It’s early 2026 and the world is an especially scary place. Maybe it always has been but our cameras and screens give us a front row seat that feels more immediate. Whatever the case, there is an almost tangible desperation to retain our intellectual freedom like never before. But what about our kids? Isn’t that where it starts? Our February Controversy @ Noon panel will explore the fundamental role those who write for children play in the great ether of what we allow – or don’t allow – our kids to read, write, and study, and how exposure and accessibility to the ideas and perspectives of a diverse array of authors can shape forthcoming generations. We have to ask ourselves: Are children’s writers the ultimate freedom fighters? Register here.