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Five women of Asian descent discuss the joy of telling resonant stories, handling vocabulary in unfamiliar languages, and other topics. 

From fantasy to horror, these 31 novels featuring AAPI characters are great picks for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May and throughout the year.

The report released today examines more than 4,000 book bans in 52 public school districts in 23 states from July to December 2023. 

Criticism and misunderstanding of Kao Kalia Yang's decision to leave the Hmong-only phrases in her book, The Rock in My Throat, spotlights the problem of the English-dominant literary landscape in a country where residents speak hundreds of languages, the author says.

Share these two picture books, which present two different interpretations of the same tradition, with young readers who are gearing up for Passover.

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center released its latest Diversity Statistics report on children's literature, showing another year of small increases in books with BIPOC primary characters and significant BIPOC content.

These books nurture literacy, empathy, and understanding.

Korean and Chinese comics reach English-language readers.

Characters in these books, including a few classics, are comfortable being different from others and engage with their world in nontraditional ways.

From elementary books to young adult titles—across various genres and formats—these 12 recent releases elevate voices and showcase the multifaceted experiences within the trans and nonbinary community.

Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, is expected to fall around April 9 to April 11 in 2024. These picture books, along with a board book and an early reader, can be shared with young ones while they wait for the first appearance of the crescent moon that marks the end of the long month of fasting.

A settlement in the case against Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' law has clarified that library books cannot be removed under the law as long as they aren't part of the curriculum; queer publishers navigate book bans; Ohio district keeps two books on shelves; and more.

Read about RuPaul's new online bookstore that has a colorful outreach plan, watch the 60 Minutes segment on book banning in South Carolina, stay up to date on proposed state legislation (the good and the bad), and more in Censorship News.

When they were first published, Sydney Taylor’s books not only planted a flag for Jewish identity but also for Jewish joy, and today remind readers that Alcott's March sisters haven't cornered the market on getting by on love and little else. For Women's History Month, we remind readers of Sydney Taylor's origin story.

District employees drew clothes on Maurice Sendak characters in one Florida district, while students, legislators, and library workers fight back against censorship in Virginia, Oregon, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

This selection of picture books features various traditions and ways to celebrate the holy month, showing young readers the diversity within the Muslim community while celebrating the shared principles.

The Writer Award winner is Anne Wynter for Nell Plants a Tree. Sarah Gonzales won the Illustrator Award for The Only Way to Make Bread.

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. and School Library Journal announce the 2024 Children & Youth Literary Awards, which celebrate the diversity of the Black experience.

In Florida, governor Ron DeSantis is pushing for an adjustment to his law that created a mass of book challenges, as bills on both sides of the fight for intellectual freedom are debated in Oregon and Utah, while West Virginia and Georgia seek to strip librarians' legal protections.

In these novels, characters find connection and joy amid life-altering health issues.

Bustard tells the story of a Italian priest who became a saint, Churnin writes about a female entrepreneur in the 1800s, and Strauss informs readers about the preservation of a 14th-century manuscript.

Advocates rally against legislation in Georgia; students protest book removals in Virginia; The Curse of King Tut's Tomb taken off shelves in South Carolina; and more.

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association released its 2023 Best of the Best Books list, featuring more than 75 titles divided into three categories: PreK–4, Grades 5–8, and Grades 9–12.

Authors Amina Luqman-Dawson, Lesa Cline-Ransome, Carole Boston Weatherford, and illustrator James Ransome discuss their research process and how they use creative license to tell stories. 

The theme for Black History Month 2024 is "African Americans and the Arts." In these titles, young readers can learn about people who loved to express themselves through visual art, dance, song, and other forms of artistic creation.

In these three titles—a board book, picture book, and early reader—brother-and-sister duos celebrate Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day.

Start Black History Month with these edifying, entertaining audiobooks by Black writers about Black experiences starring Black characters—and keep listening throughout the year. 

