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Naomi Judd makes a difference

Franklin, Tenn., Oct. 22 -- Naomi Judd, the unflappable mother of Wynonna and Ashley, flew home Saturday morning just to read her newest children's book at a public library as part of USA WEEKEND Magazine's national

Naomi Judd, in her fourth year of supporting Make A Difference Day volunteering, reads her brand-new children's book, Gertie the Goldfish and the Christmas Surprise, to youngsters at Williamson County Public Library in her hometown of Franklin, Tenn., Saturday. Photo by John Russell View larger image Download Hi-Res image. 1.6MB JPG, 3000x2126 pixels

Make A Difference Day of volunteering. But shipments of the book, released one day before, hadn't arrived. Judd retrieved a suitcase from her car and, zip, zip, pulled out her own copy of Gertie the Goldfish and the Christmas Surprise. As the gathered kids cheered, Judd told them, "This show will go on! I am actually glad that none of you have seen this book yet, because it allows me to unveil it especially for you -- the way I did for my grandkids, Elijah and Grace," the children of Wynonna. A week ago, Judd donated 25,000 copies of her book-- about a real goldfish that lives in an aquarium on her kitchen counter -- to children in the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. The busy star's next project: Naomi's New Morning, a one-hour weekly talk show series, premiering Nov. 27 on the Hallmark Channel.