Sometimes real life provides stories just as rich as anything you could imagine. Just take this trio of books, which highlight real people who did extraordinary things. From a forest-planting Poet Laureate to the first Thai American woman elected to Congress to historical figures from African American history, this session brings to life extraordinary people for young readers to learn from—and be inspired by.

Moderator: Bethany Hegedus, author and founder and creative director of The Writing Barn and The Courage to CreateCarrie Fountain, Christina Soontornvat, Carole Boston Weatherford, The Poem Forest: Poet W. S. Merwin and the Palm Tree Forest He Grew from Scratch, The Tryout, Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual, A Life of Service: The Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth