BOOKS & MEDIA

17 Authors, 18 Books: The Ambitious Kid Lit Collaboration That Created 'Mrs. Z's Class'

Author Kate Messner describes the process of getting 17 authors together for the ultimate creative collaboration in the new series, "The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class." There is also a complementary teaching and discussion guide with a character writing workshop so students can follow the same process the authors did.

BLOGS

TEEN LIBRARIAN TOOLBOX

Book Review: The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class books 1 and 2

TEEN LIBRARIAN TOOLBOX

Mazel Tov! Some New & Upcoming Bar/Bat/Bnei Mitzvah Middle Grade Books, a guest post by Joshua S. Levy

100 SCOPE NOTES

Notes on April 2024

A FUSE #8 PRODUCTION

Lifetime Achievement Awards and Upcoming Books: A Talk with Christopher Paul Curtis

BLOGS

Navigating the High School and Academic Library Policy Landscape Around Dual Enrollment Students

BOOKS & REVIEWS

Celebrate Mom With These 9 Board Books and Picture Books

14 Genre-Blending Graphic Novels for Middle Graders

31 YA Novels for Every Day of AAPI Heritage Month and Beyond

More Books & Reviews

BOOKS & REVIEWS

Celebrate Mom With These 9 Board Books and Picture Books

14 Genre-Blending Graphic Novels for Middle Graders

31 YA Novels for Every Day of AAPI Heritage Month and Beyond

SPONSORED

SPONSORED

Summer Reading: Big Adventures for Little Readers

SPONSORED

Struggling and Reluctant Readers: Come for the Pictures, Stay for the Story

SPONSORED

New by Caldecott Medalists: The Art of a Picture Book

SPONSORED

Summer Reading: Big Adventures for Little Readers

SPONSORED

Struggling and Reluctant Readers: Come for the Pictures, Stay for the Story

SPONSORED

New by Caldecott Medalists: The Art of a Picture Book

EXPLORE SLJ

CENSORSHIP

Defending the Canon: SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics

SLJ Reviewers and NCTE, Apr 17, 2024

In our last round of reviews of banned classics, SLJ and NCTE cover two of Jane Austen's works, the timely Fahrenheit 451, and the heartbreaking I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.

SERIES MADE SIMPLE

Series Made Simple Spring 2024

Apr 26, 2024

The Spring 2024 issue of Series Made Simple includes titles on a wide range of topics that will encourage readers to ask questions and explore their world.

PROGRAMS & PROGRAMMING

Reasons to Love Libraries

Mar 08, 2024

Got a reason to love libraries? Download your choice of “Reasons to Love Libraries” social assets to tell your own library story.

BLOGS

Lifetime Achievement Awards and Upcoming Books: A Talk with Christopher Paul Curtis

Betsy Bird, Apr 30, 2024

Have you missed hearing the voice of the ineffable Christopher Paul Curtis recently? Then read his incredible essay-response to my interview questions and bask in his words once more.

More Editors' Picks

INDUSTRY NEWS

Spend It if You Can | SLJ 2024 Budget Survey

Marlaina Cockcroft, Apr 04, 2024

With budgets mostly flat, book challenges and rising costs pose hurdles for school librarians.

INDUSTRY NEWS

BIPOC Representation in Children's Literatures Continues Its Slow Rise, According to CCBC's Diversity Statistics

SLJ Staff, Apr 04, 2024

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center released its latest Diversity Statistics report on children's literature, showing another year of small increases in books with BIPOC primary characters and significant BIPOC content.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Sora Report: Digital Reading Increases with Double-Digit Growth in Comics and Graphic Novels

SLJ Staff, Apr 03, 2024

The State of K-12 Digital Reading breaks down the data for the 2022-23 school year, showing the popularity of comics and graphic novels in the digital format plus regional differences in reading habits.

INDUSTRY NEWS

From a Young Age, Children Tune in to Audiobooks | Survey

Marlaina Cockcroft, Jan 04, 2024

Children are eager listeners—of audiobooks, according to a new Library Journal / School Library Journal survey. Libraries are keeping up with the demand as formats evolve.