Lunar New Year falls on Saturday, February 10 in 2024. From wish soup to dragon gifts, these board books and picture books show young readers many ways to celebrate the holiday.

Here are the overall Top 10 books chosen from six curated lists, spanning early readers to YA.

Research provides an opportunity to reclaim the narrative of enslavement and “share it in creative ways that deeply connect us to the past,” says the author of Freewater, which won the 2023 Newbery.

Nikki M. Taylor discusses research challenges around early Black American history and suggests resources.

“Because Black history isn’t centered, you have to search harder for those stories,” says Gill, who has researched figures including Spottswood Rice, who escaped enslavement and joined the Union Army, and motorcyclist Bessie Stringfield. 

In this guest post, artist Sammy Savos details her creative process and discusses her collaboration with Holocaust survivor Estelle Nadel to create the graphic memoir The Girl Who Sang. "I’m very grateful that she was able to see the finished book, hold it in her hands, and tell me how happy she was with it."

Crews discusses the research that went into her new picture book about the children’s author and literary legend.

January 27 is designated as a day to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. Share these stories of resilience and hope about people of various ages, races, nationalities, and more with young readers today and throughout the year.

Award-winning authors and illustrators whose books center Black history discuss how they delve into research to tell powerful stories. With Carole Boston Weatherford, Lesa Cline-Ransome, Amina Luqman-Dawson, and James E. Ransome. 

Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson and Saints of the Household by Ari Tison were honored with the awards in the younger reader and teen category, respectively.

Authors, committee members, and Katherine Schneider herself reflect on how the Schneider Family Book Award has propelled disability representation into the spotlight.

Mostly realistic fiction, these recent YA novels (and one picture book) cover first love, found family, and living authentically. Each shines a light on queer & trans stories in both past and present settings, proving that LGBTQIA+ youth have always been here—and are not going anywhere. 

Increasingly, sensitivity readers play a role in the editorial and publishing process. Experts in a specific identity, they often undertake research to provide detailed feedback on a manuscript.

From censorship and AI to book fairs and the state of middle grade publishing, it's been an eventful year. Among those driving SLJ's most viewed posts of 2023: Jeff Kinney, Moms for Liberty, and stellar librarians. Ah, and those Best Books.

A complaint to the police sent a plainclothes officer to the school in Great Barrington, MA, but Gender Queer was not there; hundreds of books get removed in a Florida district; and Books Save Lives Act was introduced in Congress.

Take a look at the SLJ book reviews editors' favorite book covers from the 2023 Best Books list.

SLJ's most viewed coverage of book banning and censorship, which remained front and center in 2023.

In his SLJ Summit keynote address, the best-selling "Wimpy Kid" author shared the memorable titles from his youth, as well as those that have opened his eyes to his privilege and the lives of those not like him.

Central Bucks County School Board president Karen Smith took her oath on books including Night by Elie Wiesel and The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison; authors Laurie Halse Anderson, John Green, Malinda Lo, and Jodi Picoult join lawsuit in Iowa; and more.

Three Kings Day, also known as Epiphany, is on January 6 and commemorates the biblical story of the wise men who brought gifts to the newborn baby Jesus. It is mostly celebrated in Latinx communities and marks the end of the Christmas season. Share these three picture books with young readers to teach them more about the holiday.

Colorado conservatives are calling on prosecutors to remove books from school libraries and take legal action against those promoting and possessing "obscene material"; a federal lawsuit has been filed against Iowa for its "don't say gay" law that includes removing books; author Robert Samuels writes about having his book kept from students during a school visit in Tennessee; and more.

Border Crossing by Sneed B. Collard III wins the 2024 Orbis Pictus Award, while The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett earns the 2024 Charlotte Huck Award.

The lawsuit against the Mat-Su (AK) School District claims the protagonists in the challenged books are people of color or LGBTQ+ characters. In other censorship news, a public library in Kansas was forced to remove all LGBTQIA+ children's books in order to keep its lease, PEN America names director of Florida effort to fight book bans, and MTV's new documentary, The ABCs of Book Banning, is now available to stream on Paramount+.

