New Harry Potter Book out in July

The script for the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stageplay will be published in book form right after the play premieres. The Blair Partnership, J.K. Rowling’s literary and brand management agency, has announced new print and digital titles from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. The new program will debut at 12:01 a.m. on July 31, 2016 with the publication of a “special rehearsal edition” of the script book of the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I & II, which begins its run at London’s Palace Theatre this summer. The play, written by Jack Thorne, is based on an original story by Rowling, Thorne, and John Tiffany, which catches up with Harry Potter 19 years after the epilogue in the final book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

New imprints and publisher initiatives

Macmillan’s Flatiron Books, founded by Bob Miller in 2013 as a nonfiction publisher and named after the Manhattan building that houses Macmillan’s offices, is expanding into the young adult arena. Senior editor Sarah Dotts Barley will lead the new publishing program, starting with Alison Umminger’s American Girls (June), a coming-of-age story set in Los Angeles, and Meredith Russo’s If I Was Your Girl (May), the story of a trans girl keeping her past a secret in her new town. ““We are only publishing the books we are passionate about, and the list will continue be very selective, so that each book gets the care it deserves. So we probably will publish no more than eight to 10 YA novels per year,” Barley told Publishers Weekly.   Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing is launching Riveted, a new online destination for fans of YA lit with the tagline, “Fiction is our Addiction.” It will be an online community where visitors can read full-length books. As a follow-up to Pulseit—one of the first and fastest growing sites for fans of YA books—Riveted will focus on young adult fiction from all publishers as well as movies, TV, online media, and all emerging areas of YA culture with original editorial content. With contributions from authors such as Jenny Han, Morgan Matson, Siobhan Vivian, Suzanne Young and Scott Westerfeld, the site will provide a daily dose of lists, articles, quizzes, videos, giveaways, exclusive content reveals, and behind-the-scenes visits with an array of writers. The site will also welcome readers to submit original material and don a contributor profile. At launch, Riveted opens the gates with a binge read of Cassandra Clare’s New York Times best-selling series “The Mortal Instruments” (S. & S.). Leading up to the March release of the next installment of the Shadowhunters Chronicles, Lady Midnight, members from the editorial board will host live video chats every Friday to discuss the week’s #TMIBingeRead. In addition, the site will feature original content such as DIY videos on how to get the perfect book character-inspired hair, “word of the week” videos, and exclusive serialized bonus stories.

GIVEAWAY: YA Nonfiction Title About Reproductive Rights

The issue of reproductive rights will be in the news again this spring when the Supreme Court hears arguments on two pending cases. Vicki O. Wittenstein’s new book REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: WHO DECIDES? (21st Century/Lerner, March 2016) is a timely addition to high school collections. In a January review, SLJ said: “Rather than belaboring the ethical and moral implications generally associated with this hot-button topic, Wittenstein adeptly chronicles its evolution in terms of the various social, economic, legal, and political developments that have shaped our notions of identity and proper social roles for women, allowing teens to come to their own conclusions.” Three lucky winners will receive a copy of REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: WHO DECIDES? for their collections. To enter, go to this link. Entries must be received by midnight (PST) on February 19, 2016. Winners will be selected in a random drawing and notified via email. One entry per person, please; prizes will only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Apply, Apply, Apply

Applications are now being accepted for the 2016 Library of Congress Literacy Awards, which are made possible through the generosity of David M. Rubenstein, cofounder and co-CEO of The Carlyle Group. The awards, which were initiated by Rubenstein, were first conferred in 2013 to support organizations working to promote literacy in the United States and worldwide. The awards seek to recognize organizations doing exemplary, innovative, and easily replicable work over a sustained period of time and to encourage new groups, organizations and individuals to become involved in promoting reading and literacy. The application rules and a downloadable application form may be accessed at www.read.gov/literacyawards. Applications must be received no later than midnight Eastern time on March 31, 2016. The Library of Congress Literacy Awards program is administered by the Library’s Center for the Book. Final selection of prize winners will be made by the Librarian of Congress with recommendations from an advisory board of literacy experts. Three prizes will be awarded in 2016:

• The David M. Rubenstein Prize ($150,000) will be awarded to an organization that has made outstanding and measurable contributions in increasing literacy levels and has demonstrated exceptional and sustained depth and breadth in its commitment to the advancement of literacy. The organization will meet the highest standards of excellence in its operations and services. This award may be given to any organization based either inside or outside the United States.
• The American Prize ($50,000) will be awarded to an organization that has made a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels or the national awareness of the importance of literacy. This award may be given to any organization that is based in the United States.
• The International Prize ($50,000) will be awarded to an organization or national entity that has made a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels. This award may be given to any organization that is based in a country outside the United States.

Better World Books announces their sixth-annual Literacy Grants for Libraries and Nonprofits. Libraries and nonprofit organizations can apply for funds to support their efforts to further literacy in their communities. As a Founding B Corporation, Better World Books has raised over $22 million to date for literacy causes worldwide. Participants are selected using the following criteria:

• Projects should address the literacy needs of underserved populations in their community. Literacy needs are defined by broadly identifying, understanding, interpreting, creating, communicating, and computing information to live a more fulfilling and productive life.
• Projects that have a measurable and long term impact on an underserved population and will continue to operate after grant funds have been utilized will be looked upon favorably.

