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Katherine Paterson Named National Ambassador for Young Peoplen’s Literature
Katherine Paterson, two-time winner of the National Book Award and the Newbery Medal, was today named National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. Paterson will serve in the position during 2010 and 2011; she succeeds Jon Scieszka, appointed in 2008, who was the first person to hold the title. Paterson has chosen “Read for Your Life” as the theme for her platform.
Katherine Paterson’s international fame rests not only on her widely acclaimed novels but also on her efforts to promote literacy in the United States and abroad. A two-time winner of the Newbery Medal (“Bridge to Terabithia” and “Jacob Have I Loved”) and the National Book Award (“The Great Gilly Hopkins” and “The Master Puppeteer”), she has received many accolades for her body of work, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, given by her home state of Vermont. She was also named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress.
Ms. Paterson is vice president of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance (www.thencbla.org), a nonprofit organization that informs, promotes, educates and inspires the American public to pursue literacy for young people and support libraries. She is both an Alida Cutts Lifetime Member of the United States Board on Books for Young People (www.usbby.org) and a Lifetime Member of the International Board on Books for Young People (www.ibby.org).
Ms. Paterson’s most recent book is “The Day of the Pelican,” a moving, dramatic story of a refugee family's flight from war-torn Kosovo to America. It is the 2010 selection for Vermont Reads, a statewide reading program.
She and her husband, John, live in Barre, Vt. They have four children and seven grandchildren. For more information, visit www.terabithia.com.
