Classroom

Booktalks are brief, in this case uber-brief, pitches to “sell” young readers on a given title. We invite readers to give it a shot, submit a stellar video booktalk for potential publication on SLJ.com and our social channels.

SLJ asked 12 librarians to share one new thing they’re planning for the 2023–24 school year and one thing they do to stay positive in their work. Here’s what they had to say.

The most viewed stories: recommended titles for the return to the classroom, fiction and nonfiction, and ways to make books available in a time of rampant censorship. Meanwhile, M.T. Anderson calls us to what counts: love. 

Going to school for the first time, or going back to school, can be a scary experience for many children, but especially for those who are afraid they won't be accepted for being different. These four titles can help reassure children that classrooms are welcoming to all.

Book sanctuaries—where “endangered” books, the right to read, and intellectual freedom are protected—are popping up in cities, libraries, churches, and schools across the country.

The first day of school, separation anxiety, a sandwich running the classroom—all the usual suspects show up in these seven beauts about helping kids cross the transom back into the world of curiosity and learning!

From Jackie Ormes to Christo and Jeanne-Claude, these 9 picture books bring young readers into the lives of creatives who were born in the U.S. or spent years making art here. Share these titles to commemorate them and all artists.

How teachers and librarians have brought nonfiction front and center at their schools.

The Digital Public Library of America has launched The Banned Book Club, offering free access to e-books and audiobooks in areas where the titles have been restricted or banned.