CENSORSHIP

Nearly a Quarter of School Librarians Have Experienced Harassment Over Books | SLJ Censorship Survey

Kathy Ishizuka, Sep 30, 2023

Twenty-four percent of school librarians have been harassed this past year over books or displays in their library. That’s according to a recent SLJ survey, which found the rate even higher among high school librarians, 30 percent of whom have experienced harassment.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Graphic Novels, Manga Explode in Popularity Among Students | SLJ Survey

Marlaina Cockcroft, Oct 03, 2023

If graphic novels are flying off the shelves at your library, that reflects a remarkable trend: The format’s popularity has shot up at over 90 percent of school libraries in the last few years, according to a new SLJ survey.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SLJ, NCTE Launch Survey to Remake Summer Reading Lists

SLJ staff, Jan 19, 2022

Those dreaded summer reading lists. For eons, teachers have been handing out assigned reading, mostly comprised of old “classics.” With this survey, SLJ and NCTE invite teachers and librarians to choose the titles you’d like culled from required reading and those books you would urge students to read instead.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Time to Refresh the Canon: Here Are Our Picks

Shelley Diaz, May 10, 2022

SLJ and NCTE collaborated to create 18 booklists of titles to replace, or use as a companion to, canon "classics."

INDUSTRY NEWS

Under Pressure: Survey Provides Insight into Librarians' Job Satisfaction

Marlaina Cockcroft, Feb 21, 2023

More librarians find their work challenging, but most still love what they do, the latest LJ/SLJ Survey shows.

CENSORSHIP

Censorship Attempts Will Have a Long-lasting Impact on School Library Collections, SLJ Survey Shows

Kara Yorio, Sep 08, 2022

In the past year, school librarians have faced coordinated, hate-filled censorship campaigns that impact available books and collection development decisions. Here, they share their stories.

More Research

CLASSROOM & CURRICULA

A Climate Change Reading List to Inspire Action, Not Dread

Tiffany Coulson, Mar 20, 2024

These books help support positive discussions with students about the climate crisis.

BEST OF

Best Books 2023

Nov 20, 2023

School Library Journal has selected 169 titles as the Best Books of 2023. See what poetry, transitional, picture books, YA, middle grade, graphic novels, and nonfiction books we’ve honored this year.

BOOKLISTS

10 Recommended Feminist Books for Young Readers

2024 Rise Feminist Book Project Committee, Feb 27, 2024

Illustrated titles about strong women and self-empowerment for girls from the 2024 Rise Booklist.

COLLECTIONS

Refreshing the Canon Booklist

May 21, 2021

BOOKS & MEDIA

How to Choose High-Quality Women’s History Titles

Chelsey Philpot, Feb 27, 2024

As Women's History Month kicks off, use these tips to find the best books for your students.

AWARDS

USBBY Announces the 2024 Outstanding International Books List

The Outstanding International Books Committee, with introduction by Committee Chair Sara Kersten-Parrish, Jan 29, 2024

In each of the 41 titles on this year’s United States Board on Books for Young People’s (USBBY) Outstanding International Books list, the authors and illustrators empower readers to make sense of themselves and the world at large. Download the full list.

NEWS & FEATURES

12 Books to Celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility

SLJ Staff, Mar 22, 2024

From elementary books to young adult titles—across various genres and formats—these 12 recent releases elevate voices and showcase the multifaceted experiences within the trans and nonbinary community.

BOOKLISTS

12 Ideal Picture Books for Children with Autism

Sandra Nickel, Mar 22, 2024

Characters in these books, including a few classics, are comfortable being different from others and engage with their world in nontraditional ways.

CLASSROOM & CURRICULA

21 Fun Picture Books to Delight Young Readers | We Are Kid Lit Collective

Sam Bloom, Edith Campbell, Sujei Lugo Vázquez, and Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Jun 20, 2023

From traditional Indigenous stories to the truth behind the Mexican jumping bean, these picture books, selected by the We Are Kid Lit Collective, offer entertaining and memorable reading experiences for kids over the summer break.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Winning Manga for Grades 1-8

Brigid Alverson, Mar 05, 2024

Nine popular series for elementary and middle grade readers.

BOOKLISTS

14 Genre-Blending Graphic Novels for Middle Graders

Rosemary Kiladitisis, Apr 23, 2024

Genre-blending books offer readers the opportunity to comfortably expand across boundaries and try something different while still in the safety of their preferred reading choice. Here are 14 middle grade graphic novels that blend genres to perfection.

