Today, bestselling author Kate DiCamillo will be inaugurated as the fourth national ambassador for young people’s literature during a ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

The position was created by the Children’s Book Council (CBC) in 2008 to promote reading among kids in the face of competition from movies, video games, and television. The New York City-based nonprofit CBC provides the ambassador with $15,000 to perform his or her duties during a two-year term.

DiCamillo is the author of five young-adult novels, including The Tale of Despereaux” target=“_blank”>The Tale of Despereaux, and two children’s series. She succeeds Walter Dean Myers, whose term as ambassador ended in December.

A native of Philadelphia, DiCamillo earned an English degree from the University of Florida and now resides in Minneapolis.