Middle grade may not have been in my initial career plans as an author, but now I can’t imagine writing without it.
When we write, research, and even read about things that truly excite us, the job is suddenly fun. In fact, it’s no longer a job. It is a joy.
Charlotte was my student in a university fiction course during the pandemic. A couple years later, I was delighted to find out that my publisher had chosen Charlotte to illustrate my cover!
Nukozuke!, vol. 1Story and art by Yugi IroOne Peace Books, published 9/24/2024Rating: All Ages For those who are pet owners, we tend to see our pets as part of our family. I relate to this as a cat mom of two, and grandmeow of three (yes, I have five cats. I’m a proud childless cat […]
Today Renee reviews the new shojo manga Tales of the Tendo family and interviews editor Eric Margolis about the story.
Today, Renee Scott interviews Frederick L. Jones, who is spearheading the Saturday AM line of diverse manga.
Cleopatra in Space creator Mike Maihack chats about his latest original Spider-Man graphic novel for young readers, Spider-Man: Quantum Quest, the middle installment of what will be a trilogy of Spidey adventures.
Today we’re talking to David Ezra Stein, the author of I’m My Own Dog, Interrupting Chicken, and numerous other picture books as well as the delightful graphic novel Beaky Barnes: Egg on the Loose and now, Beaky Barnes and the Devious Duck (check out our preview!). Beaky Barnes and the Devious Duck will be published […]
Your shelved stories won’t be lost to the dust. Rework bits of it into your new manuscript. Borrow entire chunks and passages freely (after all, it’s your own writing).
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl team of Ryan North and Erica Henderson have reteamed for a new adventure in which a girl and her talking dog must try to save their post-apocalyptic world.
We speak with Girl Taking Over's Sarah Kuhn and Arielle Jovellanos about their new version of Lois Lane, an Asian American teenager just coming into her own as a journalist.
Billy Batson and his new foster brother Freddy are still exploring the limits of Billy's new magical powers when Billy comes to the attention of the Fawcett Tigers football coach. Can Billy learn to be a team player, and can he do it before the souped-up rivals The Atoms put him out of commission? We spoke to cartoonist Yehudi Mercado about his new graphic novel.
The author shares how a school visit gave her a new character name and a new connection with one young reader.
Author, illustrator and cartoonist Dan Santat talks to us about A First Time For Everything, his new memoir about an eventful trip to Europe he took the summer between junior high and high school.
Evan Minto and Abbas Jaffery talk about their digital manga service, Azuki.
Kami Garcia talks about Teen Titans: Robin, which is out today, and the rest of her Teen Titans original graphic novels.
Picture book author David Ezra Stein makes his graphic novel debut with Beaky Barnes: Egg On The Loose, a silly, madcap adventure in which everyone in town seems to be chasing the same chicken.
Haley Newsome talks about Unfamiliar, her charming webcomic about little witches that is now a print comic.
Life would be so much easier if it came with a map that contained all the right answers. But as Ocean and I have learned, mapmaking is sort of the point.
Don't just read or hire the splashy debuts--seek out the seasoned authors! Trust me, it'll be worth it!
Don't just read or hire the splashy debuts--seek out the seasoned authors! Trust me, it'll be worth it!
Two creators talk shop in today's post, as Sennen creator Shanti Rai interviews Sas Milledge about her graphic novel Mamo.
The popular creator of historical non-fiction graphic novels has a brand new graphic novel in the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series, called Let's Make History. After 11 books that have focused on many important chapters in American history, this new title is a create-your-own-historical-comics guide that is jam packed with 71 challenges to help inspire creativity, with familiar Hazardous Tales characters like the Hangman along for the ride.
Writer Danica Davidson talks about her new book, Chalk Art Manga and how she collaborated with Japanese artist Rena Saiya to create the colorful illustrations.
Today we have a first look at one of the public-domain Dr. Seuss books that will be published in a new edition later this year.
With her recently published graphic traveloque, Uniquely Japan (2022), Abby Denson is once again sharing her love of Japan with the readers. Her books are chock full of fun facts about Japan, and her latest book is no exception. Each chapter highlights interesting travel facts about Japan including the seasons, arts and crafts, fun and games, fashions, various food dishes of Japan, high tech around Japan, and so much more. The facts are mixed with her own drawings as well as photographs from her travels.
A lesson plan for Sophie Blackall's award-winning picture book.
The author and teacher talks about her debut novel, a sensitive yet honest look at a girl grappling with colorism, internalized self-hatred, and parents she can't always count on.
