National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

National Ambassador for Young People's Literature is a literary honor presented bi-annually by the Library of Congress to an author or illustrator who is a U.S. citizen and who has made a substantial contribution to young people's literature.^[1] The position was established in 2008. More than receiving an award, during their tenure ambassadors help communicate to children about books and reading, so the selection criteria include being an effective communicator, having a dynamic personality and the ability to work with children.^[1] The position is modeled on the British Children's Laureate, which was established in 1999.^[2] The position is currently sponsored by the Center for the Book and the Children's Book Council. The ambassadorship includes a $15,000 expense stipend.^[3] A similar honor is awarded bi-annually by the Poetry Foundation for the Young People's Poet Laureate (formerly the Children's Poet Laureate).^[4]

Ambassadors

• 2008–2009: Jon Scieszka^[5][6][7]
• 2010–2011: Katherine Paterson^[5][8][9]
• 2012–2013: Walter Dean Myers^[10][11][12]
• 2014–2015: Kate DiCamillo^[13][3][14]
• 2016–2017: Gene Luen Yang^[15]
• 2018-2019: Jacqueline Woodson^[16][17][18]
• 2020-2022 Jason Reynolds^[19][20]
• 2023-2024 Meg Medina^[21]

References

1. "About". National Ambassador for Young People's Literature (NAYPL). Library of Congress (LC).
2. "National Ambassador for Children's Literature To Be Named - News Releases (Library of Congress)". www.loc.gov. Retrieved 2015-06-09.
3. Sue Corbett (January 2, 2014). "Kate DiCamillo Named Next National Ambassador for Young People's Literature". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
4. Paige Bentley-Flannery (May 26, 2017). "Young People's Poet Laureate". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). Retrieved October 30, 2018.
5. "Emeritus". NAYPL. LC. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
6. Motoko Rich (January 3, 2008). "Stinky Cheese! Ambassador for Children's Literature". The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
7. Bob Thompson (January 3, 2008). "Popular Children's Author Named Reading Ambassador". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
8. David Montgomery (January 6, 2010). "Katherine Paterson named National Ambassador for Young People's Literature". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
9. Motoko Rich (January 4, 2010). "New Envoy's Old Advice for Children: Read More". The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
10. "Ambassador". NAYPL. LC. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
11. Janice D'Arcy (January 16, 2012). "Walter Dean Myers, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, on raising readers". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
12. Julie Bosman (January 3, 2012). "Children's Book Envoy Defines His Mission". The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
13. Julie Bosman (January 2, 2014). "Newbery Winner to Promote Her Genre". New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
14. Monica Hesse (January 2, 2014). "Kate DiCamillo, author of 'Because of Winn Dixie,' named children's literature ambassador". Washington Post. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
15. George Gene Gustines (January 4, 2016). "Library of Congress Anoints Graphic Novelist as Ambassador for Young People's Literature". New York Times. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
16. Alexandra Alter (January 4, 2018). "Jacqueline Woodson is Named National Ambassador for Young People's Literature". New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
17. "Brooklyn resident named Young People's Literature ambassador". 8 January 2018.
18. "Where Author Jacqueline Woodson Would Like to Take Young People's Literature in 2018". NPR.org.
19. "Jason Reynolds Named New National Ambassador for Young People's Literature". Library of Congress. January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
20. "Jason Reynolds to Serve Third Year as National Ambassador for Young People's Literature". Library of Congress. September 20, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
21. "Meg Medina Named New National Ambassador for Young People's Literature". Library of Congress Newsroom. January 18, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.

External links

• National Ambassador for Young People's Literature