2023 Walter Dean Myers Awards: Life Changing Literature and Book Bans.

The article focuses on the eighth annual Walter Awards Ceremony and Symposium held on March 17 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and online, celebrating diverse children's literature. Hosted by author Jacqueline Woodson, the event featured a panel with 2023 Walter honorees discussing life-changing books and responses to rising book bans, emphasizing the importance of diverse stories for empathy and representation. The Walter Awards, named after author Walter Dean Myers, honored works including Angela Joy's *Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement* and Andrea L. Rogers's *Man Made Monsters*, highlighting themes of social justice and identity. Speakers underscored the power of books to support youth in navigating trauma and societal challenges, advocating for continued resistance to censorship through storytelling.