On April 17, BU Wheelock hosted its fourth annual Wheelock Reads event, welcoming Malinda Lo, author of the young adult novel A Line in the Dark.

In addition to being a critically acclaimed YA novelist, Lo is also a researcher who studies diversity in young adult literature publishing. She is the co-founder of the website Diversity in YA, which celebrates YA books about all kinds of diversity, from race to sexual orientation to gender identity and disability. 

Following a presentation addressing the importance of complex and compelling stories for teen readers, Lo fielded questions about A Line in the Dark, a psychological thriller.

“Malinda Lo provided us a terrific mix of research and personal experiences to give us a truly insider look at what the field of Young Adult literature looks like when we focus on LGBTQIA characters,” says Laura Jiménez, chair of BU Wheelock’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion committee.

Jiménez also expressed her hope for the Wheelock Reads series to continue as an annual community engagement. “We have a rich and varied cohort of children’s literature authors in the Boston area that helps make the connection between education and literature alive and present,” she says.