticity. Complete with short informational sections about Red Bird and the river, a glossary to provide cultural context and build vocabulary, and a recipe for Grandma Ollie’s fried apple pies, Me and the Red Bird River is a delightful celebration of the region for readers of all ages to enjoy.
Meet Carla Gover and get a copy of their book at the 2026 Kentucky Book Festival, Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Joseph-Beth Booksellers.