School Libraries

Amid the upheaval this year, there were bright spots: Audiobook sales surged, more kids tuned into podcasts, and children’s book sales continued to grow.

Books to accompany the show set in the Star Wars universe about a bounty hunter who roams the galaxies with a fuzzy green infant in tow.

Appealing novels for fans of this comedy starring Devi, an Indian American teen, co-created by Mindy Kaling.

Hand these YA novels to students drawn to the realistic series about a diverse group of teens in Los Angeles.

Reassigned to a new high school with no library, Toni Winsett is embracing the challenge at Bard High School Early College in Washington, DC, and finding joy in being a school librarian this year.

In an unprecedented year, managing the pandemic dominated attention. SLJ covered the gamut, from publisher policies adjusted to accommodate remote learning, to tips on running a virtual book club for middle schoolers. Despite all, fostering literacy and celebrating great books persisted as key topics of interest for our readers.

The stories I heard growing up shaped my sense of family and community, as well as my place in the world. As a result, I knew early on that America did not love us. Yet, at the same time I knew how much my family respected and revered this country, loved being Black and believed that nothing, even Jim Crow and his offspring, could ever stop our assent. My family made sure I understood that.

One in four kids tuned in to a podcast in 2020, drawn to stories and discussions about the coronavirus, money, activism, racial justice, and other topics.

Use these tools to engage students of every age in Hour of Code, planned for the week of December 7-13.