Immigration and Children’s Literature: The Role of Heritage in Storytelling

The Young Readers Center and the Center for the Book of the Library of Congress convenes a symposium to explore the contribution of diverse cultural experiences to literature for children and youth. This exchange comes at a critical time in our national conversation about America and its immigrants. Award-winning author and Cuban American, Meg Medina, will moderate the discussion with author/educator René Colato Laínez who came to America at age 14 from El Salvador; author Aisha Saeed whose parents emigrated from Pakistan; Wendy Shang, author and former attorney, whose family is from China; and Illustrator Elizabeth Zunon who was born in Albany, N.Y. and spent her childhood in her family homeland in the Ivory Coast of West Africa.

Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2016 

Program Time: 1:00 to 2:00 PM


Book Signing: 2:00 PM—3:00 PM 

Location: Mumford Room, Room 649, 

Madison Building


Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave. S.E. 

Washington, D.C. 

This program, open to the public, requires reservation.

Please contact YRC@LOC.GOV with your name, title, and organizational/institutional affiliation to RSVP. 

Bilingual Storytelling with René Colato Laínez

Bilingual author René Colato Laínez arrived in the U.S. from El Salvador with few possessions, but many dreams for his future. During this program he will talk about his successful journey from his childhood as an immigrant lost in a strange new world, to his life as a teacher and a published author. His presentation is full of music, dreams, and roots, in English and Spanish—and is of course full of stories. Learn his three rules to success: never give up, study hard, and believe in yourself.

Colato Laínez is the Salvadoran award-winning author of I Am René, the Boy; Waiting for Papá; and many other books that feature Latin American children learning about cultural identity. His picture books have been finalists for the Tejas Star Book Award, given special recognition by the Paterson Prize, and earned the International Latino Book Award. He was named as one of the “Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch (and Read)” by latinostories.com.

When: Friday, December 21, 2012, 11 AM

Time Detail: 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Dec. 21 - 23

Categories: Gallery Talks &Tours, Kids & Families, Webcasts & Webinars

Venue: Washington DC: American Indian Museum

Event Location: ImagiNATIONS Activity Center, 3rd Level

Webcast: nmai.si.edu…

Cost: Free