March 8, 2010 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Website Debuts

Win a Visit from Current Ambassador Katherine Paterson

Contact: Guy Lamolinara, Library of Congress (202) 707-9217 | Robin Adelson, Children’s Book Council (212) 966-1990

Would your school or library like a visit from National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Katherine Paterson? Entries are currently being accepted in a contest presented as part of the relaunch of a website devoted to a reading-promotion program for young people sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, the Children’s Book Council (CBC) and Every Child a Reader, the CBC foundation.

The site, which is available at www.read.gov/cfb/ambassador/, offers contest details (www.read.gov/cfb/ambassador/contest.html). Entries must be received by March 15.

The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature program 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.

The program was established in 2008, with the naming of Jon Scieszka for the 2008-2009 term. On Jan. 5, 2010, Paterson became the second person to hold the title.

The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature website is part of the overall Read.gov site from the Library. The site brings together reading and literacy resources for all ages. It is also the home of the exclusive online story called “The Exquisite Corpse Adventure,” an episodic tale that is being written and illustrated by some of the nation’s best writers and artists. Paterson is a contributor to the story, and she will write the final episode (No. 27) and read it during the 2010 National Book Festival slated in September on the National Mall.

Financial support for the National Ambassador program is provided by Penguin Young Readers Group, Scholastic Inc., HarperCollins Children’s Books, Random House Children’s Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Macmillan Publishers, Holiday House, Charlesbridge, National Geographic Children’s Books, Candlewick Press and Marshall Cavendish Publishers.

The Center for the Book (www.loc.gov/cfbook) was established by Congress in 1977 “to use the resources and prestige of the Library of Congress to promote books, reading, literacy and libraries.” With its many educational programs that reach readers of all ages, through its support of the National Book Festival and through its dynamic state centers in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Center for the Book has developed a nationwide network of organizational partners dedicated to promoting the wonders and benefits of reading.

The Children’s Book Council, established in 1945, is the nonprofit trade association of publishers of trade books for children and young adults in the United States. The CBC promotes the use and enjoyment of trade books for young people, most prominently as the official sponsor of Children’s Book Week, the longest running literacy event in the country. The goals of the Children’s Book Council are to make the reading and enjoyment of books for young people an essential part of America’s educational and social goals, as well as to enhance the public perception of the importance of reading by disseminating information about books for young people and about childrens book publishing.

Every Child a Reader, the CBC foundation, is dedicated to supporting positive programs and opportunities that help promote the enjoyment and importance of reading among America’s youth. For more information about the CBC, please visit www.cbcbooks.org and for Every Child a Reader, visit www.ecarfoundation.org.

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PR 10-046
2010-03-08
ISSN 0731-3527