Park Slope's Jon Scieszka Named Kid Lit Laureate

Thanks to Only The Blog Knows Brooklyn for calling my attention to the Times story announcing that Park Slope author Jon Scieszka has been named the country's first national ambassador for young people's literature by the Library of Congress, a title approximating the Library's title of poet laureate.

Scieszka, author of over 25 clever and creative children's books, is an ideal selection for the job of turning young people onto reading - one of the most essential endeavors in education today. He runs a wonderful website called Guys Read aimed at getting boys to put down the video game controller and pick up a book. More locally, Scieszka serves on the board of 826 NYC, the ingenious non-profit drop in tutoring center for which the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Store acts as a front. 

If you've never been to the Superhero Supply store on 5th Avenue, you've been a bad crimefighter. Not only does it support a stellar cause, it is also the only place in Brooklyn (or anywhere else, for that matter) that sells utility belts, invisibility cloaks, and a host of tools for transdimensional travel. It gets two telepathic thumbs up from The Optimist!

Speaking of optimism, Scieszka's appointment shows that good things can happen even under the Bush administration.