With Giaconda Belli, Peter Lerangis, and Rebecca Stead; moderated by Jenny Brown.

Must the writer get inside the head of the child in order to find an authentic voice for a young character? Or does the authentic voice come from someplace else? Three distinguished writers share ideas about how their lives shape their books. With Nicaraguan novelist and poet Gioconda Belli, author of the children’s book The Butterfly Workshop; Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medalist and author of the New York Times bestseller When You Reach Me; and Peter Lerangis, author of 160 books for children and young adults, including two in the New York Times–bestselling series The 39 Clues. Moderated by Lisa Von Drasek, Children’s Librarian at the Bank Street College of Educations, blogger for EarlyWord.com, and contributor to the Barnes and Noble Review.