First: If anyone tells you that writing is easy, you have my permission to remind him or her that if writing were that easy, everyone would be doing it. What I do (almost) every day is play with words. I love it, couldn’t live without it. But the “playing” part is a bit of a misnomer. Wordplay demands a comfortable chair, lots of coffee, and seven carts of patience pulled by tireless oxen.
Students of all ages benefit from quality books that authentically portray a variety of cultures. Librarians and teachers are aided in their efforts to diversify their collections through the work of the American Library Association's affiliates and roundtables that recognize distinguished titles for children and teens.