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Graphic novels have become not just a fixture in the cultural firmament but also a true force in the literary world. While genres, styles, and topics may vary wildly, one thing that publishers agree on is this: Making graphic novels available in school libraries can give children access to stories they might otherwise miss.

Mariko Tamaki's Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me and Padma Venkatraman's The Bridge Home earned The Walter for teens and younger readers, respectively.

In advance of the Printz Award announcement on January 27, take a look at the expert analysis and predictions for YA's top prize in SLJ's Pondering Printz columns.

Advice from the "Book Whisperer," along with recommended titles to sustain the enthusiasm of young readers.

Mi papi tiene una moto/My Papi Has a Motorcycle is the first-ever award winner of the Center for Children's Literature at Bank Street College of Education Best Spanish Language Picture Book.

Tonya Bolden's newest historical novel, Saving Savannah, follows an affluent African American teenager as she navigates the tumultuous summer of 1919 and discovers the need for activism and the ways in which she can make a difference. Bolden talks to SLJ about doing research, connecting the past to the present, and taking inspiration from Toni Morrison.

In our last Pondering Printz column before this year's announcement, Angela Carstensen cautions that the award is not a popularity contest.

Author Kate Messner argues that "shining a light on science, on history, on injustice, and representation is work we all should have been doing all along. And it’s work that will need to continue long after someone else is leading the nation."

Author and Anti-Racist Montessori educator and consultant Tiffany Jewell discusses what it means to be anti-racist in a racialized society, how everyone can disrupt and defy racism, and how educators and teachers can decolonize their bookshelves.