A Romanian girl immigrates to Montreal and learns to deal with her period in this middle-grade coming-of-age story.
I hope that reading the book will give readers living with chronic illness a little bit of the gift it gave me as I wrote it.
Part of why we're focusing on middle grade this year on TLT is because discoverability can feel so challenging, with chain stores stocking less MG than ever before. New authors face an even bigger challenge because kids (and their grown-ups) often gravitate toward established authors they know they will like.
Conveying a range of experiences, these stories of family, love, humor, and loss will engage children during Caribbean American Heritage Month and beyond.
Vol. 3 of the illustrated fantasy novel series Children of the Phoenix is coming in December, and it will be the darkest one yet.
Without The Diamond in the Window introducing me to chambered nautiluses all those years ago, I might still be sitting at my laptop staring at a blank page.
Narrative nonfiction has the same goals as any novel – to use these same techniques of conflict, setting, characterization, etc. to build a world that a reader cares about.
NBC Nightly News visits The Rabbit hOle.
A star studded anthology brings us stories of kids with tiny superpowers. Today, we talk with the book's creators to find out what makes this title tick.
Our most viewed posts of the week ranged from high-interest stories for striving readers and shout outs to dear teachers to raising oysters in the library.
Organizations file federal complaints against the Cobb County, GA, and Moore County, NC, schools; Alabama bill to criminalize librarians for "obscene" content fails in state's senate; and advocates file lawsuit against Alabama public library board for restricting materials.
From magical school fantasies to hilarious sibling stories, these 13 selections will keep middle schoolers turning pages during summer break. Complete with graphic novels, biographies, and poetry, this list has something for every tween.
Teen librarian Rachel Strolle shares new YA LGBTQIA+ titles to help you read and build book rainbows for Pride (and all year round)
Teen librarian Cindy Shutts walks us through her Mario themed Escape Room
Teen librarian Cindy Shutts walks us through her Mario themed Escape Room
The Middle-Grade Graphic Novel Elementary-age kids are flocking to the library in droves to check out the latest Dog Man or The Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel. All kinds of kids with all kinds of hobbies are interested in reading graphic novels. The format is gaining popularity at an extraordinary rate. Why is this? There are […]
An informal look at the most popular animals in children's books.
The King Penguin by Vanessa Roeder and The Book of Turtles by Sy Montgomery won the Irma Black Award and Cook Prize, respectively.
In this Q&A series, SLJ poses five questions and a request for a book recommendation to a debut YA author. In the latest installment, LaDarrion Williams shares about Blood at the Root.
In first grade, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow was the only non-white kid in her first grade class. Her response? Write a truly stunning and lovely picture book about it as an adult. We discuss all.
Here's a look at some recently signed graphic novel deals—and what we can expect coming up!
Grade-schooler Měi Yīng's life seemed happy enough until she got to fifth grade and encountered a relentless bully who made fun of every aspect of her life. Can the examples of her mother and grandmother help her find the inner strength to deal with it?
History is boring to most kids—totally unfair to history, BTW. But it’s true: students often rank my subject, social studies, as their least favorite.
10 books I'm looking forward to this summer.
Talking today about what it takes to make a great food-related picture book readaloud. We discuss pasta, Bee-bim Bop, and more! Warning: This Q&A may make you hungry.
Centering dignity and equity, authors strive to normalize the topic of menstruation and show how different people experience it.
Talking today about what it takes to make a great food-related picture book readaloud. We discuss pasta, Bee-bim Bop, and more! Warning: This Q&A may make you hungry.
Two authors, who met via social media in 2017 and have been friends since, both published books centering children who happen to be disabled. Here they are in conversation about the need to call disability what it is, and to allow those with disabilities to have the same story lines as everyone else.
Danielle Sachdeva, Associate Professor of Literacy and Elementary Education, University of North Georgia and Patricia Newman, Sibert Honor author and Environmentalist, discuss middle grade books about the ocean for World Ocean Day
Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring Kindgom Races from IDW Publishing and Summer Vamp from Random House Graphic.
For readers feeling their own haze all around them, Mackenzie's story will show that complicated realities will always be better than empty fictions.
The updated Heavy Medal Mock Newbery list features 36 excellent children's books that could be contenders for the 2025 Newbery Medal. Check out the full list here; and we'll add more titles each month.
To celebrate this unexpected milestone I thought I’d reflect on the six most interesting facts about this weird, bittersweet, wild ride of a story.
Which graphic novels have been checked out the most at my school library this year? Let's have a look . . .
From going to work in faraway or dangerous jobs to walking with their kids around the neighborhood or reading bedtime stories, these fathers offer support and encouragement and set an example for their kids. As Father's Day approaches, or all year long, share these titles with little ones and families to recognize the important role Dad plays in their lives.
Not to spoil anything but meet the 200th classic we've featured on the podcast! Today we're talking about the void, Magritte, epitaphs, and more!
In their follow-up to Measuring Up, Lily LaMotte and Ann Xu send a very reluctant young girl to Taiwanese-American summer camp to get in touch with her heritage and grow closer to her sister—will the experience help her learn to be herself, or will she continue to strive to fit in on others' terms?
By choosing books that combine the thrill of a mystery with a unique setting, educators can review geography, address differences in the ways people live and work, and still engage young readers.
