The Book Harvest family lost a dear friend and colleague last month. Ashley McClure, Senior Associate Program Director of Books on Break and Books for K, died on October 9. She was 41. Ashley joined us in 2023 after 14 years in the classroom in Louisiana, East Harlem, and Raleigh, where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2022. She knew children, she knew teachers, and she knew what makes a book stay in a young reader’s hands. This fall, as Books for K went districtwide in Durham for the first time, every book on the tables was chosen by Ashley. She chose this year’s books with so much care. She knew the kindergartners would be learning about butterflies, so she made sure a butterfly book was among the choices. We watched little hands reach for it again and again. That was Ashley: smart, kind, and always thinking about the children she served. More than 23,000 of her books are now in Durham home libraries. It’s a beautiful legacy, and it’s still growing. We will miss her deeply. You can read her family’s tribute at lowefuneralhome.com/obituaries/ashley-mcclure