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Category: Writing

Meet Meg Medina: Family Office Hours with the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

Posted by: Rachel Gordon

Young readers and families, Meg Medina, 8th National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, invites you to join special one-on-one sessions as part of her Cuéntame! Let’s Talk Books platform. On Saturday, October 7, Meg will meet with a select number of families in short sessions occurring from 10:00 am until 4:30 pm. Tickets are required …

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 …

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 …

The cover of the book "“Merci Suárez Changes Gears” with a drawing of a girl sitting in front of a bike and the Newbery medal displayed on it.

Meet Meg Medina, the Library’s New Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

Posted by: Alli Hartley-Kong

This post was written by Leah Knobel. It was originally posted on the Library of Congress blog. Meg Medina, a writer whose work explores how culture and identity intersect through the eyes of children and young adults, today was named as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2023-2024, the Library of Congress and …

Author Jason Reynolds holds a microphone and smiles while on stage.

Jason Reynolds: Grab the Mic One Last Time

Posted by: Alli Hartley-Kong

This is the final guest post by Jason Reynolds, who is concluding his third term as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. It was originally posted on the Library of Congress Blog. FIVE WAYS TO SAY GOODBYE  (a farewell newsletter) SEE YOU SOON. This is not the same as, See you later. I repeat, this is …

Jason Reynolds poses with his ambassador medal against a black background

Closing Celebration for National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds

Posted by: Alli Hartley-Kong

This post was co-written by Monica Valentine and Alli Hartley-Kong of the Library’s Informal Learning Office On January 16, 2020, award-winning writer Jason Reynolds began his tenure as the seventh National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. While the role of the ambassador is to “raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature,” Reynolds …