In these 16 early readers and chapter books, children who are learning to read will see themselves reflected on the pages and feel a sense of accomplishment as they embark on their reading journeys.

A runaway dreidel, parading yokai, and dancing ornaments make these holiday picture books that much more magical.

Dan Santat's middle grade graphic memoir received the prestigious honor at a ceremony where Oprah Winfrey spoke about 2021 School Librarian of the Year Amanda Jones and the power of diverse books.

Hand these four books to YA readers who can't resist a sweet holiday love story.

Esteemed editors, authors, and translators discuss their work behind the scenes to bring children's books from all over the world to the U.S. market. Foremost on their minds? Young readers. Join the live program December 14.

There is confusion over who placed the restrictions on Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa, authors of His Name Is George Floyd; Pink to distribute banned books at Florida concerts; and more.

We Need Diverse Books offers a new website with resources for librarians and educators about books by Native creators and how to use them in the classroom; Newbery-winning author Susan Patron has died; YALSA releases Teen Top 10 list; federal education employees will create AI guidance and policy for K-12; and more in this edition of News Bites.

Leah Johnson, author of You Should See Me in a Crown, has opened Loudmouth Books, a bookstore in Indianapolis dedicated to the titles often targeted by bans; former Central  York, PA, students get a book deal to tell their stories; a video on the mental health impact of book bans; Kentucky district returns more than 100 books to the shelves; and more.

These eight picture books and board books will help the youngest readers get into the holiday spirit.

Angeline Boulley, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and Debbie Reese discussed Native work for young readers—and Boulley made a big announcement.

In Connecticut towns, book banning has become a key issue for school board candidates; a Michigan judge ruled 14 titles had literary merit and dismissed a lawsuit to remove them from a district's library; and as one South Carolina district retains five challenged titles, another removes an LGBTQIA+ history book and restricts other books.

Newbery-winning author Donna Barba Higuera based Petra on someone who also kept her vision loss a secret: her mother. 

Cicely Lewis recommends books for the BeyHive.

Since 1990, November has been designated National Native American Heritage Month in the U.S. Share these titles featuring Indigenous characters with young children, tweens, and teens this month and all year.

The science behind board books, a brief history of the format, and a look at the publishing market. 

Alachua County (FL) Public Schools media specialist Patty Duval created code to help librarians and classroom teachers check books against new state laws; a fired Colorado librarian wins settlement; parents in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin speak out against district book bans; review panel keeps Sold and Nineteen Minutes on shelves in South Carolina district; and more. 

Children's literature scholar and author Debbie Reese is keeping track of the many books by Indigenous authors that have been challenged and removed from shelves.

Acclaimed authors Angeline Boulley and Cynthia Leitich Smith discuss Indigenous representation, craft, and the future of Indigenous kid lit in a webcast conversation moderated by Dr. Debbie Reese. Join the live program Nov. 1.

Museums centered on the Black experience are seeing more visitors and expect numbers to climb as books about race continue to be banned and teaching about history and race is restricted. In other censorship news, Alabama state superintendent mandates a library review policy in all school districts, open records requests reveal books removed in Iowa schools, and more.

The best-selling author recommends nine books by Indigenous authors for fans of the award-winning TV series about four teens on an Oklahoma tribal reservation. 

Two principals in a Maine district remove and restrict six books after challenges; a Florida district proactively pulls 31 titles based on complaints in other counties; teens speak out for the right to read in North Carolina and California; and more in the latest Censorship News.

With the release of two educator surveys, the organization provides facts and figures on the detrimental impact of book bans on reading and literacy. 

Young won the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1990 for Lon Po Po, which he also wrote.

ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) puts out an annual list of Top 10 Most Challenged Books for the year. Here are SLJ 's reviews of titles on the 2022 list.  

