Magoon spoke with best-selling author Ibi Zoboi about the book that’s closest to her heart, forming her identity while reckoning with history, and being a writer ahead of her time.

In this clip from their conversation, 2020 Margaret A. Edwards Award winner Kekla Magoon talks to Ibi Zoboi (American Street) about her childhood, her experience getting her MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and diversity in children’s literature.

Whether kids want to vicariously experience summer camp shenanigans, learn about the ultimate lemonade stand rivalry, or get a head start on Halloween with vampires and werewolves, there's something in these middle grade graphic novels for everyone.

Twelve adventure and survival fiction titles to keep summer reading fresh and exciting.

The survey showed school librarians using creative approaches to deliver superior library services, leading on tech innovation, collaborating with colleagues, and strengthening relationships with students.

When it comes to a schedule for school from home, how does it compare to the traditional schedule and curriculum? It's a mix, according to School Library Journal's survey of  K-12 librarians, fielded from April 2 to April 12.

When it comes to getting materials returned to the library, most librarians don't appear all that concerned, found School Library Journal's survey. In fact, 48 percent haven't made a plan for that.

 

In an unprecedented year, managing the pandemic dominated attention. SLJ covered the gamut, from publisher policies adjusted to accommodate remote learning, to tips on running a virtual book club for middle schoolers. Despite all, fostering literacy and celebrating great books persisted as key topics of interest for our readers.

One in four kids tuned in to a podcast in 2020, drawn to stories and discussions about the coronavirus, money, activism, racial justice, and other topics.

The discussions in the spring set of free, one-hour professional development programs will tackle serving striving readers, information inequity, and news literacy.

 

On the Diverse Books Survey page, users can access related content, newly updated, as well as our Diverse Books Survey report.

While in the minority, the SLJ Diverse Books Survey reveals some librarians are declining to purchase books with diverse characters to avoid a challenge.

Many schools and libraries host fiction-focused book clubs, but it’s important to keep young info-lovers in mind, too. If a nonfiction book club seems like a good fit for the children at your school, why not give it a try. Here are some tips for getting started.

Educators are using audiobooks in new ways to teach material and help students build literacy skills. Plus: 15 classroom-ready podcasts.

Many tweens and young teens will see themselves in these middle grade and YA selections.

This season offers a variety of topics for budding scientists and their teachers. Whether it covers rocks and minerals, food webs, or the science and inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, each book is designed to be as attractive as possible to readers.

This year, members of the committee are pleased to recognize 25 outstanding books of poetry and 13 novels in verse as 2021 Notables.

Twelve adventure and survival fiction titles to keep summer reading fresh and exciting.

May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and these titles, which include YA and middle grade fiction, picture books, and nonfiction, are perfect to recommend to readers both this month and year-round.

Some educators abandon teaching the Bard's work, while others update and enhance Shakespeare curricula.

From a choose-your-own-path Romeo and Juliet to a Macbeth retelling that channels #MeToo, there's something here for all teen readers and fans of the Bard. 

Saturday morning cartoons may be a thing of the past, but the genre is living on in graphic novels. These 10 novels and series bring back that Saturday morning feeling with mad scientists, talking animals, and zany superheroes. 

From Charlie Parker and Nellie Bly to Mae Jemison and Ada Lovelace, remarkable individuals get the graphic treatment in these titles recommended for grades 3 and up.

Isekai manga are some of the wildest fantasy stories on bookshelves right now. What are they? And which titles are must-haves for your collection?

Popular in the early 2000s, this manga category for teen and tween girls is seeing renewed interest and a bevy of new titles with twists on standard tropes.

Guest writer Martha Cornog offers a varied list of graphic novels with Black protagonists

The post Graphic Novels with Black Protagonists appeared first on Good Comics for Kids.

Highly recommended graphic novels for young readers, tweens, and teens to enjoy all summer long. 

The term graphic medicine was coined by Dr. Ian Williams—comics artist, physician, and editor of graphicmedicine.org—to “denote the role that comics can play in the study and delivery of healthcare.”

The post Graphic Medicine for Kids & Teens appeared first on Good Comics for Kids.

In the summer of 2020, a time of tragedy and activism throughout the country, Black teens were still falling in love and discovering their relationships to the world...and Renée Watson was working on a book about radical self-love and a Black girl saving herself. Here she writes about finding joy amid pain and how love can be a personal revolution.

Curricular bazaar Teachers Pay Teachers has never been more popular. But questions about quality, cultural insensitivity, and plagiarism beg expert guidance. Consider your librarian.  

The author of The Project discusses false assumptions about cult members, the truths of surviving trauma, and how this “crossover” book really is YA.

Parrish Turner, a transgender sensitivity reader, is tired of the tropes surrounding animal stories, particularly those involving the wish to be a different animal. For Parrish, the longing to be a more authentic version of oneself is all too human.

Our most viewed stories reflect a significant, collective journey. 

“Honestly, I think learning loss is the least of our worries. It’s essential to give them space to talk about how they are feeling. If things are falling apart, we have to take care of them rather than push on with a lesson.” —”In This Together: School Librarians Help Address Learning Loss, Upheaval,” SLJ It’s […]

The post You’re Not Alone in Feeling Alone appeared first on Good Comics for Kids.

Miles McKenna, actor and author of Out!: How To Be Your Authentic Self (Abrams/Amulet; Gr 8 Up) reflects on his childhood love of reading and J.K. Rowling's recent anti-transgender social media posts.

Pinguicha urges readers to question history, ask who wrote the stories, and present and amplify the narratives that have been ignored, hidden, and distorted.

The post Questioning Your History Lessons, a guest post by Diana Pinguicha appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.