Authors & Illustrators

Our nation faces a huge reading gap—but most people are unwilling to talk about it because the bulk of illiterate kids are minority and poor, says Walter Dean Myers.

Back in September, SLJ blogger Betsy Bird (A Fuse #8 Production) said that the next National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature “shouldn’t be another white guy or gal” because it’s the ambassador for all kids. Bird went on to suggest Walter Dean Myers as the perfect person for the job. Was she looking into a crystal ball? This morning, the award-winning author, who often writes about the challenges that face today’s at-risk urban youth, was named our third ambassador by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.