CENSORSHIP

Unite Against Book Bans Launches Book Résumé Resource

SLJ Staff, Feb 20, 2024

In partnership with coalition members, including School Library Journal and dozens of publishers, Unite Against Book Bans today launched a free book résumé resource to help counter censorship attempts.

AWARDS

USBBY Announces the 2024 Outstanding International Books List

The Outstanding International Books Committee, with introduction by Committee Chair Sara Kersten-Parrish, Jan 29, 2024

AWARDS

'When You Can Swim,' 'Warrior Girl Unearthed' and 'Sunshine' Win 2023 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards

SLJ Staff, Jun 21, 2023

The titles by Jack Wong, Angeline Boulley, and Jarrett J. Krosoczka earned the annual award in the picture book, fiction and poetry, and nonfiction categories, respectively.

BOOKLISTS

30 Picture Books to Celebrate the Diversity of Latinx Heritage

SLJ Reviews, Sep 14, 2023

Read one book a day for Latinx Heritage Month, from September 15 to October 15, and every month after that. From migration and history to food and family, these works capture the many complexities and joys of the Latinx culture.

BOOKS & MEDIA

8 Titles of Resilience and Hope for Holocaust Remembrance Day

SLJ Reviews, Jan 23, 2024

January 27 is designated as a day to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. Share these stories of resilience and hope about people of various ages, races, nationalities, and more with young readers today and throughout the year.

BOOKLISTS

3 Nostalgic Middle Grade Reads | SLJ Spotlight

SLJ Reviews, Mar 13, 2024

These three titles hark back to beloved tween reads of years past.

TEENS

2 Coming-of-Age YA Novels-in-Verse | SLJ Spotlight

SLJ Reviews, Apr 10, 2024

These YA novels pair a lyrical verse format with engaging narratives of teen girls coming of age.

More Classroom & Curricula

BOOKS & MEDIA

Graphic Novels, Manga Explode in Popularity Among Students | SLJ Survey

Marlaina Cockcroft, Oct 03, 2023

INDUSTRY NEWS

Winning Manga for Grades 1-8

Brigid Alverson, Mar 05, 2024

Nine popular series for elementary and middle grade readers.

INDUSTRY NEWS

There’s Not Enough Middle Grade Manga. U.S. Publishers Are Changing That.

Brigid Alverson, Mar 05, 2024

U.S. publishers step up to provide age-appropriate new releases for 8- to 12-year-olds.

BOOKLISTS

Graphic Novels Bring Principles of Government and Politics to Life

Brigid Alverson, Jan 31, 2024

Eight books for elementary through high school readers center issues of democracy with engaging examples and stories.

BOOKLISTS

Best Graphic Novels 2023 | SLJ Best Books

Jasmine Amiri, Jenny Arch, Shelley M. Diaz, Andrea Lipinski, Carla Riemer, Nov 21, 2023

From stunning memoirs to sustainability guides, this year’s Best Graphic Novels list features 25 unforgettable works that take comics to new heights.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Fighting for Libraries, On and Off the Page: A Conversation Between the Co-Authors of the "Blue Stars" Series

Kekla Magoon & Cynthia Leitich Smith, Feb 29, 2024

Co-authors Kekla Magoon & Cynthia Leitich Smith in conversation about the inspiration behind The Blue Stars Series: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem: "When we set out to write a middle grade graphic novel series about cousins who became superheroes to save their school library, we couldn't have imagined how timely our story would become."

BLOGS

Unhappy Camper | This Week’s Comics

Lori Henderson, Apr 29, 2024

Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring Unhappy Camper from Harper Alley and Dr. Seuss Cat Out Of Water from Random House Graphic.

BOOKLISTS

Sports Comics Take the Field

Brigid Alverson, Apr 11, 2024

Teamwork, competition, and the glory of team sports drive these graphic novel stories for elementary through high school readers.

BOOKS & MEDIA

20 Graphic Novels and Comics Inspired by Webtoons

Brigid Alverson, Oct 30, 2023

Witches, orphans, gods, and some ordinary folks populate these compelling stories for grades 5 and up.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Witches Take Center Stage in These Manga for Tweens and Teens

Brigid Alverson, Oct 04, 2023

In these seven manga works for grades five and up, affable characters cast gentle spells.

BLOGS

Recent Graphic Novel Deals, Late October and November 2023 | News

Johanna, Dec 21, 2023

Here's a look at some recently signed graphic novel deals—and what we can expect coming up!

