SLJ

A proposal in Nevada would move all LGBTQIA+ books into their own section of public libraries; Florida makes principals responsible for book restrictions; Utah schools removing books ahead of a new law going into effect on July 1; and more.

Our most viewed posts of the week.

From fantasy to horror, these 31 novels featuring AAPI characters are great picks for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May and throughout the year.

Mother's Day is coming up and there is no shortage of new board and picture books to share with young readers leading up to the holiday. Across this selection, the maternal figures featured illustrate the special bond between a mother and child. Enjoy these titles to celebrate moms of all kinds on Mother's Day and throughout the year.

Sydney Smith wins the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration, applications are open for Freedom to Read Foundation grants and a scholarship, Mo Willems offers new, free resources on YouTube, and more in News Bites.
 

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.

Teens signing up for the Books Unbanned program at Brooklyn and Seattle Public Libraries shared their reasons for wanting the library card, while some of their peers discussed the impact of blocked websites, and an expert panel in Pennsylvania discussed the harm caused by restricting access to books.

Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks have joined Penguin Random House and other plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the state of Iowa. 

The report released today examines more than 4,000 book bans in 52 public school districts in 23 states from July to December 2023.