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With gorgeous words with affecting narratives, these middle grade and YA #OwnVoices titles provide excellent listening for National Poetry Month and beyond.

Hand these novels for fans of this reboot of the 1984 Karate Kid movie, in which Johnny Lawrence has grown up and opened his own dojo.

A Tween (age 12) reviews 3 new middle grade graphic novels: Twins, Allergic and Primer

The post Tween’s Eye View on Middle Grade Graphic Novels: Twins, Allergic and Primer appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Kate Messner was one of many children's authors who took on pandemic-related projects—including a picture book biography of Dr. Anthony Fauci—over the past year.

Many tweens and young teens will see themselves in these middle grade and YA selections.

Horror fiction provides kids with an outlet and a method to cope with an overwhelming world. 

Spine-tingling books like these can be perfect companions in dark times.

The pandemic presents unique challenges for the nearly 23 million nine- to twelve-year-olds in the United States. Here are ways to support them. 

Young people make their voices heard on issues from the election to climate change, one click at a time.

Christine Lively talks about the mental health impacts of our current year on teens

The post Helping RevolTeens Fight the Mental Health Crisis, by Christine Lively appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

A beautifully written novel in verse with an empowering message about identity and belonging.

The post Book Review: Reckless, Glorious, Girl by Ellen Hagan appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Life in the Balance is a story of what happens when our family members “disappoint” us, and why that disappointment may not be an actual, well…disappointment…at all.

The post Balance in the Time of Productivity Culture: Jen Petro-Roy and Life in the Balance appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Generation Z spends their money purposefully as they attempt to help create the world they want to live in. So let's talk about what that means.

The post Sunday Reflections: The Things We Won’t Buy, a Reflection on Generation Z, Conscious Capitalism, and “Cancel Culture” appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

These fiction and nonfiction titles take on the embarrassment and discomfort associated with menstruation—while urging readers to take pride in their bodies and combat the stigma related to periods.

Gabrielle's story asks what you would give up in order to fit in and shows the dangers of losing yourself

The post Book Review: The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

In BUMP, MJ’s mask is a symbol of culture and heritage and belonging. It’s the garb of a warrior who is larger than life. It is equal parts superhero cape and flag.

The post Uncovered: Masks That Reveal Who We Are, a guest post by Matt Wallace appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

While centered around wrestling, this is a very relatable story about belonging, friendship, family, and falling down and getting back up again.

The post Book Review: Bump by Matt Wallace appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Three page-turners for fans of the show about a teenage British spy, based on best-selling books by Anthony Horowitz. 

Three delectable middle grade books for fans of the wildly popular cooking show.

Story telling is its own mystery, its own puzzle---and it brings with it the thrill of success in figuring out the answers.

The post The Mysterious Road to THE IN-BETWEEN, a guest post by Rebecca Ansari appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Daniel Nayeri's Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story) won the 2021 Printz Award, rewarding and bringing great joy to a new publisher and the author, who used the spotlight to try to help others.

Tae Keller's When You Trap a Tiger is the "book of my heart," the author says, and it earned her a Newbery Medal on a day when women swept the prestigious award.  

Author Phil Bildner shares a meaningful moment with a young reader during a school visit early last year.

Every page of this story was a delight. Really all I want in life right now is for this whole series to be out and all the movies so I can just live inside the world of Amari and friends. I'm obsessed.

The post Book Review: Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Flash Facts is a new collection of short comics about science and technology featuring DC superheroes. Here's an exclusive preview of "Home Sweet Space" with Supergirl, written by Cecil Castellucci.

Though Halloween has passed, these three beastly titles keep the age-appropriate frights (and laughs) coming.

More time, less social pressure, and more flexible scheduling has helped some kids flourish.

It’s no secret that 2020 has been…a lot. But also, a lot of beautiful comics and graphic novels have come out this year. Here’s a few of my favorites middle grade and YA graphic novels from 2020, in no particular order: Go With the Flow is a great MG graphic novel about a group of […]

The post Ally’s Favorite Graphic Novels of 2020 appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

The debut author spoke with SLJ about releasing her first book during a pandemic, writing novels as a tween, and the key to balancing stories of loss with plenty of love.

Teen librarian Karen Jensen continues her countdown of the 20 Best Books of 2020 with a look at 5 Middle Grade Fiction titles

The post Take 5: 5 of the Best Books I’ve Read in 2020, Middle Grade Edition appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Author Fan Face-off pits a middle grade superfan against the author of one of their favorite books to see who knows more about the title.

