AASL President’s Program Brings Native Voices Panel to ALA Annual Conference

CHICAGO— AASL President Amanda Kordeliski will host award-winning Native authors and artists who will come together for a special panel discussion, “Telling Our Stories: Native Voices in Children's Literature,” offering school librarians an opportunity to hear directly from leading Indigenous creators shaping contemporary children’s literature.  The creators, Anton Treuer, Andrea L. Rogers, and Rebecca Lee Kunz' appearance is sponsored by independent publisher Levine Querido.

“School librarians play a vital role in helping learners encounter stories that broaden their understanding of the world. Bringing together voices like Anton Treuer, Andrea L. Rogers, and Rebecca Lee Kunz gives our community the opportunity to hear directly from Native creators about culture, storytelling, and representation,” said AASL president Amanda Kordeliski. “We are honored to host this important conversation and to support librarians in building collections that reflect the richness and diversity of Indigenous experiences.”

The session will feature acclaimed Ojibwe scholar and author Anton Treuer, Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and author of more than twenty books, including Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians but Were Afraid to Ask and Where Wolves Don't Die. Treuer is widely recognized for his work advancing Indigenous language revitalization, cultural understanding, and educational equity.

Joining him will be Cherokee Nation author Andrea L. Rogers, whose work for young readers has received national acclaim. Rogers is the author of the Walter Award–winning collection Man Made Monsters and the Caldecott Medal–winning picture book Chooch Helped, celebrated for its humor, warmth, and authentic portrayal of contemporary Cherokee family life.

Artist and illustrator Rebecca Lee Kunz will also participate in the conversation. Kunz illustrated Chooch Helped and is known for visual storytelling inspired by traditional iconography and mythic symbolism. Her upcoming picture book project, Ruth Muskrat and the So-Called Indian Problem, created in collaboration with Levine Querido, explores Native history and resilience through powerful imagery.

Together, Treuer, Rogers, and Kunz will discuss the importance of authentic Native representation in literature for young people, the role of language and culture in storytelling, and how librarians and educators can better support Indigenous voices in their classrooms and collections. The program will also explore the intersections of writing, illustration, and cultural knowledge in creating meaningful books for young readers.

“At Levine Querido, we believe foremost in the power of authentic storytelling,” said Nick Thomas, Executive Editor. “The rich and immersive art of Rebecca Lee Kunz, the matchless storytelling pen of Andrea L. Rogers, and the scholarship and deep heart of Anton Treuer's work show just how vital and impactful Native voices are in young people's literature. School librarians are our essential partners in connecting these stories with the readers who need them most.”

Designed especially for school librarians and educators, the session will offer insight into Cherokee and Ojibwe perspectives while highlighting the growing impact of Native creators in children’s publishing.

AASL’s President Program will be held during ALA’s Annual Conference, June 25-29, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois, on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 10:00 am- 11:30 am.

For more information about this and other AASL programs at the 2026 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, visit www.ala.org/aasl/annual.

The American Association of School Librarians www.aasl.org, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), empowers leaders to transform teaching and learning.

About Levine Querido
Levine Querido is an independent publisher founded in 2019 by acclaimed editor and publisher Arthur A. Levine. The company is dedicated to publishing exceptional books for children and young adults while championing diverse and underrepresented voices. Its carefully curated list includes original English-language titles as well as works in translation from around the world. Levine Querido books have received widespread critical acclaim and numerous major honors, including the Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz awards. The publisher is distributed by Chronicle Books.