I’m excited and honored to be part of this discussion of how so much of our history needs to be reclaimed, and how books for kids and teens is a powerful way to tell the stories, and hear the voices, of Asian American, Indigenous, Black, Disabled, and LGBTQIA2+ people.

Hosted by my publisher, Lerner, who calls it a “powerhouse” group of authors and illustrators, the panel is aimed primarily at librarians and teachers, and will cover:

1. How to find hidden history to present to young readers
2. How to help readers understand that history is broader than what textbooks and popular media portray
3. Great examples of books for kids that bring hidden history to life, including a crowd-source booklist from our esteemed panelists and webinar attendees
4. How to evaluate your collection to make sure you have these books available.

You can find all the details (and register for free) here.

I’m extra thrilled that the panel includes my friends Paula Yoo (whose latest YA nonfiction is From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement) and Don Tate (who has so many books he’s written and illustrated that give voice to Black history, including illustrating Carter Reads the Newspaper: The Story of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Founder of Black History Month, which was written by Deborah Hopkinson.)

It’s also really awesome that I’ll get to meet the two other panelists, Natasha Donovan who illustrated the picture book biography Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer (written by Traci Sorrell) and Annette Bay Pimentel who wrote the picture book biography All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything.

And of course, I’ll be sharing from my perspective as the author of the nonfiction book for readers age 11 and up, No Way, They Were Gay? Hidden Lives and Secret Loves. I hope you’ll join us.

The light in me recognizes and acknoweldges the light in you,
Lee