Walter Dean Myers was recently appointed the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress. He is an excellent choice for this position. He is a prolific writer of children’s and young adult books, and he relates very well to children and young adults. I believe Myers will be very influential and successful in this role. I wish him Godspeed. For more information on this announcement, click on LOC.
Another person championing for literacy and books is Yohannes Gebregeorgis. A native Ethiopian, he co-founded Ethiopia Reads, a philanthropic organization committed to bringing literacy to the children of Ethiopia. He has a facebook page so you can learn more about him and his organization.
I’m sure there are more well-known “ambassadors” or “champions” for literacy. If you know of some, please feel free to let me know. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention public librarians, library media specialists, teacher-librarians, educators, and others who promote reading and literacy. Each time you read a story, or suggest a book to a reader, you are an ambassador for literacy and reading. Whether or not your name is mentioned in a local or national paper, just know that you are making a difference in the life of a child or young adult. Keep up the good work!
The CamaraIfe Maktaba 