If there’s a thread connecting our trending stories of the past seven days, it’s the goodness of school libraries. That may seem like an obvious one, but we’re going with it. 

A back-to-school reading list by the Florida Department of Education has drawn sharp criticism for its lack of diverse books, predominance of old titles, and overall lack of relevance to students.

Author M.T. Anderson spoke about hope and much more as he accepted the 2019 Edwards Award, which recognizes an author as well as specific titles that have stood the test of time and made a “significant and lasting” contribution to young adult literature. ​​​"This is what I have wanted to say to my readers all along​," he told the audience at a ceremony held at ALA"s annual conference.

Hand these books to kids who are excited about upcoming films including Abominable, The Addams Family, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Maleficent 2.

Troublemaker for Justice uncovers the life of civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, whose legacy has long been ignored because he was openly gay.