As We Need Diverse Books celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, we extend our warmest thanks to Founding Member and volunteer CEO Ellen Oh, who has tirelessly led the organization over the last decade. After ten years at the helm, Ellen will transition to the role of Honorary Trustee at WNDB, effective July 1, 2024. Our longtime COO Dhonielle Clayton will lead WNDB’s board of directors in her new position as Board Chair. Our staff, board, and volunteers will continue WNDB’s mission to make the publishing industry more equitable, empathetic, and inclusive. “Given all that is happening in t ..read more

  The Middle Grade Collection is Edited by WNDB CEO Ellen Oh, with Foreword by National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature Meg Medina April 4, 2024 — We Need Diverse Books is thrilled to announce our latest anthology, ON THE BLOCK, which follows the interconnected lives of multigenerational immigrant families residing within the same apartment building. The book will be released on October 22, 2024, from Crown Books for Young Readers. The narratives follow the lives of multigenerational immigrant families residing within the apartment building, including a new kid on the block, a Po ..read more

At WNDB, we’re continuing our efforts to protect the freedom to read nationwide, which is why we’re sending a joint letter with the Florida Freedom to Read Project to the Alachua County School Board in Florida, where books with LGBTQ+ characters are routinely being challenged. What’s happening in Alachua Country hits particularly close to home to us at WNDB since the affected authors include past WNDB volunteers and an honoree of our Walter Dean Myers Awards. We are taking a stand to advocate for the students in Alachua County to help them retain access to diverse books. A majority of the obje ..read more

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For its 10th Year, We Need Diverse Books Announces the Opening of Applications for the 2024 WNDB Internship Grants March 1, 2024 Bethesda, MD — We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) has announced the opening of the application process for the 2024 WNDB Internship Grants. Over the past 10 years, the Internship Grant Program has supported over a remarkable 140 grantees in their summer internships. While many of our most recent 2022 and 2023 cohorts are still completing their college studies, a large majority of our grantee alumnx have gone on to work in the industry. From acqui ..read more

We​ ​Need​ ​Diverse​ ​Books Announces the​ ​2024​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Awards​ ​and​ ​Honor​ ​Books for​ ​Outstanding Children’s​ Literature​ Teen​ ​and​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​Categories BETHESDA, MD — The​ ​We​ ​Need​ ​Diverse​ ​Books​ ​Walter​ ​Awards​ ​Judging​ ​Committee​ ​has​ ​selected​ ​the​ ​Winners​ ​and Honorees​ ​for​ ​the​ ninth ​annual​ ​Walter​ ​Dean​ ​Myers​ ​Awards​ ​for​ ​Outstanding​ ​Children’s​ ​Literature.  The ​Awards​ ​comprise two​ ​categories:​ ​Teen​ ​(​ages​ ​13-18​)​ ​and​ ​Younger​ ​Readers​ ​(​ages 9-13​).​ ​One​ Winner​ and one Honor Book ​have​ ​bee ..read more

We Need Diverse Books was founded in 2014 to give voice to marginalized writers and illustrators. Over the last nine years there have been significant increases in the number of diverse titles published in the United States, and yet Palestinian creators remain one of the most underrepresented communities in the industry today. Further, the handful of books published by Palestinian writers are often censored, not only silencing these authors but preventing readers from finding their stories.  At WNDB, we know that reading builds empathy, especially during this time of devastating violence ..read more

Tis the season for gathering with loved ones, celebrating with food and fun … all with some gifting sprinkled throughout! Here’s a guide to some of the best diverse-owned, book-ish themed shops and items the internet has to offer.  Wearable Book Love WNDB Merch: Have you checked out the new designs in our Bonfire shop? Show your support for banned books or your love for diverse reads with some WNDB-branded merch. Sock it to Me: Out of Print has so many book-themed sock offerings to warm the toes of any booklover in your life. In particular we love these fiery Read Banned Books socks.&nbs ..read more

This month we’re excited to chat with author Laurel Goodluck, whose Rock Your Mocs is out now. Laurel was a 2019 WNDB mentee, paired with award-winner author Traci Sorell; and is a 2024 mentor. We chatted with Laurel about her new book, her thoughts on book bans, and much more. Tell us about Rock Your Mocs.  I weave “heart themes” through all my books, and “culture as strength” is one of these themes that leap out on every page in Rock Your Mocs. Previously, I ran a Native teen leadership program. A huge focus was highlighting the students’ culture as an asset that can give them comfort a ..read more

October 18, 2023 Contact: info@diversebooks.org We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) condemns the recent decision by Scholastic Book Fairs to segregate books that deal with race, gender, and sexuality in response to the rising spate of book bans and challenges across the country. In their statement, Scholastic makes the patently false assertion that their choice was to either separate these books or to simply not offer them.  There is, and always has been, another option: to stand up and fight for the rights of the marginalized. We live in a diverse society. Students cannot opt out of their own d ..read more

PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AND WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS ANNOUNCE THE 2024 CREATIVE WRITING AWARDS ARE OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS Penguin Random House to provide $60,000 in scholarship awards including a new Freedom of Expression Award New York, NY, October 16, 2023—Penguin Random House, the renowned trade book publisher, and We Need Diverse Books (WNDB), a national grassroots organization that advocates for diversity in literature, have opened submissions for the 2024 Creative Writing Awards. This is the first year the awards include the Freedom of Expression Award. In the face of book bans and attacks on fr ..read more