The author's new graphic novel, about a black student enrolling in a predominantly white private school, tells powerful truths about racism and alienation with humor and heart.
Find all of SLJ's 2019 YMA stories, interviews, and reviews in one place.
Elizabeth Acevedo, whose debut novel won over the publishing world, critics, and award committees in 2018, continued her streak as The Poet X nabbed the Michael L. Printz Award and the Pura Belpré Author Award at the 2019 Youth Media Awards ceremony on Monday.
The picture book about "everything in life" follows her 2016 Caldecott-winning Finding Winnie.
The Youth Media Awards provided surprises, a diverse list of winners, and some committee decisions to debate.
The 2019 Newbery Medal-winning author talks about her reaction to the phone call, writing about Latino families at this time in our country's history, and the power of the award.
The Poet X wins the Printz and more, at the 2019 Youth Media Awards, announced today at the American Library Association's Midwinter meeting in Seattle.
In Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan's stunning new book, the authors introduce readers to two budding activists who challenge the status quo at their school.
The author of The Music of What Happens had an annual award named after him after he spoke out against a bigoted panelist at the NCTE conference in November and talked about the incident emotionally a couple of days later. He is quick to admit, however, that he doesn't have all the answers when it comes to the right way to combat hatred and bigotry.
The debut YA author talks about her path to publication, the “soupiness” of her characters, and what she’s working on next.
The acclaimed author, oral historian, and photographer talks about the undocumented teens who shared their stories and her book's uneven road to publication.
The author has brought back the beloved Jewish family from New York's Lower East Side for a Hanukkah book for a new generation.
Acevedo received the award for her debut novel The Poet X, written in verse.
How much do authors’ reputations drive book challenges?
Check out the recording of Acevedo’s 2018 SLJTeen Live! keynote, in which she talks about her path to publication, the importance of literacy and seeing yourself books, and more.
Recent titles address various privileges among young people. Ultimately, a lot of folks realize it doesn’t feel good to cause harm.
Authors Renée Watson, Ibi Zoboi, and Ellen Hagan joined Cicely Lewis to discuss Woke Books and their own novels.
Author Adam Gidwitz discusses the evolution of himself as a writer and of his "Unicorn Rescue Society" series.
There was a lot to take in on the first day at SLJ's Leadership Summit, which was full of moving speakers, inspiring panels, and breakout sessions with ideas for attendees to take back to school and implement.
The actor and activist inspired a room of educators with an opening keynote address at the SLJ Leadership Summit.
Smith, who famously raised a black-gloved fist in protest on the medal podium in 1968, has teamed up with award-winning Crown author Derrick Barnes for a graphic memoir.
Judy Blume, Laurie Halse Anderson, and LeVar Burton are among candidates to be 2019 ALMA laureate.
The shortlist for the 2018 National Book Awards for Young People's Literature has been announced! Here are our reviews.
Award-winning author teams up with Follett to curate titles and get "All Books to All Kids."
The author/illustrator of the “Lunch Lady” and “Jedi Academy” series opens up about his graphic novel memoir.
Recently published graphic memoirs illustrate that the genre is pushing the format to new heights.
Magic, mythology, astronomy, and J.K. Rowling's beloved universe come together in an exhibit now on display in the United States.
Read a chapter from Jeff Kinney's latest in this exclusive look at Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown.
The author of Another Kind of Hurricane created a service project for students to aid others by sending clothes and handwritten messages of kindness.
Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Matilda's publication with a statue and more.
Just hours before the 13th annual Carle Honors gala, SLJ reviews managing editor Luann Toth talked to the 2018 Carle Honors recipients at the legendary Algonquin Hotel in New York City on September 27 on Facebook Live
Industry news, an inaugural award from CBC Diversity, and looking ahead to Midwinter in this edition of NewsBites.
Authors Ellen Oh and Grace Lin discuss their objection to casting an Asian woman as Nagini in the new Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald.
The former “Someday My Printz Will Come” bloggers Sarah Couri and Karyn Silverman present a look at the history of the Printz award and offer their first round of possible contenders.
Ranging in subject matter from folklore-style offerings to tales that touch upon more serious issues, these titles have been chosen for their ability to evoke a specific setting or culture while revealing universal themes.
From advertising to book-making to producing animated digital shorts: Is there anything this Latinx author-illustrator can’t do?
