The outgoing NAYPL is Jon Scieszka, who wrote the Caldecott Honor book, The Stinky Cheese Man, and also writes the Time Warp Trio series. He held the position for two years. During his tenure, he “traveled to 33 states and visited 274 schools, libraries, bookstores, conferences and festivals.”
He now has passed on the position as Ambassador to Katherine Paterson, winner of two Newbery Medals. Bridge to Terebithia is one of her most beloved books, although it is also “the eighth-most-challenged book of the 1990s, according to the American Library Association.”
As the first National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Scieszka focused on reaching reluctant readers, especially boys. Paterson says her platform will be "read for your life" and she's hoping to highlight the importance of families reading together.The position of National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature was created by the Library of Congress' Center for the Book and the Children's Book Council's Every Child a Reader program.
Even though I don’t write YA, this still sounds like a position to covet.
I didn't know there was one either!
ReplyDeleteWow, that would be so awesome!
ReplyDeleteThe "YA" in the title threw me a bit, but this seems to be more young people's literature as a whole. YA makes me think of high schoolers and Diane Wolfe's books...And those are a fabulous genre!
ReplyDeleteI am excited to have heard of these authors! I remember The Stinky Cheese Man from my youth, and Katherine Paterson's Jacob Have I Loved is still one of my all-time favorites.
It is good to know we have ambassadors for this kind of thing. Encouraging literature and storytelling is important. As always, thank you for the knowledge, Helen!
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
I like the focus on "reluctant readers" - teenage boys would do well to learn to love literature.
ReplyDeleteMarvin D Wilson
I never read the book but the movie of Bridge to Terabithia made me cry buckets. Not sure I could handle the book.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like a wonderful position. More should be told about it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great position to hold! They picked some good people to be ambassadors for the program.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen
As a mother of a YA who came to reading late, I am jumping up and down and clapping my hands now that she loves it...aside from the fact that like her mother, she now gets a book out of the library and can't extract herself from it until it is done...which means that the homework suffers. Sigh. So glad to know that there is a person responsible for generating this passion in our teens.
ReplyDeleteLiza, you can hope that even though her grades suffer now, reading will benefit her all her life.
ReplyDeleteI just learned about the position, and as a YA writer, I naturally think it's awesome. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you haven't read The Stinky Cheese Man, you should. It's full of hilarity.
What a wonderful platform to reach young readers. YA is a sensitive age group that is still formulating opinions and preparing to make major life decisions.
ReplyDeleteA very honorable position, one which definitely has the capability to elevate YA reading to a significant level. Wonderful to read this.
ReplyDeleteI think more emphasis needs to be put on YA literature. Sometimes I don't think we encourage young children and teenagers to read enough. They seems to be playing games and such too much.
ReplyDeleteThat's great! I'd never heard of that. I had to google what the challenges to Bridge to Terebithia were. The witchcraft thing haunts a lot of books now, especially now that supernatural YA is so popular. I don't get it. I'm a Christian and I take no offense to books with supernatural elements, even if they involve witches. It's not like the children are worshipping the Devil.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity to entice children to read, especially if their parents don't have that habit.
ReplyDeleteI think this is very cool. I was a reluctant reader myself, and just someone out there letting kids know all the OPTIONS is a huge step. Not every kid has a parent who really knows how to help them find great reads. Without that, what they are stuck with are the series 'everyone reads' which aren't necessarily BAD (many are fabulous), but not every book is for every kid.
ReplyDeleteI agree with y'all. Every opportunity to encourage kids to read is great and should be used.
ReplyDeleteOkay, another impossible goal to add to my list. What an amazing opportunity for these writers to influence kids, though. Thanks for the post, Helen.
ReplyDeleteoooh, I so want that job.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Hagelrat, it would be a stupendous job. Probably very time consuming, but still stupendous.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know there was such a thing either, but I am all for anyone who encourages young adults to read. What an honor to be named to that position.
ReplyDeleteBoth authors are great choices!! What a dream job :)
ReplyDeleteChildren and teens who read will grow up to be readers.
ReplyDeleteWow, I wonder if Katerine needs an assistant. What a job!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool job! Do they need any more helpers? :)
ReplyDeleteCool. Those reluctant readers are such fun when they get hooked.
ReplyDelete