Responding to book challenges takes a financial toll on school districts, some Iowa Little Free Libraries now come with disclaimers, author Ashley Hope Pérez talks to NPR about how sexual content is used as a scapegoat to target books addressing race, gender, and other identity-based topics, and more in the latest Censorship News.

It's Banned Books Week 2023. While there are many in-person events in libraries and bookstores across the country, these virtual events will allow everyone to hear important conversations at this critical time.

These two titles center young Indigenous protagonists and integrate coming-of-age tropes with fantasy and folklore.

As the governor of California signs a law to protect books and materials at schools, public records requests reveal librarians in one Florida county were told to remove all books with LGBTQ characters, a survey from EveryLibrary and BookRiot shows how parents and guardians really feel about public libraries, and more in the latest Censorship News.

The Jewish holiday of Sukkot, also known as the Feast of Booths, celebrates the autumn harvest and the bounty that nature provides. Share these picture books with young children for the festival and any time throughout the year.

Banned Books Week 2023 Youth Honorary Chair Da'Taeveyon Daniels writes about his journey to self-acceptance and advocacy, and the importance of the fight against censorship.

These moving middle grade novels center Puerto Rican girls navigating their relationships with their culture, their family, and themselves.

Awards season is heating up, along with reader interest in current speculation. Betsy Bird puts it out there in her latest Prediction Edition. Also trending on SLJ, booklists that honor the Latinx experience to savor with young readers in this commemorative month and beyond.

Read one book a day for Latinx Heritage Month, from September 15 to October 15, and every month after that. From migration and history to food and family, these works capture the many complexities and joys of the Latinx culture.

A Minneapolis metro library system will keep Gender Queer on the shelves after a challenge; Senators clash during a Congressional hearing on book bans; Osceola County, FL, students will no longer automatically get public library cards in response to new Florida law.

These picture books and graphic novels for elementary students through high schoolers show the power of illustration to convey complex emotions.

With large publishers falling short, independent publishers have emerged to produce children's books with Latinx characters and by Latinx creators in both English and Spanish. 

The author of the most challenged book in the country praises librarians and calls on people to support them; Alabama governor questions whether public libraries are family-friendly; South Carolina Board of Education severs ties with South Carolina Association of School Librarians; and more.

Since D/deaf experiences vary greatly, it’s important to offer kids multiple titles about D/deaf characters and characters with hearing loss, showcasing these differences.

Explore the latest resources for education's hottest topics: banned books and artificial intelligence.

From board books to middle grade graphic novels, these illustrated narratives celebrate Latinx children and their communities.

Books were removed in Texas, Florida, and Tennessee, but libraries in Colorado and Maine retained challenged titles. Plus, Rutherford County, TN, may change library cards to keep limit access for minors, and updates on the lawsuit over And Tango Makes Three and a fight in Iowa over Friday Night Lights.

Librarians cite flexibility, close attention, and other reasons for working with smaller bookstores. 

An Iowa school district asked ChatGPT to find books in its collection that had sexual content, Fort Worth ISD closes libraries for inventory after board removes three titles, "Heartstopper" books pulled in Mississippi, and John Green's 'Fault in Our Stars' may return to YA section in Indiana.

In Florida, access to the book about a male penguin couple has been restored in a school district's libraries; a teacher provides banned books at a Ben & Jerry's; and a district limits Shakespeare. Author John Green criticizes Indiana libraries for moving his book from the YA section; a Virginia library director is forced to resign, and the ABA passes a resolution against book bans.

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.

A school librarian participated in a Human Library event and answered questions about her identity. Here's what she experienced.

Lawsuits are becoming an important tool to fight back against censorship. SLJ spoke with plaintiffs in four cases about what led them here, why they pursued this path, and the goal of the legal action.

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.

Our top stories of the week address thoughtful depiction of disability in books for kids and the latest news in censorship, including taking a stand against it.

Check out reviews of recent Spider-Man books; hear what Jason Reynolds has to say about Miles Morales; and learn more about the complex world of superhero publishing.