Industry News

Awards season is finally upon us and, as the SLJ Book Review team puts the finishing touches on its Best Books of 2013 list, we’ve been comparing notes and keeping tabs on other reviewers’ top picks. Fan favorite and SLJ starred book, Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park has even made Amazon’s top 10 books of the year.

Oh, you lucky bugs.  Do you know what today is?  Today is the first day of Kidlitcon and for those of you still interested in joining (and who wouldn’t be?) you have a last minute chance to be a part of the fun.  Always assuming you’re in the Austin area, of course, but I bet [...]

AASL needs volunteers for its conference next week in Hartford, Connecticut. The New York Public Library has launched new after-school programs. AAAS/Subaru have announced finalists for the SB&F Prize for children’s science books. Kid lit submissions are being accepted for the PEN Literary Awards. Through November 15, ALA seeks nominations for its cutting-edge library practices technology award.

Being able to easily locate LGBTQ-friendly materials for children is an important task for librarians seeking to support their diverse reading communities. Kids must be given opportunities to explore literature from multiple points of view, yet it’s sometimes challenging to meet this need, especially for grades 3–5.

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) is launching two national surveys—one for school librarians, one for stakeholders—in order to examine ways that the two groups view the profession and to, ultimately, “provide a refreshing and inspiring image” of school librarians and school library programs.

"The social network for book lovers, Goodreads, just unveiled their annual “people’s choice”-type awards. You can always count me in on checking out a best of the year list. As a whole, I’m liking their picture book picks more than middle grade group of nominees." This and more news bits from 100 Scope Notes blogger Travis Jonker.

A parent in Marietta, Georgia, has lodged a complaint with his local school board about the inclusion of Hena Khan’s picture book Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors at his daughter’s Scholastic Book Fair on October 17. Thomas Prisock claims that the book is “an indoctrination of Muslim culture,” according to the The Marietta Daily Journal.

In just a few weeks, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) will finalize the soft launch of its long-awaited badging program, which aims to provide a uniquely interactive opportunity for skill-building in its seven Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth. YALSA hopes the program will be fully launched by January, Linda Braun, the project’s manager, tells SLJ.

An ordinary Texan teen. A dragon with devastating power. Together they can save the future… or destroy it. Only Mari Mancusi could put this all together, and she does in her latest, Scorched. Six lucky SLJTeen readers can win a signed copy of Scorched, and a limited edition T-shirt!