Lewis is the school librarian at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, GA, and creator of the Read Woke movement. 

Essential and exceptional titles reviewed in our April 2020 issue, including picture books, middle grade, YA, nonfiction, and graphic novels for children and teens.

In an effort to help educators move to remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic, children's publishers are changing their policies on copyright infringement.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day with these 12 nonfiction books for elementary, middle school, and high school readers.

The majority of public and K–12 librarians consider it "very important" to have a diverse book collection for kids and teens, according to SLJ's nationwide survey. But there are hurdles, including a lack of quality titles in specific areas.

Librarians respond to the challenge of where to put diverse books once they have them in their collections.

On the Diverse Books Survey page, users can access related content, newly updated, as well as our Diverse Books Survey report.

These services meet the needs of children and families across the country, with programming ranging from robotics to summer meals to ever-popular reading challenges.

Nearly  100 percent of public libraries use incentives in their summer reading programs, according to SLJ's survey. Still, respondents had a lot to say about prizes as well as what motivates kids to read over vacation.

Scholastic releases its latest Kids and Family Reading Report.

Survey shows parents and teachers agree public schools—and teachers—need more money, but have differing opinions on the role of public schools and how to evaluate them.

While in the minority, the SLJ Diverse Books Survey reveals some librarians are declining to purchase books with diverse characters to avoid a challenge.

A curricular guide for Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You  by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, geared for educators and students, ages 12 and up.

Three recent YA nonfiction works—Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You; An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People; and A Queer History of the United States for Young People—are "remixing" history to put marginalized people front and center. 

School librarian Laura Gardner offers best practices to stay connected with students and keep the fun factor high. 

A wealth of information is available about the Holocaust, but many students don't know much about it. Educators supplement curricula by exploring patterns of genocide and the power of propaganda.

The relatively low-priced subscription service offers an opportunity to try out a large selection of newly released titles.

As educators turn to remote programming and classroom management due to the COVID-19 outbreak and school closures, ed tech providers are offering free access. Here’s a list. 

 

 

Essential and exceptional titles reviewed in our March 2020 issue, including picture books, middle grade, YA, nonfiction, graphic novels, and audiobooks for children and teens.

Fourteen outstanding titles made SLJ's list of the best graphic novels for children and teens published in 2019. 

Debates over leveling focus on how to best teach reading versus how to foster passionate readers who choose their own books. How did we get here?

 

 

 

Looking for ways to keep your comics-loving kids and teens occupied? These free webcomics promise to eat up hours of time.

The at-home program offers downloadable superhero-themed activities, previews of graphic novels, and how-to videos from DC's roster of middle grade authors and illustrators, including Minh Lê, Gene Luen Yang, Shannon and Dean Hale, Meg Cabot, and Amanda Deibert.

Malaka Gharib of the NPR blog Goats and Soda has created a comic that explains COVID-19 in simple terms for children. The comic can be printed and folded into a zine, and it has been translated into Chinese, Spanish, Russian, and other languages and made into a video. That second link has some examples of […]

It’s looking like 2020 will be a big year for graphic novels for young people.

What are the books that call to readers homebound by coronavirus? See the results of our poll. And let us know what you're reading in the comments.

Many of us are struggling to find the motivation to read during this pandemic. Here are some ways to spark your desire—and your ability to concentrate—for reading.

Best-selling author and Sibert Honor-winner Chris Barton talks about his new book, All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing After the Oklahoma City Bombing, and how parents, educators, librarians, and authors can discuss difficult topics with young children. 

Nikole Hannah-Jones, founder of the 1619 Project, spoke to Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi about their collaboration on Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You.