Grant kids agency in choosing their own books and a love of reading will follow. Donalyn Miller’s essay addressing the backfire effect of those required summer reading lists and what to do about it resonated with readers. So, too, did our coverage of ALA Annual, where author Jason Reynolds opened the conference, calling on librarians to reimagine their roles to better serve young patrons. 

Herewith, our most viewed stories on SLJ.com for the past seven days. 

If Kids Can’t Read What They Want in the Summer, When Can They? | Opinion

Assigned summer booklists can seriously hinder kids’ long-term interest in reading. Donalyn Miller makes the case for giving children agency to choose what they read.

AASL Best Apps Feature Top Choices in STEM, AR/VR, Content Creation

The much anticipated best apps, chosen by the American Association of School Librarians each year, were announced on Saturday, alongside the best websites. But it was for the last time—the lists will be merged into a single best learning tools annual list beginning in 2020.

Jason Reynolds Challenges Librarians To Reimagine Their Role and More ALA Highlights

There were inspiring speakers, thought-provoking sessions, and protests at the ALA Annual Conference. Here are highlights, news, and notes from this year's event in Washington, DC.

Arkansas Librarians Launch Summer Book Bus, Inspire Community

After years of dreaming, school librarians and friends Kim Moss and Carol Halbmaier have a bus-turned-bookmobile to get books to students over the summer.

An Updated Look at Diversity in Children's Books

Using numbers from the Cooperative Children's Book Center, this infographic—updated from 2015—illustrates representation in children's literature.

ISTE, Follett Offer Scholarships to Future Ready Librarian Course This Fall 

Ready to take the next step? K–12 librarians serving high-need communities are eligible for a partial-tuition scholarship toward attending a fall leadership course in Future Ready librarianship.

22 Stellar New Reads (and Listens) | June Stars 

Kwame Alexander, Kyle Lukoff, Remy Lai, and Stacey Lee are among the authors whose books made our list of stellar titles in the June issue.