Whittier College News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Whittier College
Office of Public Relations
Phone: 562.907.4912 or 562.907.4277

AUTHOR GARY SOTO TO SPEAK AT CHILDREN’S LITERATURE CONFERENCE

WHITTIER, CA (APRIL 11, 2007) – Award-winning poet and novelist Gary Soto will be the keynote speaker at the college’s Fourth Annual Children’s Literature Conference April 28. The conference will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, 6760 Painter Ave. $10 with registration before April 21. $20. (562) 907-4331.

Gary Soto is the author of dozens of books including Too Many Tamales, Chato’s Kitchen, A Simple Plan and Canto Familiar. Soto’s work has earned him numerous awards among them, the 1993 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children’s Video for Pool Party. Soto will speak about what inspires him to write.

In addition to Soto, others writers like Kristy Orona-Ramirez and Zilpha Keatley Snyder will address the conference during the small group sessions. Orona-Ramirez is a Riverside-based writer whose debut book Kiki’s Journey, tells the story of a Tiwa Native American girl’s exploration of her culture.

Zilpha Keatley Snyder is a three-time recipient of the Newberry Honor Award and an alumna of Whittier College. Snyder’s books have included The Egypt Game, The Headless Cupid, The Witches of Worm and, most recently, The Treasures of Weatherby. In all, Snyder has published more than 40 books including a volume of poetry. She is also the namesake of the Zilpha Keatley Snyder Award which honors a teacher that has demonstrated exemplary practices in encouraging and supporting children to enjoy reading.

The conference is partially funded by Title V, a program of the United States Department of Education and is part of a series of jointly conceived projects and programs between Whittier College and Rio Hondo College.

Founded by Quakers in 1887, Whittier College is an independent, four-year college offering a traditional liberal arts program integrated with both professional and pre-professional courses of study. With an emphasis on diversity, community, and curricular innovation, the College’s primary mission is to endow students with the education, skills, and values appropriate for global leadership and service. Whittier College is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).

Whittier Law School, which is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools, is located on a separate campus in Orange County.