On January 4, 2018, the Library of Congress, the Children’s Book Council, and Every Child a Reader announced the appointment of Jacqueline Woodson as the sixth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature for 2018-2019. Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden offered the following remarks on Woodson's appointment:

I have admired Jacqueline Woodson's work for years, especially her dedication to children and young-adult literature. The Library of Congress looks forward to Jacqueline's tenure of encouraging young readers to embrace reading as a means to improve the world.

An inauguration ceremony, presided by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and attended by 2016-17 National Ambassador Gene Luen Yang and 2008-09 National Ambassador Jon Scieszka, took place on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. in the Members Room of the Library of Congress's Thomas Jefferson Building. [View recording of inaugural ceremony.]

For her two-year term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Jacqueline Woodson traveled across America to promote her platform, "READING = HOPE x CHANGE (What's Your Equation?)," which encourages young people to think about – and beyond – the moment they are living in, the power they possess and the impact reading can have on showing them the ways in which they can create the hope and change they want to see in the world.

About the Position

The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature raises national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education and the development and betterment of the lives of young people.

The national ambassador is selected for his or her contributions to young people’s literature, the ability to relate to kids and teens and dedication to fostering children’s literacy in all forms. The selection, made by the Librarian of Congress, is based on recommendations from an independent committee comprising educators, librarians, booksellers and children’s literature experts.