BLOGS

Oshi no Ko, vol. 1-4 | Review

Renee Scott, Dec 20, 2023

An OBGYN and an idol pop star find their lives intertwined in a bizarre way in this hit series.

BOOKS & MEDIA

15 Visual Books to Help Students Grapple with Big Feelings

Jess DeCourcy Hinds, Sep 12, 2023

These picture books and graphic novels for elementary students through high schoolers show the power of illustration to convey complex emotions.

OPINION

Turning a Page: SLJ will turn 70. How can we best serve readers? | From the Editor

Kathy Ishizuka, Oct 15, 2023

The editors are planning for 2024, SLJ's 70th anniversary year.

More Graphic Novels

DIVERSE BOOKS

Jewish Joy and the 'Little Women' of the Lower East Side | Opinion

Kimberly Olson Fakih, Mar 01, 2024

When they were first published, Sydney Taylor’s books not only planted a flag for Jewish identity but also for Jewish joy, and today remind readers that Alcott's March sisters haven't cornered the market on getting by on love and little else. For Women's History Month, we remind readers of Sydney Taylor's origin story.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Announcing a New Project: “Reasons to Love Libraries”

Kathy Ishizuka, Mar 11, 2024

“Reasons to Love Libraries” is a yearlong editorial project and campaign to engage the public in reflecting on libraries to reveal their impact on people and communities.

INDUSTRY NEWS

In the Fight Against Book Bans, Retired Librarians Are Making a Difference | From the Editor

Kathy Ishizuka, Jan 07, 2024

They care deeply and can't be fired. Retired librarians are bringing experience and passion to the cause of intellectual freedom. With advocacy skills training and opportunities to mentor, retirees could become even more powerful assets.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Fighting for Libraries, On and Off the Page: A Conversation Between the Co-Authors of the "Blue Stars" Series

Kekla Magoon & Cynthia Leitich Smith, Feb 29, 2024

ED TECH

What Will It Take to Fix AI's Bias Problem? | Opinion

Jean Darnell, Oct 18, 2023

School librarian Jean Darnell prompted ChatGPT to write a paper on Black history, and the result had glaring omissions. That's just one part of the problem, she says.

CENSORSHIP

Is There a Looming 'Dog-Man' Crisis? | Soapbox

Chris Barton, Jan 04, 2024

Censorship is delaying the delivery of books to school library shelves. Cue the civics lesson.

NEWS & FEATURES

Sammy Savos on Making a Graphic Memoir with Holocaust Survivor, the late Estelle Nadel | Guest Post

Sammy Savos, Jan 26, 2024

In this guest post, artist Sammy Savos details her creative process and discusses her collaboration with Holocaust survivor Estelle Nadel to create the graphic memoir The Girl Who Sang. "I’m very grateful that she was able to see the finished book, hold it in her hands, and tell me how happy she was with it."

INDUSTRY NEWS

There’s Not Enough Middle Grade Manga. U.S. Publishers Are Changing That.

Brigid Alverson, Mar 05, 2024

U.S. publishers step up to provide age-appropriate new releases for 8- to 12-year-olds.

BLOGS

From Smoke to a Force: An Interview with Henry L. Herz About I AM GRAVITY

Betsy Bird, Mar 05, 2024

These days great swaths of books fill our shelves, full of scintillating facts and jaw-dropping images. The book we're talking about today, I Am Gravity? Case in point.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Q&A: Kacen Callender Talks About 'Chosen Ones' and Reflecting Their Identity in 'Infinity Alchemist'

Florence Simmons, Feb 07, 2024

Just ahead of the release of their YA fantasy novel Infinity Alchemist, author Kacen Callender talked with SLJ about the idea of "chosen ones," reflecting their community and identity in their writing, and more.

More Opinion

Subtitle

Headline

ByLine, Jan, 16 2017

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Social Media Marketing and Engagement for Libraries

Oct 10, 2024

School Library Journal Day of Dialog Spring 2024

May 23, 2024

EVENTS

More Events

ONLINE COURSES

Social Media Marketing and Engagement for Libraries

Oct 10, 2024

VIRTUAL EVENTS

School Library Journal Day of Dialog Spring 2024

May 23, 2024

SPECIAL PROJECTS

AWARDS

17 Authors, 18 Books: The Ambitious Kid Lit Collaboration That Created 'Mrs. Z's Class'