Matt de la Peña is the Newbery Medal-winning author of seven Young Adult novels and five picture books. We talked with him about writing small stories and what it means to write a book that is, as he calls it, “Diversity 2.0.”You can read a <a href='https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts'>transcript</a> of this episode on our website.<ul><li>Check out our <a href='https://discover.bklynlibrary.org/?booklist=740781'>booklist</a> with books by Matt de la Peña and more!</li><li>Learn more about <a href='https://mattdelapena.com/'>de la Peña</a> on his website, and see more illustrations by <a href='https://www.theartoffun.com/'>Christian Robinson.</a></li><li>Protect the freedom to read by getting involved with <a href='https://booksunbanned.com/'>Books Unbanned</a>.</li></ul>

Matt de la Peña is the Newbery Medal-winning author of seven Young Adult novels and five picture books. We talked with him about writing small stories and what it means to write a book that is, as he calls it, “Diversity 2.0.” You can read a transcript of this episode on our website.Check out our booklist with books by Matt de la Peña and more!Learn more about de la Peña on his website, and see more illustrations by Christian Robinson.Protect the freedom to read by getting involved with Books Unbanned.

Matt de la Peña is the Newbery Medal-winning author of seven Young Adult novels and five picture books. We talked with him about writing small stories and what it means to write a book that is, as he calls it, “Diversity 2.0.”You can read a <a href="https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer">transcript</a> of this episode on our website.<ul><li>Check out our <a href="https://discover.bklynlibrary.org/?booklist=740781" rel="noopener noreferrer">booklist</a> with books by Matt de la Peña and more!</li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://mattdelapena.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">de la Peña</a> on his website, and see more illustrations by <a href="https://www.theartoffun.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christian Robinson.</a></li><li>Protect the freedom to read by getting involved with <a href="https://booksunbanned.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Books Unbanned</a>.</li></ul>

Matt de la Peña on Small Stories and the Power of Perspective

Brooklyn Public Library is full of stories. Borrowed brings the best of them to you. Current podcast series: Launching July 8, 2025, Borrowed &amp; Returned is a new podcast series that examines what our reading public borrowed in the past, and what we’re all reading now. In conversations with library workers, authors and readers across the country, we’ll return to the books that changed us, and changed America, too.&nbsp; Previous podcast series:&nbsp;Borrowed and Banned is our limited series about America's ideological war with its bookshelves. From September to December 2023, we released ten episodes featuring the stories of students on the frontlines, librarians and teachers whose livelihoods are endangered when they speak up, and writers whose books have become political battleground. &nbsp; Borrowed, BPL's flagship podcast, is a narrative series about superhero librarians, neighborhood stories and what it means to be a free, democratic place in today’s changing world. We tell stories about libraries during natural disasters, the challenges of homelessness, and NYC’s fraught relationship with trash. For transcripts, pictures, book lists, and resources, please visit our web page: bklynlib.org/podcasts&nbsp;

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Brooklyn Public Library is full of stories. Borrowed brings the best of them to you. Current podcast series: Launching July 8, 2025, Borrowed & Returned is a new podcast series that examines what our reading public borrowed in the past, and what we’re all reading now. In conversations with library workers, authors and readers across the country, we’ll return to the books that changed us, and changed America, too.  Previous podcast series:   Borrowed and Banned is our limited series about America's ideological war with its bookshelves. From September to December 2023, we released ten episodes featuring the stories of students on the frontlines, librarians and teachers whose livelihoods are endangered when they speak up, and writers whose books have become political battleground.   Borrowed, BPL's flagship podcast, is a narrative series about superhero librarians, neighborhood stories and what it means to be a free, democratic place in today’s changing world. We tell stories about libraries during natural disasters, the challenges of homelessness, and NYC’s fraught relationship with trash. For transcripts, pictures, book lists, and resources, please visit our web page: bklynlib.org/podcasts 

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Matt de la Peña on Small Stories and the Power of Perspective

Matt de la Peña on Small Stories and the Power of Perspective

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