‘Words Take Wing’: No.1 New York Times Bestselling Author Renée Watson speaks at Mondavi Center

At an event supporting children's literature, the writer shared poems and novel excerpts

By NATALIE SALTER—arts@theaggie.org 

On the morning of Feb. 24, the UC Davis Mondavi Center was filled to the brim with elementary and middle school students. As they disembarked from their school buses and left the chill of the winter morning for the theater’s interior, each student was handed a journal and pen to write their thoughts about the speaker they had come down to listen to.

That speaker was children’s book author Renée Watson. Watson’s novels focus on issues of race, gender, identity and hope, drawing upon her own childhood and her experiences as an educator and community activist.

Watson’s books have been the subject of immense critical acclaim. Her novel, “Piecing Me Together,” received a Coretta Scott King Award and a Newbery Honor; likewise, her poetry collection “Black Girl You are Atlas” won a Coretta Scott King Honor.

Her latest middle-grade novel, “All The Blues in the Sky,” received the John Newbery Medal for “the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature.” The novel tells the story of 13-year-old Sage, whose life is struck with grief when her best friend passes away. A story about loss and healing, “All The Blues in the Sky” aims to make difficult conversations surrounding grief and community accessible to a middle-grade audience.

Watson was the star of this year’s “Words Take Wing: Honoring Diversity in Children’s Literature” event, an annual celebration that began in 2005 with the intention of introducing young audiences to a diverse range of stories and perspectives through reading. 

The theater was abuzz as the event began. When the lights dimmed, the many groups of young students from various schools cheered and clapped. Their anticipation was further riled by an activity in which each school cheered for an image of their mascot, a task which they carried out with boisterous energy. 

Once she had taken the stage, Watson began the event by reading one of her own poems: a tribute to the different sides of her cultural identity and a reconciliation of the joys and pains alike of each. 

“It’s important to hold all of our truths,” Watson said. 

Watson then read to the audience-selected passages from her novels, beginning with her “Ryan Hart” series and then a segment of “All The Blues in the Sky.” The passage from “All The Blues in the Sky” focused on the ways in which life is often full of highs and lows, which we persevere through nonetheless. The protagonist Sage reflected on the fact that “for all the blues in the sky, there are as many blues in the heart.”

“How do I remain whole in a world that seems like it means to break me?” Watson said. 

Her selected passages seemed to answer her question: hope, resilience, community and kindness are ways through which characters and readers alike can keep going in spite of challenges like loss and self-doubt. 

After finishing reading the excerpts of her novels, Watson turned to answering questions from the students in the audience. One fourth-grade student asked how young Watson was when she knew that writing was the passion she wanted to pursue.

“I knew I was going to be an artist when I was in the second grade,” Watson said. “I wrote a 21-page story.”

Though she got her start at a young age, Watson emphasized to the audience that it is not too early or too late to begin chasing their creative dreams. 

“You are an artist now,” Watson said. “I want you to own your voice.”

After reading one more of her poems, Watson closed the event with a call-and-response with the audience. 

“I have a voice,” Watson said. “My voice is powerful. My voice can change the world.”

Watson left on an impactful note, reflecting on everything she had imparted to her audience through the event and her writing. For both the children and the adults in the audience alike, the event was a profound reminder that through our hope and creativity, each of us have the power to better ourselves and the world around us.

Written by: Natalie Salter — arts@theaggie.org