Since 2005, more than 20,000 Sacramento-area school children have
benefited from Words Take Wing: Honoring Diversity in Children’s
Literature. This annual celebration, held each February, gives
students the opportunity to hear about the personal journeys and
creative processes of acclaimed authors and illustrators of
diverse children’s literature whose stories about Native American
heritage, Asian culture, African American culture, and Latino
identity, among many others, allow them to explore a wide range
of perspectives and world views.
On Tuesday, February 23, 2027,
Words Take Wing will host award-winning children’s author Meg
Medina in two events.
Medina is the author of many notable and award-winning works for
young readers, including the Newbery Medal-winning and New York
Times bestselling book Merci Suárez Changes Gears, the first in a
trilogy. Her most recent middle-grade novel, Graciela in the
Abyss, was a 2026 ALSC Notable Children’s Book and a CCBC Choices
2026 selection. Illustrated by Anna and Elena Balbusso, the novel
was also awarded the prestigious 2026 Hamilton King Award by the
Society of Illustrators.
Meg Medina’s work examines how cultures intersect through the
eyes of young people. She brings audiences stories that speak to
both what is unique in Latino culture and qualities that are
universal. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, she grew up in
Queens, New York, and now lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Words Take Wing is made possible by the support of our title
sponsors:
