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The lawsuits continue as another Florida district is sued for restricting access to a book; Maryland governor Wes Moore suggests "economic consequences" for states prioritizing book banning; and more in the latest Censorship News.

The titles by Jack Wong, Angeline Boulley, and Jarrett J. Krosoczka earned the annual award in the picture book, fiction and poetry, and nonfiction categories, respectively.

The Nation's Report Card shows scores on the reading and math assessments of 13-year-olds dropped four and seven points, respectively, compared to 2020.

Wake County, NC, schools reject book challenges brought by Moms for Liberty—all 189 of them—and Jason Reynolds continues to inspire. Among the most popular posts on SLJ.com. 

In Wake County, NC, 189 book challenges filed by Moms for Liberty in one recent week were rejected. Illinois governor signs law to protect book access, while Texas, Indiana, and Iowa get new legal restrictions. 

EveryLibrary and GLAAD teamed up to offer practical advice for fighting censorship in your community; the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA) announces its 2023 Best Book Awards; and publishing news from Baker & Taylor and Nosy Crow in this edition of News Bites.

The federal government is appointing someone to address the increase in book banning; publishers file brief in support of Llano County, TX, plaintiffs; Utah district removes Bible; and more in Censorship News.

These three disparate middle grade titles that feature plotlines informed by pandemics are especially relevant in the age of COVID-19.

If you’re a school, children’s, or teen librarian going to Chicago for the American Library Association conference, these are just some of the sessions that may be of interest.