Libraries and nonprofits may pitch only one project each, with an award of $15,000 maximum for libraries and $5,000 for nonprofits. A total of $60,000 in funding is available. Organizations must clearly outline the project elements that require the requested funds. The Better World Books Literacy Council will review the projects. The Literacy Council will select library winners and nonprofit finalists. Nonprofit finalists will then be put to a public vote. Two nonprofit grant winners will be selected by vote and two will be selected by the Better World Books Literacy Council. The deadline for both library and nonprofit applicants is April 1, 2016 at 4:00 PM ET. To learn more about Better World Books’  literacy grants and to read about past winners, visit http://www.betterworldbooks.com/go/leap.

Free Resources

Anyone interested in connecting with other library and museum staff to explore connected learning for and with teens in libraries and museums is welcome to join the free YouMedia Community of Practice.  The site offers the following resources:

• About Us: provides resources for learning about and connecting with the YOUmedia Learning Labs network and community coordinators.
• Resources: designed to support the needs and the work of libraries and museumsby providing a  bank of downloadable resources.
• Monthly Round-up:a monthly summary of dates, events, and activities that are relevant to serving teens through libraries and museums
• Site Spotlight: a monthly feature that provides an in-depth look into a certain program, event, design, etc.
• Discussion Forum:area where community members communicate directly with each other (ask questions, post and share resources)

Users are not automatically connected to the site. Once you create an account, contact Korie Twiggs at ktwiggs@astc.org in order to activate your account and get you full access to the site.

Essay Contest for Students

Teens are invited to submit an essay about Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird in the modern world. The 2016 Facing History Together Student Essay Contest will open on February 16 and accept submissions until March 16. The contest winners will be selected in April. One U.S. high school senior will be awarded a $2,500 Upstander Scholarship, with their educator receiving a $250 Classroom Award. Five Upstander Awards of $500 will be given to U.S. 7th-12th grade students, with their educators receiving Classroom Awards valued at $250. The Details: 

• Educators of all winning students will receive a prize, as well as free access to a Teaching Mockingbird online course! 
• Students must be 13 years or older to submit an essay.
• This essay contest will allow students to explore conversations about justice, about goodness, about living in a divided society, about making difficult choices, and about the possibilities of social change.

Click here for more info on the essay contest.

In the winner’s circle

The inaugural Walter Dean Myers Award for outstanding children’s literature in the YA category has been given to Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely’s All American Boys (S. & S., 2015). We Need Diverse Books’ Walter Award committee announced the winners on January 20. The award will be officially bestowed upon Reynolds and Kiely at a ceremony at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. on March 18. The official Walter Award logo, designed by Phyllis Sa, will be unveiled during the ceremony. The Walter Dean Myers Award, also known as “The Walter,” is named for prolific children’s and young adult author Walter Dean Myers, who was the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature from 2012-2014, as well as a champion of diversity in children’s and YA books. Myers died in 2014. The recipients of the 2016 American Indian Youth Literature Award have been selected. The American Indian Youth Literature Awards are presented every two years by the American Indian Library Association (AILA), an affiliate of the American Library Association. The awards were established as a way to identify and honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. Books selected to receive the award will present American Indians in the fullness of their humanity in the present and past contexts. Little You (Orca, 2013), written by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by Julie Flett was chosen as the 2016 Best Picture Book winner; In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse (Amulet, 2015), written by Joseph Marshall III as the 2016 Best Middle School Book, and House of Purple Cedar (Cinco Puntos, 2014), written by Tim Tingle as the 2016 Best Young Adult Book. The recipients of the fifth American Indian Youth Literature Awards will be formally recognized at the American Libraries Association Annual Conference in Orlando Florida this summer. Honor Books were selected each category. A PDF of the full list of 2016 award recipients is available to print and share. The nominees in the 2015 Bram Stoker Awards for horror have been announced. The following are the finalists in the YA category: Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel Brozek, Jennifer – Never Let Me Sleep (Permuted Press) Chupeco, Rin – The Suffering (Sourcebooks Fire) Collings, Michaelbrent – The Ridealong (self-published) Dixon, John – Devil’s Pocket (Simon & Schuster) Hill, Will – Department 19: Darkest Night (HarperCollins Children’s Books) Hurley, Tonya – Hallowed (Simon & Schuster) Johnson, Maureen – The Shadow Cabinet (Penguin) Sattin, Samuel – The Silent End (Ragnarok Publications) Varley, Dax – Bleed (Garden Gate Press) Welke, Ian – End Times at Ridgemont High (Omnium Gatherum) Courtney Alameda’s Shutter (Feiwel & Friends) was nominated for outstanding achievement in a first novel. The 47th Annual NAACP Image Award-winners were announced on February 5. The recipient of Outstanding Children’s Literary Work award was Gordon Parks How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jamey Christoph (Albert Whitman, 2015). X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon (Candlewick, 2015) won the Youth/Teen prize. Check out the complete list of winners here.

Report your Challenges

American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is working to finalize its numbers for 2015 challenges and its annual list of most frequently challenged books. It collects information for the challenge database from media reports and those submitted by individuals and, while many challenges are never reported, it strives to be as comprehensive as possible. The final deadline for reporting 2015 challenges to OIF is Friday, February 26, 2016. Even if you think the challenge was probably already reported, send it anyway. Or maybe there are more details we can add to our database. Many times the status is left unknown because the case was reported before there was a resolution. So updates are also encouraged. Challenges reported to ALA by individuals are kept confidential and we will cross-check your report with existing entries in the database to avoid duplicates. You may report challenges by filling out and submitting the database form available in a variety of formats at www.ala.org/challengereporting. If you have any questions at all, please contact oif@ala.org.