2026 Children's Literature Lecture
Cynthia Leitich Smith to deliver the 2026 Children's Literature Lecture
Author Cynthia Leitich Smith will deliver the 2026 Children’s Literature Lecture. Smith (Muscogee Nation) is The New York Times bestselling author of more than 20 books for children and young adults. Her 2018 book “Hearts Unbroken” won the 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Award. Smith is the curator of Heartdrum, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers focused on Native authors for children and young adults. A former board member for We Need Diverse Books, she is the Native writing intensive coordinator for the organization.
Applications to host the 2026 Children's Literature Lecture, featuring Cynthia Leitich Smith, have closed. Please look for a host site announcement later this summer.
Members of the 2026 Children’s Literature Lecture Award Committee are: Chair Casey O’Leary, Indianapolis Public Schools, Indianapolis, Indiana; Lucia Acosta, Princeton, New Jersey; Eti Berland, Wilmette Public Library, Wilmette, Illinois; and Robyn L. Carr, St. John’s County Public Library, Ponte Verda, Florida.
