News & Features

The CDC recommends teachers and support staff get the coronavirus vaccine in the next round of distribution; the Black Caucus of ALA has put out its Best of the Best 2020 booklist; applications are being accepted for the Library of Congress Librarian in Residence program; and more in this edition of News Bites.

It was a tough year, but there is always an author, educator, or young person to remind even the most cynical among us that there are reasons to believe better days are coming.

Typically, generic worksheets, book report templates, and cookie-cutter projects are assigned to prove that students read. Here are ways for them to truly share their responses to the text. 

On SLJ's Facebook page, readers respond to recent stories. Here's just a sample of what they are saying.

The co-founders of Twitter's #THEBOOKCHAT talk about Dante, James Baldwin, and what students should know when they leave high school.

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.

While considering research material, students need to talk about whose voices are not at the table and think critically about how sources came to be.

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.

These open-source writing and drawing prompts to engage elementary students in zine making don't rely on access to the internet or books.