Walter Dean Myers has been named the third Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, following Katherine Paterson and Jon Scieszka.  When I heard the news, I got goosebumps.  He is such an ideal pick to speak to the power of books in changing the lives of young people.  His books portray urban African-American teens, including those in gangs, soldiers, and the incarcerated.  They are beautifully written, striking and unflinching looks at themes that are often missing in teen literature.

Here is a quote from the NY Times article that shows how Myers himself sees his role as ambassador:

“I think that what we need to do is say reading is going to really affect your life,” he said in an interview at his book-cluttered house here in Jersey City, adding that he hoped to speak directly to low-income minority parents. “You take a black man who doesn’t have a job, but you say to him, ‘Look, you can make a difference in your child’s life, just by reading to him for 30 minutes a day.’ That’s what I would like to do.”

I look forward to the powerful message of reading that our new ambassador will bring.