The action heats up in our preview of Wynd: The Power of the Blood #3.
Today's list feature biographies of influential Black men and women through US history.
Slowly but surely a story formed in my mind. It featured a mystery, ghosts, clever tweens, a notorious graveyard . . . and a countdown. A terrifying countdown.
The News Literacy Project offers resources and advice to educators teaching news literacy at a time when the rhetoric around news and contentious issues has been ratcheted up to a new level.
The New York City–based initiative is holding strong, even as book bans in schools surge nationwide and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation expands.
The lawsuit claims the Arkansas librarian lost her job after being targeted by a group wanting book restrictions; Texas county commissioners fire a library director and put a judge in charge; South Carolina board of education removes four more books from all schools; and more in censorship news.
A near perfect toddler/preschooler storytime book, we talk today with Shawn Harris about bees, the waxiness of crayons, and more.
Eighth-graders Marcus and Izzy do so badly at their gym class swing dance that they'll need extra credit to pass. To earn it, they will have to perform at the talent show, while standing up to a bully and learning to be themselves.
Fast Five is an author interview series. The author is sent 10 questions and is asked to answer five of them. If you are an author interested in participating in the Fast Five Author Interview series, please fill out this form. Kalyn Josephson is a fantasy author living in California. She loves books, cats, books […]
Teen librarian Karen Jensen reviews Neal Shusterman's latest YA novel, ALL BETTER NOW
We create the place we live in, but it also creates us, and it’s impossible to tell where one influence starts and the other begins.
Travis talks with Ruth Chan about CABOOSE.
CABOOSE, written by me and illustrated by Ruth Chan, arrives today. I hope you get a chance to read it (and if you work in a school, I think you’ll especially dig it). It’s received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus, who calls it “a chaotic yet hilarious story grounded in real childhood emotions”. You […]
In the latest lawsuit battling censorship, Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks have filed a lawsuit challenging an Idaho law that restricts books in both public and school libraries.
Author Hilary Horder Hippely's title earned the annual award given for outstanding writing in a picture book.
What new series blends magic, action, and heritage alongside a celebration of Ghanaian culture? Meet the latest Scholastic Branches series and the man behind the stories.
Whether to deliver information in an enjoyable format, provide analysis of historical events, or dispense an innovative look at the future, multimedia continues to grow as a meaningful component of curriculum.
Public libraries work with groups from health departments to community-based organizations and provide access to everything from cooking classes to safe walking routes.
These 12 recent YA titles celebrate romantic Black love in many forms, in different periods of history, and in real and fantasy realms. They include humor, queer love, and paranormal/sci-fi encounters, expanding the much-needed diversity within the romance genre.
There were tears and standing ovations as librarians, including Martha Hickson and Amanda Jones, watched their stories of fighting against censorship chronicled in the new film.
Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston and Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson are this year's winners in the younger readers and teen categories, respectively.
Our latest batch of board book reviews are quite the treasure chest for little lap-sitters and other pre-readers! From basic concepts and to understanding emotions, this collection celebrates inclusion and is perfect for sparking conversation and imagination.
Teen librarian Karen Jensen shares a Canva template of a RA tool for Valentine's Day on YA romance tropes
What makes you believe that Black lives matter?
Here's a look at the graphic novels that publishers have been acquiring, and when we can expect to see them.
Most people can’t imagine a world without the worst of human nature because that would be the purview of a different species: a post-miserable humankind.
Submit your favorites before February 7, 2025!
The Library of Congress ambassadorship will celebrate the power of picture books.
From board books with kids and dogs sharing Valentine's wishes to YA novels about Valentine's dances and do-overs, these titles will warm young readers' hearts this holiday season.
In January . . . . . . we took one last look back and then looked ahead. Our 2024 review and 2025 preview episodes of The Yarn Podcast are available now! . . . we took a look at the latest and greatest READ posters. If you’re looking for a library upgrade, new READ […]
Teen librarian Karen Jensen shares the disturbing erasure of government websites
Let’s allow ALL young readers to sample from all the great storytellers who nurture our curiosity, inform our intellect, and help us feel loved. I hope I’m not being too ambitious by trying to do this every day in February!
This thoughtful collection rewards repeat readings, begs to be shared or read aloud, and will resonate with a wide audience of readers and educators.
A solid addition to any collection, providing a pairing of arts and STEM.
A visually stimulating counting book that engages young children both in small and large group settings.
A visually stunning and unique addition to poetry collections.
Sure to be read and enjoyed again and again, this is a highly recommended addition for all library collections.
A recommended addition to library and classroom collections.
Add to collections in need of updates, but catalog it with the joke books rather than poetry to reach the right readers.
A handy tool for extending skill with poetry and word play. While it seems unlikely that most children able to both read and do the writing would be attracted to the cheerful animal stories, the clear and well designed writing and thinking exercises could build poetry interest and ability in the early grades.
An excellent introduction to our awesome planet for novice geographers and poets alike.
A beautifully designed addition to biography collections, spotlighting a singular female artist.
An excellent physics primer and inspiration for young engineers who enjoy creating their own machines to perform simple tasks.
Purchase several copies. Your dinosaur fans will hate returning this one.
The beautiful, smooth illustrations accompany this simple yet stunning story that encourages readers’ curiosity to find the beauty in the natural world.
This deeply felt coverage of the inflection points for so many communities is a must-have for all libraries.
A first purchase for all libraries desiring an interesting and beautiful story about this important prairie ecosystem contributor. Highly recommended.
A light introduction, intended to supplement other titles about Rumi.
A fascinating and accessible story about whales and the water they live in. Great for a read-aloud, especially for Earth Day.
An excellent choice for any nonfiction collection.
This is a highly approachable book on mathematics, recommended for all libraries.
Although adult assistance will be required for some recipes, this fun and eye-catching cookbook will be a tasty resource for STEAM programs.
Each graphic novel in this adapted series brings history to the forefront in enlightening ways, and the books remain consistently popular among their intended audience. Purchase this installment where the series is frequently circulated.
A must-have for middle schools, high schools, and public libraries that support maker clubs and other youth-driven innovation groups.
This coming-of-age memoir addresses body image in males, a topic not often found in middle school books, making it a solid purchase for libraries to fill that gap.
Honest and heartfelt, Chang has crafted a striking, clearly articulated family drama.
Recommended for most collections, especially where personal accounts of neurodivergence and LGBTQIA+ identities are in demand.
Budding scientists and animal lovers will keep this stellar title in full circulation as they learn the mysteries and history of octopuses, from their biology, habitats, habits, and threats to their future.
Hand this book to a favorite elementary or middle school art teacher.
A well-formulated biographical overview, highlighting talented athletes who don’t fall into molds easily. A general purchase.
An excellent book that truly combines empathy and compassion as well as wisdom and practical advice in a way that feels helpful as well as empowering.
A fun, interactive addition for any library.
A worthy title to add to a library’s early chapter book shelves, especially those featuring neurodiversity among young people.
New readers are about to start a long and wonderful friendship with this impeccable new series.
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