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Category: Books & Author Programs

A headshot of a woman with blonde hair and a blue shirt in front of a grassy background, next to a photograph of a woman with gray hair and a medal

Lit Bits: Finding Beauty in the Darkness with Sophie Blackall & Kate DiCamillo

Posted by: Alli Hartley-Kong

This blog was written by Katya Soto, a former intern under the mentorship of Guy Lamolinara, Head, Center for the Book. Additional collections connections were added by Alli Hartley-Kong, Educational Resource Specialist in the Informal Learning Office. There are special kinds of books that are able to transport readers into a universe of magic. This …

Posted in: Books & Author Programs, Lit Bit

A color photograph of a contemporary street scene in Chinatown, San Francisco. Signs with Chinese characters are on the building and marquees, the biggest of which is for Canton Bazaar. A couple dozen red paper lanterns hang on wires that cross the street

Research Inspired by Fiction and Fiction Inspired by Research: Exploring San Francisco’s Historic Chinatown

Posted by: Alli Hartley-Kong

Ever since I started working at the Library of Congress, I always pull up loc.gov/collections when I’m reading historical fiction to find relevant real-life photographs, newspapers, and documents. Recently, I read Malinda Lo’s Young Adult historical fiction novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club. The story follows Lily, a Chinese-American teenager living in San Francisco …

Posted in: Asian American History, Books & Author Programs, For Teens, LGBTQ, Writing

A middle-aged woman wearing glasses, a red shirt, and a medal around her neck smiles in front of a bookshelf.

Introducing Lit Bits: Meg Medina, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

Posted by: Alli Hartley-Kong

This post was written by Katya Soto, an intern in the Center for the Book of the Library of Congress under the mentorship of Guy Lamolinara. Welcome to Lit Bits! This is the first in a new series of book-related blog posts featuring video snippets from your favorite authors, many of whom have appeared at …

Posted in: Books & Author Programs, Hispanic American History, Lit Bit

A woman with thick braids wearing an ornate, traditional outfit stands next to a large plant that towers over here in this black and white photograph.

Meet the Subjects of Latinitas in the Library of Congress’s Collection!

Posted by: Alli Hartley-Kong

Last year at the National Book Festival, audiences at the KidLit stage heard from Juliet Menéndez, the Guatemalan-American author, illustrator, and teacher behind Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers. Latinitas is an illustrated children’s book that celebrates the lives of over forty influential Latina heroes, ranging from singer Selena Quintanilla to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. …

Posted in: Books & Author Programs, Hispanic American History

Dr. Hayden sits on a stage decorated with a flag and nice chairs, interviewing a panel of six Black women authors

Celebrating Black Teen Love This Valentine’s Day: Reflection Questions and Writing Activities

Posted by: Alli Hartley-Kong

This post was co-written by Alli Hartley-Kong and Monica Valentine, Education Programs Specialist in the Informal Learning Office.  How much diversity do you see in teen romance novels? During the pandemic, author Dhonielle Clayton spent time with her teenage niece binge-watching movies. As Clayton explained at the 2022 National Book Festival, her niece asked, “why …

Posted in: African American History, Books & Author Programs, For Teens, Writing