Can YA fantasy speak truth to power? Author Sayantani DasGupta addresses that question and more with Elana K. Arnold, Betsy Cornwell, Kiersten White, Anna-Marie McLemore, and Mimi Yu.
The second-generation Cuban American author talks to SLJ about her sophomore YA novel, path to publication, and advice to aspiring teen writers.
This cadre is made up of Latinx women and non-binary creators with debut and sophomore fictional books for children and teens releasing between Fall 2018–2019.
For these authors, visits to school libraries are all about the interaction with students.
In a series of vignettes depicting the experiences of Syrians before and after they choose to flee that country, and information on the refusal of many countries to accept these victims of violence, Brown has created a heartbreaking global and personal story.
Featuring young protagonists and realistic scenarios, these inviting picture books demonstrate how kids can make choices that positively affect their classroom community and beyond.
Marsh, author of the newly released Nowhere Boy, describes her experiences as an immigrant abroad and how children's literature can break down the proverbial walls
The YA author talks about the inspiration for her latest and what she hopes readers will take from her haunting story.
Courtney Summers discusses how her latest YA subverts the “woman in danger” trope and more.
Chessy Prout, sexual assault survivor and advocate, discusses her debut and the #IHaveTheRightTo movement with journalist and coauthor Jenn Abelson.
Ngozi Ukazu's Check Please is a sensitive, incredibly funny sports story.
SLJ reviews the blockbuster Netflix adaptation of Jenny Han's YA series opener—epistolary style.
YA authors Emily X.R. Pan and Nova Ren Suma kick-start a crowdfunding campaign for online short story anthology.
After her successful #KidsNeedBooks campaign, author Ann Braden and partners are piloting #KidsNeedMentors to facilitate ongoing author/educator/child relationships.
The NYT bestselling author, former school librarian, and SLJTeen Live! keynoter chats about beauty and power and gives advice to her teenage self.
In anticipation of the free August 15 event, here’s our interview with opening keynote speaker Elizabeth Acevedo.
We check in with Sabaa Tahir, author of the “Ember Quartet” and keynote speaker at our August 15 event on all things teen.
A South Carolina police union denounces local high school's summer reading list for featuring the acclaimed and best-selling books by Angie Thomas, Brendan Kiely, and Jason Reynolds, because of their "anti-police" message.
PreS-Gr 2 –A young boy skateboards across the Brooklyn Bridge to the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan.
Inspired by Jacqueline Woodson's "Brown Girl Dreaming," three middle schoolers and their classmates created a project to impact the lives of younger students and literacy rates in Cleveland.
Gr 4-7 –Poets Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth join Alexander in honoring writers, from Rumi and Basho to Terrance Hayes.
Erin Entrada Kelly creates illustration as part of the Raising Our Voices Today advocacy effort.
Scientist Marie Miranda Cruz makes her debut as a middle grade novelist with Everlasting Nora.
Gr 9 Up –Twenty-one YA authors—including such well-known figures as Ellen Hopkins, Maurene Goo, and Printz award-winner Nina LaCour, as well as two unpublished authors selected from a call for submissions—reflect on their early lives and what it means to be a woman in the United States.
Gr 4-7 –Summertime in small-town Indiana only heightens 10-year-old Caleb’s frustrations with feeling ordinary.
On Saturday, June 23, at Pigeon & Prince in New Orleans, Random House Children's Books hosted a breakfast in celebration of the forthcoming anthology We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices.
Gr 3-6 –The Knights of the Round Table share a secret: they spend most of their time fighting with each other for the fun of it because the kingdom has too few dragons to battle.
The creators of A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns, a hip, matter-of-fact primer, talk about the emotional impact of being misgendered and more.
Trailers for The Hate U Give and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before have recently debuted. Check them out here.
The renamed award has been recast to honor authors of “books that demonstrate integrity and respect for all children's lives and experiences."
Gr 9 Up –This collaboration with We Need Diverse Books features 13 standalone stories from award-winning and best-selling authors including Melissa de la Cruz, Sara Farizan, Eric Gansworth, Malinda Lo, Daniel José Older, Jason Reynolds, Aminah Mae Safi, Gene Luen Yang, and Nicola Yoon.
Members of the Kid Lit community put out a call to action to colleagues and readers. ALA president Jim Neal adds his voice to the outcry.
A playful bug book from Eric Carle; two friends liven up a rainy day indoors with a hearty dose of make-believe; a dinosaur loves wordplay and helps build young readers' vocabulary; and adorably unconventional animals with Jess Keating in this month's Popular Picks!
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