I Blame My Shelf

The Hillsboro Public Library is so fortunate to have Renée Watson deliver the keynote address for the 2023 Hillsboro Reads Local Authors Celebration. Renée Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, educator, and community activist. Her books have sold over one million copies. Her young adult novel, Piecing Me Together (Bloomsbury, 2017) received a Coretta Scott King Award and Newbery Honor. Her children's picture books and novels for teens have received several awards and international recognition. She has given readings and lectures at many renown places including the United Nations, the Library of Congress, and the U.S. Embassy in Japan and New Zealand. Her poetry and fiction centers around the experiences of Black girls and women, and explores themes of home, identity, and the intersections of race, class, and gender. This event is brought to you as part of Hillsboro Reads, our annual event alternating between local author celebrations and community-wide reading programs. The purpose of the Hillsbo