For the next installment of Teen Librarian Karen Jensen's Top 20 reads of 2020, we take a look at 5 nonfiction titles that everyone should read

The post Take 5: 5 of the Best Books I’ve Read in 2020, Nonfiction Edition appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

A brief look at capital punishment as explored in Young Adult literature

The post The Death Penalty in YA Lit appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Twenty-five outstanding works made SLJ's list of the best middle grade books published in 2020. 

Karen Jensen discusses what it's like as a survivor of sexual violence to watch some forms of entertainment

The post Sunday Reflections: On Watching TV as a Woman appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Fans of Nathan Hale can cross the country alongside the best-selling author this month. With stops from Boston to Honolulu, the virtual tour celebrates Blades of Freedom, book 10 in Hale’s "Hazardous Tales" series of graphic novels.

Will the enforced isolation that Covid-19 mandates be the thing that prompts young people to finally favor real-world meets?

The post Bullies, best friends and phones: Will Covid shift the balance toward real-world socializing? a guest post by Sheila M. Averbuch appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Messner and Sorell contextualize the "first Thanksgiving" myth; Hachette announces new BIPOC imprint; Linda Sue Park creates Korean and Korean diaspora author and illustrator resource; results of the K-12 Scholastic Student Vote.

Every generation of teens develops their own slang. Teen contributor Riley Jensen shares some of today's teen slang with us.

The post Have Some Teen Slang, By Teen Contributor Riley Jensen appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Hand these four books to middle schoolers craving chills and thrills...from the comfort of home. 

Teen contributor Morgan Randall talks about voting for the first time while away for her Freshman year of college

The post Feeling Empowered and Voting for the First Time, by Teen Contributor Morgan Randall appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Teen librarian Karen Jensen discusses taking her teenage daughter to vote for her first time and what we can do to help teens prepare to vote

The post On Taking My Teen to Vote for the Very First Time appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Teen contributor Riley Jensen talks about her first time voting.

The post First Time Voting, by Teen Contributor Riley Jensen appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Teen contributor Riley Jensen asks teachers to reconsider giving homework over breaks.

The post Break Means Break Not Work: A Treatise Against Homework Over School Breaks, By Teen Contributor Riley Jensen appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Teen art councils are using their voice to help change the world with art

The post RevolTeens: Teens and Art Changing the World, by Christine Lively appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

This roundup of books for young readers highlights the diversity of story and culture within the Latinx community. Add these to your Latinx Heritage Month displays and promote yearlong.

The Saucy author spoke with SLJ about perfect pets, seeking magical moments, and the capacity for growth at any age.

Teen contributor Morgan Randall discusses the struggles of attending virtual university

The post Morgan’s Mumbles: The Struggles of Virtual University, by teen contributor Morgan Randall appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Remote learning—and finding a new book—is more fun as educators get creative and add a personal flair with their Bitmoji libraries and classrooms.

During the pandemic, social readers have lost outlets for discussing books, but we can encourage students to keep their reading momentum going with personal recommendations.

It's Constitution Day. We've pulled together some recent books on the subject for those who want to learn more about the U.S. document.

Barbara Dee's recent middle grade titles all have one thing in common: secrecy.

The post Psst–Wanna Hear a Secret? Keeping Things Private in My Life in the Fish Tank, a guest post by Barbara Dee appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

It's hardly news to say that mental illness affects the entire family, but it's so important that we see the ways this can happen and understand that it's okay to be affected and to need to figure out a way forward.

The post Book Review: My Life in the Fish Tank by Barbara Dee appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

The middle grade author reflects on loneliness and survival in her latest novel, My Life in the Fish Tank, and its unintentional ties to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association will use the money to fund a one-day forum to strengthen support for Black/African American MLIS students; students fight censorship in Texas and Alaska, and more.

SLJ spoke with the Roll With It author about being a theater kid, the healing power of the arts, and thoughtfully writing a character with Sensory Processing Disorder in her latest novel, Tune It Out.

The award-winning author partnered with Adventure Academy, a subscription-based digital education platform, to inspire kids to write.

The author duo behind This Is Just a Test talk about teen life in the 80s, what has (and hasn't) changed, and how to return to familiar characters with a fresh perspective in Not Your All-American Girl.

