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Creaky Acres is a story about a girl, a horse, and a whole new way of life. Brigid Alverson spoke to the creators about their graphic novel featuring Nora, a competitive rider, who finds her way on a delightfully weird farm, inhabited by an equally quirky crew of young equestrians.

Shifa Saltagi Safadi's novel in verse about an immigrant family, the 2016 Muslim ban, and a boy trying to balance school and family earned the prestigious prize.

As teachers and school librarians work to add more diverse voices to their libraries’ collections, we continue learning more about the impact of these efforts on literacy. According to First Book Research & Insights, “a majority of students chose to read diverse books that serve as mirrors, where they can see themselves.”

While book bans and other efforts to curtail free expression in schools have made headlines, canceled visits have gone relatively unmarked. SLJ spoke with authors about their experiences.