When kids at school say there are "no good books" to read, I send them to two places: graphic novels or the list of short books/books under 250 pages.
In a field of seemingly infinite Christmas picture books, both Christian and secular, this title does not stand out. Recommended as an additional purchase for religious Christmas collections.
Schools and libraries should add Ramadan to their shelves.
Originally published in Russian, this is a beautiful addition to nonfiction collections looking for books on the subject, and those seeking more translated works.
Coming of age isn’t easy, especially when you’re trapped in a survivalist camp. A first purchase for readers of realistic fiction.
This meta–picture book will be a favorite for kids with its animal protagonists, laugh-out-loud plot, and character interactions.
Recommended for high school libraries as a memoir that may offer words of encouragement to those ailing, grieving, or seeking inspiration.
A vivid queer romance whose characters and plot will captivate readers. A strong purchase.
This gentle story is written in a Spanish that sounds like home with familiar themes and images of family, root countries, and a love that spans distances; children will wait in line to have a turn to share it with their families.
A secondary purchase for most school libraries.
Recommended for high school collections, this is sure to be a hit for fans of whirlwind romances such as those by Nicola Yoon and Rachel Lynn Solomon.
An inspiring story of intergenerational friendship, recommended for libraries everywhere.
This title will prove intriguing, both for high school students taking physics and fans of romance. A thought-provoking read for those who like realistic fiction with a scientific twist.
A book that deserves both its own anime adaptation and a spot on the shelves of any library with fantasy-loving teens.
The message of trans acceptance is front and center in this realistic fiction title; Huntoon creates meaningful and authentic conversations around topics important to trans youth and allies, while also maintaining a lighter tone that is more accessible for the middle school reader. Recommended.
Practical and entertaining, this is a worthy resource for budding story writers.
Lu elevates Yang’s occasionally pedantic lessons on digital safety.
Young kids may find the fir trees particularly amusing in this amiable Christmas story.
More than 47 percent of the titles targeted [for book bans] represent LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC voices and experiences. Publishers are responding to book challenges by endorsing Right to Read acts, contributing book résumés to the Unite Against Book Bans initiative and continuing to prioritize titles representing LGBTQIA+ individuals and families.
Among this month's standouts are the latest graphic novel co-authored by Gender Queer's Maia Kobabe, a picture book from Kyle Lukoff, and a video adapted from Carole Boston Weatherford's book about Mary Hamilton.
To fathom the defacing of images in children’s books, one almost has to process it in stages, beginning with incredulity. The issue, however, is no joke, and librarians are feeling the pressure. In our reporting, the frequency of instances involving the altering of material by school librarians was such that we elevated this to a cover story.
Somehow, Ursu has managed to write a legitimately scary ghost story (sorta) that’s also about accusations of hysteria, invisible illnesses, and issues in middle school.
May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and though Pearl by Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norrie won’t be released until the summer, why not celebrate its upcoming release with a review?
May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and though Pearl by Sherri L. Smith and Christine Norrie won’t be released until the summer, why not celebrate its upcoming release with a review?
Miami is unreal. That’s why it was the inspiration for in my newest YA novel, Death’s Country.
Which books have been checked out the most at my school library this year? Let's have a look . . .
Just a few years removed from a global pandemic that saw the intense politicization of public health initiatives, the U.S. public’s faith in science has declined. Books that help students understand complex issues and inform them about important scientific advancements and the critical role that STEM plays in our society can help produce more informed citizens who support the need for scientific investment.
The Freedom to Learn collective marked National Day of Action by protesting censorship attempts outside the Supreme Court; a challenged book returns to shelves in Virginia while titles get removed from schools in Florida and South Carolina; and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver takes on book bans.
Today we talk with a man who slowly, methodically, carefully, and with great love, churns out some of the smartest books for kids today.
These early readers and chapter books will be just the thing for independent readers looking to meet new characters and engage with fun stories during the summer months.
Author Polly Holyoke shares tips for helping tweens and teens to become writers
Full of humor, memorable characters, great dialogue, and more wrestling than maybe any other book I've read before, this empathetic and meaningful look at grief makes it clear that there's no wrong wrong to do it, even if that means living with the voice of a professional wrestler in your head.
I started making up this story with my brother when I was in middle school, and it’s taken all these years to finally finish it.
Checking in on the 2025 Mock Newbery and Caldecott lists on Goodreads.
Hi-Lo titles are high-interest stories written at a lower reading level for striving readers. These 24 books, in genres ranging from romance to horror, are sure to grip readers with relatable main characters and contemporary coming-of-age themes.
Despite the importance and impact of the 1947 Partition of India, there is little taught about the event or written about it in children's literature. Authors Saadia Faruqi, Ritu Hemnani, and Veera Hiranandani are filling that gap with new titles.
Since we're already in the thick of it, let's round out our look at the spring 2024 titles coming out from a slew of smaller publishers this season.
Two high schoolers are drawn together by the power of the number 8 in this one-shot manga.
Keep your eyes open. Notice the art in your community and look for opportunities to engage students. Watch for special exhibits in your school and community. No matter the size of your community, there are artists.
Here’s the thing that took me awhile to learn: suppressing our feelings, or berating ourselves for having them in the first place, only makes those difficult feelings worse.
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