Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia, The Great Gilly Hopkins, and Jacob Have I Loved has been named the new National Ambassador to Young People’s Literature.
The post of children’s ambassador was created by the Library of Congress, the Children’s Book Council, and the Library of Congress’s Center for the Book to raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature. Patterson’s new slogan for the program is “read for your life.”
Previous Ambassador, John Scieszka, author of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and The Stinky Cheese Man was at the ceremony this morning to hand over the reigns and provide his ringing endorsement.
Paterson’s newest book, The Day of the Pelican, is about a family of Muslim Albanians facing persecution and exile as they seek refuge from ethnic war. Finally reaching safety in the U.S., the family struggles to adapt, particularly as Muslim immigrants in the aftermath of 9/11.
Madeline
Meghan
peterwesley
Just a note FYI–
Her last name is spelled Paterson. Here’s her official site:
http://www.terabithia.com/index.html
I am a Library Technician here for the students here at Sierra Enterprise Elem. We Library Technicians, in the Elk Grove Unified School District are in serious jepordy of having our positions “ELIMINATED” by our School Board due to some horrible budget issues. I would like to know how we may contact an Ambassador to have them speak on the importance of Libraries especially in elementary schools. Any information you may be able to give will be most helpful.
Thank you,
Debborah Flores,
Library Technician
1-916-381-2767