Shelley M. Diaz

With large publishers falling short, independent publishers have emerged to produce children's books with Latinx characters and by Latinx creators in both English and Spanish. 

Chavarri has illustrated works ranging from a Little Golden Book Biography on Taylor Swift to two 2023 starred picture books with Latinx themes.

Our almost 500 reviewers initiate the first step in determining each month's stars. Backed by their professional experience, they nominate the books they believe will make a long-lasting imprint on readers' hearts.

SLJ asked librarians and educators to weigh in on which classics should remain on summer reading lists. Inspired by the most popular titles that emerged, SLJ editors and members of NCTE’s Build Your Stack® Committee have curated this year’s round of “Refreshing the Canon” suggestions.

Stellar research, unexplored histories, scientific breakthroughs, and heartbreaking truths loom large in this whopping list of 52 choice nonfiction works.

Striking images, stunning narratives, rich colors, and complex panel designs are prime examples of why these 22 works of sequential art belong in the classrooms and on library shelves.