Jon Scieszka will receive the first National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Medal from Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today in the Montpelier Room of the James Madison Building, as part of the National Book Festival celebration.
Scieszka is the author of several best-selling children's titles, including "The Stinky Cheese Man," which won a Caldecott Honor medal, "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" and the Time Warp Trio, a chapter book series. He is the founder of Guys Read www.guysread.com.
Announced in January, the position was created to raise national awareness of the importance of young people's literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people.
An official National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Web site (http://childrensbookambassador.com) has been created for parents, educators and children that includes background information on the Ambassador initiative, Jon Scieszka, and a schedule of Scieszka's tour stops over the next year.
The National Ambassador for Young People's Literature is named by the Librarian of Congress for a two-year term, based on recommendations from a selection committee representing many segments of the book community. The selection criteria include the candidate's contribution to young people's literature and ability to relate to children.
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