School Libraries

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.

Companies continue to respond to the pandemic's impact on educators and students; NCTE is taking proposals for next year's convention; the Educator Jobs Fund Act of 2020 is proposed in the senate; and Simon & Schuster plans new graphic novels for young readers.

Micro mentoring connects people in order to focus short-term on specific areas of professional development. 

When students get books from the school library these days, it looks less like regular checkout and more like holiday package delivery.

Hand these novels to young horse lovers and fans of the new streaming movie, a contemporary spin on Anna Sewell's 1877 novel starring Kate Winslet as the titular narrator.

I hope through my new book young readers will learn that there is a special book out there for everyone. Sometimes it can be hard to find, and sometimes the best stories are found within ourselves.