School Libraries

The letter, signed by 1,300 children's and YA authors and read into the record at a congressional hearing, spoke of the harm to kids from book censorship.

In response to a new Utah law regarding "sensitive materials in schools," the state's attorney general's office issued an official memorandum that outlines the constitutional protections for students and library materials. Educators can use it as a tool to push back against district attempts to remove books from the shelves.

SLJ and NCTE collaborated to create 18 booklists of titles to replace, or use as a companion to, canon "classics." 

Hatchet is a well-known story, and the themes of adventure and survival remain great hooks for reluctant readers. Consider these nine titles as recent read-alikes for Gary Paulsen's popular tale.

Titles for all ages by APA creators. 

Hand these YA page-turners to high schoolers watching the popular Netflix series about British teens. 

In the latest Censorship Roundup, administrators pull books from shelves and require parental consent based on individual complaints and an organization's list of "problematic" titles.

To support teachers and librarians in the face of ongoing censorship, School Library Journal and Penguin Random House—in partnership with PEN America, NCAC, NCTE, FReadom, and Library Journal—have created a poster that vividly illustrates the importance of intellectual freedom.