.This event will follow The Walter Dean Myers Awards Ceremony taking place on the same day in Washington, D.C.
The Walter Dean Myers Awards for Outstanding Children’s Literature, a.k.a “The Walter,” celebrates diverse childrens and young adult books written by diverse authors. The award, which was introduced in 2016, originally focused on young adult books. In 2018, the category Younger Readers (ages 9-13) was added. Future awards will include both the Teen and Younger Readers categories.
Author and National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson will be the Awards Ceremony’s Guest Speaker and Emcee. Author and Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park will moderate the symposium. This year’s symposium title is “Seen and Heard: The Power of Books” and is open to the public.
While children and young adult publishing has become more aware of the importance of diverse voices and stories, it is imperative to bring the diversity conversation from a digital space to a physical one. This year’s Walter Dean Myers Awards, coupled with the Diversity in Children’s Literature Symposium, is a noteworthy step in this direction.
Will you be attending the Symposium?
