“Let’s Talk Books” at the National Book Festival!

The National Book Festival is only a week away! If you have children and teens in your life, you may already be planning on attending the kid-friendly events, the Story District and many other family-friendly activities on the Expo Floor. 

Here, we want to highlight the way the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Meg Medina, has been getting ready for the festival and the unique ways in which you can get to know her platform. Here’s what she says about the upcoming Festival: 

“The National Book Festival is an annual book party that I always look forward to. It offers readers of all ages and interests a chance to sit in on book talks with their favorite authors or with new authors they’ll discover. Connecting with authors – whether live or via tools like my Let’s Talk Books video series – is a joyous way to grow a reading life.”

In her two-year term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature (2023-2024), Meg Medina has engaged readers across the country via her platform “Cuéntame!: Let’s Talk Books.” Inspired by the phrase Spanish-speaking friends and families use to catch up with one another, Cuéntame! encourages connection amongst families, classrooms, libraries and communities by talking about books—both those books that reflect the readers’ lived experiences and those books that expose readers to new perspectives.

One of the projects of “Cuéntame!” is “Let’s Talk Books,” a video series featuring 18 children’s and young adult authors, including Chelsea Clinton, Rita Williams-García and Torrey Maldonado. You can see the eight videos that have already come out here, with appearances from authors such as previously featured NBF authors Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Gary D. Schmidt, Elizabeth Acevedo and this year’s featured author, Hena Khan! Find her schedule of events here.

All of these videos have been recorded at the Library of Congress so far, but the last one will be recorded right at the National Book Festival with Gene Luen Yang, a former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. It just feels perfect: the series ending at the heart of the Library’s celebration of books, with two Ambassadors coming together for a strong finish. You can’t miss it when it comes out later this year! And of course, Gene Luen Yang will make a few appearances at NBF, so check out his schedule here. 

Another “Let’s Talk Books” moment you don’t want to miss is a live show! Each “Let’s Talk Books” video is 4-8 minutes long, but what happens to the rest of the time that we spend recording? See all the extra content and shenanigans as Meg Medina does a live “Let’s Talk Books” conversation with Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston, authors of “The Dictionary Story,” who are coming over from the U.K. for this Festival. Let’s hear what books shaped our international book friends!  

Medina’s time as Ambassador has affected many families and kids and their conversations about books with each other. She encourages conversation about books, about the stories that touch us, and the ways that reading not only changes our worldview but informs others of our inner lives when we share what books we love. 

Check out Meg Medina’s schedule at this years’ National Book Festival here. And if you spot her, make sure to tell you about your favorite book!

*Note: this post has been updated to include a quote from Meg Medina