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People learn from stories, which makes telling them to young people harder than it seems. Children鈥檚 authors Taye Diggs, Francisco Jim茅nez, and Tim Myers came together to discuss the impact of their work. 

鈥業n the beginning鈥︹�� that鈥檚 where so many stories start. It is also were learning begins.

And since our beginning, humans have used stories to learn, to teach, to captivate, and to create. Our desire to hear stories鈥攁nd more than that, to have them told to us鈥攊s deeply human, says Department of English senior lecturer Tim Myers, himself the author of 14 children鈥檚 books. It begins in childhood, perhaps even before we know it consciously, and never leaves us.

鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing quite like a story,鈥� Myers says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the power of 鈥榓nd then what happened?鈥欌��

It鈥檚 only in understanding stories in that context that we truly understand the significance of children鈥檚 literature. As Myers says, 鈥渃hildren鈥檚 literature, children鈥攊t鈥檚 literally our future.鈥�

Myers, alongside modern languages professor emiterus and author Francisco Jim茅nez 鈥�66, joined actor and Frank Sinatra Artist-in-Residence Taye Diggs for a panel on writing for children February 27.

Jim茅nez is the author of two children鈥檚 books, which, like his autobiographical series, touch upon his childhood as a Mexican immigrant to the United States. Diggs details his experiences as a person of color in his own childhood in 鈥淐hocolate Me鈥� and 鈥淢ixed Me.鈥� In adulthood, they tell stories of their own beginnings.

Myers says the implementation of serious, broader themes within children鈥檚 literature is critical to helping children shape their view of the world. It鈥檚 a common misconception that children鈥檚 books are simple texts for simple minds, Myers says. There鈥檚 nothing wrong with simplicity, he adds鈥攊t can be wonderful. But the assumption that all children鈥檚 literature is simple is wrong.

Jim茅nez spoke to the importance of documenting his experience as a child working in the fields. He wanted to see himself鈥攁nd the other children and families that shared his experiences鈥攔eflected in literature. He hopes immigrant children and the adults in their lives will be touched by his books.

Myers, noting that Jimenez identifies as 鈥渁n adult writer who also writes for kids,鈥� says that Jim茅nez鈥檚 purpose is introspective.

鈥淎s a children鈥檚 writer, you鈥檙e often writing to a dual audience鈥攂ooks are often read to kids by children or parents,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really clever that you鈥檙e also sending a message to teachers [through these stories].鈥�

For Diggs, whose son inspired 鈥淢ixed Me,鈥� guiding children through their identities is about positive representation.

鈥淚 want my child to be proud. My child鈥檚 mixed, and this book talks about being proud of who he is and where he comes from,鈥� he says.

Senior lecturer in the Department of Communication Katharine Heintz, who facilitated the hour-long conversation, says respecting the experiences of children is 鈥渉onoring the idea of being who you are, for who you are, and not for how you鈥檙e seen.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e telling them this story: that you are valuable,鈥� she says. And if we tell the story from the beginning, they may even learn they are.