With the release of "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Adventure," the best-selling author found a way to embark on an in-person tour despite the pandemic.

Longtime favorite authors dominated the lists of checkouts in the first half of June, according to Follett's Students' Choice data.

Pandemic and politically polarized nation be damned, educators adjust lessons to take on escalating rhetoric, mail-in ballots, accusations of voter fraud, and more. They remain fierce advocates for engaged citizenry and will demand civil discussion whether online or in-person.

Mariko Tamaki, Rosemary Valero-O'Connell, and Raina Telgemeier earned multiple awards at the annual comic industry awards. 

Anthropomorphic animals, emotive androids, an enchanted Chicago, and more: These 16 titles provide excellent summer escapes for young readers.

Finding books that are age-appropriate but still compelling enough to hook the interest of older tweens and young teens can be tricky. Here are some of our recent favorites. 

Nothing like bugs that fizz, animals with mucus-skin, and slimy information about digestion to get the whole family in on these weird science lessons!

Ten adventure and survival fiction titles to keep summer reading fresh and exciting.

Featuring vivid settings, relatable characters, and absorbing narratives, these moving titles will inspire readers to learn more about these eras—and to question whose stories still go untold.

With controlled vocabularies and short page counts, hi-lo (­high-interest, low-readability) books present engaging, age-­appropriate options for students reading below their grade level. This roundup of new and forthcoming series highlights a wide range of titles for collections serving elementary, middle, and high school ­audiences.

These scary stories should tide young horror fans over until spooky season.

Some of it’s memoir, and some is made up, but all of it makes for delightful summer reading.

14 titles to keep tween mystery fans turning pages well into the summer.

Dear students: Listen deeply. Tell your truth. Ask questions. Hear what else this middle school media specialist has to say in her open letter.

History, science, current events, and social sciences are explored in these highly engaging narrative and expository nonfiction texts for middle grade readers. 

More preparation for students making the leap to high school is merited, according to middle and high school librarians. Here's how they are helping.

The young people featured in these middle grade novels are intrepid, confronting racism, grief, queer identity, and more. They’re relatable teens and tweens, making mistakes and stumbling as they find themselves. Looking for more summer reading recommendations? SLJ is publishing lists all summer long—from family stories to mysteries to teen reads. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. The purpose of this movement is to raise awareness of those living with mental or behavioral health issues and to help #BreakTheStigma. These nonfiction books not only provide support but will educate children, tweens, and teens.

The UK-based author/illustrator spoke with SLJ about the anticipated sequel to his delightfully eccentric fantasy Malamander. 

With school athletics seasons canceled and professional leagues shuttered, students can find comfort in these sports books, movies, and streaming shows.

The graphic format can effectively tell complex stories and engage young readers. Encompassing first-person accounts of historical events and guides that address gender and identity, these titles meet the highest standards for nonfiction and are "inclusive, respectful, accurate, and informative."

Author and environmental reporter Tatiana Schlossberg discusses what young people should know about climate change, the importance of talking about the issue, and the impact of the novel coronavirus shutdowns.

Journaling and how-to books by Angie Thomas, Elizabeth Acevedo, Paul Fleischman, and Ally Carter can help students find their voice during challenging times.

Fantasy, realistic fiction, and sci-fi: Three new middle grade novels are coming out this week, all available as ebooks. 

Padma Venkatraman created #AuthorsTakeAction and middle grade and YA authors joined in the cause to impress upon their readers the importance of following social distancing guidelines.

For school librarians planning for a return to in-school programming, peers share their AR/VR programming, mistakes made along the way, and the best way to incorporate the mixed reality edtech into the library and classroom.

Looking for ways to keep your comics-loving kids and teens occupied? These free webcomics promise to eat up hours of time.

Temporary permission allowing educators to record themselves reading Harry Potter aloud extends to school librarians, confirms a representative of author J.K. Rowling. As for public libraries, stay tuned for a coming announcement. 

The at-home program offers downloadable superhero-themed activities, previews of graphic novels, and how-to videos from DC's roster of middle grade authors and illustrators, including Minh Lê, Gene Luen Yang, Shannon and Dean Hale, Meg Cabot, and Amanda Deibert.

The new DC title, which will be released on December 1, will profile female public figures including Michelle Obama, Malala Yousafzai, Serena Williams, and Greta Thunberg.