BOOKLISTS

8 Books to Help Librarians Thrive | Professional Reading Roundup

From literacy instruction to battling book bans and censorship, the subjects of these titles will inform and inspire librarians and other educators.

BLOGS

GOOD COMICS FOR KIDS

First Test Graphic Novel | Review

TEEN LIBRARIAN TOOLBOX

The Missing Piece: How Writing Middle Grade Helped Solidify My Cultural Identity, a guest post by Ashley Granillo

TEEN LIBRARIAN TOOLBOX

Book Review: Mama’s Chicken and Dumplings by Dionna L. Mann

A FUSE #8 PRODUCTION

Review of the Day: The Wrong Way Home by Kate O’Shaughnessy

TEEN LIBRARIAN TOOLBOX

Book Review: Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

BOOKS & REVIEWS

31 Great New Reads, Including Books by Jandy Nelson, Ellen Hopkins, and a Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin Collaboration | Starred Reviews, August 2024

27 Exceptional YA Books | SLJ 2024 Stars So Far

Chaaya Prabhat: A Versatile Illustrator with a Whimsical Streak | The 2024 Stars Issue

More Books & Reviews

BOOKS & REVIEWS

31 Great New Reads, Including Books by Jandy Nelson, Ellen Hopkins, and a Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin Collaboration | Starred Reviews, August 2024

27 Exceptional YA Books | SLJ 2024 Stars So Far

Chaaya Prabhat: A Versatile Illustrator with a Whimsical Streak | The 2024 Stars Issue

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BOOKS & MEDIA

Making a Great Audiobook: Librarians, Audio Experts on Elements of Outstanding Recordings

Andrew Bauld, Aug 01, 2024

Music and sound effects can elevate an audiobook, but an authentic narrator is what makes for a stellar listening experience, librarians and industry experts say.

CENSORSHIP

Louisiana Coalition Offers Model for Turning Back Anti-Library Legislation

Kara Yorio, Aug 02, 2024

The actions of this broad coalition of partners, led by the Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship and the Louisiana Association of School Librarians, lays out a template to follow in other states battling bad bills.

ED TECH

AI for the Library: Readers' Advisory Tasks

Elissa Malespina, Jul 23, 2024

A step-by-step guide to using generative AI for book summaries and recommendations.

BOOKLISTS

27 Exceptional YA Books | SLJ 2024 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 15, 2024

It's been a great year for YA so far! These starred titles include everything from contemporary coming-of-age stories to high-stakes fantasy to diverse romances, and more.

More Editors' Picks

INDUSTRY NEWS

Spend It if You Can | SLJ 2024 Budget Survey

Marlaina Cockcroft, Apr 04, 2024

With budgets mostly flat, book challenges and rising costs pose hurdles for school librarians.

INDUSTRY NEWS

BIPOC Representation in Children's Literatures Continues Its Slow Rise, According to CCBC's Diversity Statistics

SLJ Staff, Apr 04, 2024

The Cooperative Children’s Book Center released its latest Diversity Statistics report on children's literature, showing another year of small increases in books with BIPOC primary characters and significant BIPOC content.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Sora Report: Digital Reading Increases with Double-Digit Growth in Comics and Graphic Novels

SLJ Staff, Apr 03, 2024

The State of K-12 Digital Reading breaks down the data for the 2022-23 school year, showing the popularity of comics and graphic novels in the digital format plus regional differences in reading habits.

INDUSTRY NEWS

From a Young Age, Children Tune in to Audiobooks | Survey

Marlaina Cockcroft, Jan 04, 2024

Children are eager listeners—of audiobooks, according to a new Library Journal / School Library Journal survey. Libraries are keeping up with the demand as formats evolve.

CENSORSHIP

Nearly a Quarter of School Librarians Have Experienced Harassment Over Books | SLJ Censorship Survey

Kathy Ishizuka, Sep 30, 2023

Twenty-four percent of school librarians have been harassed this past year over books or displays in their library. That’s according to a recent SLJ survey, which found the rate even higher among high school librarians, 30 percent of whom have experienced harassment.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Graphic Novels, Manga Explode in Popularity Among Students | SLJ Survey

Marlaina Cockcroft, Oct 03, 2023

If graphic novels are flying off the shelves at your library, that reflects a remarkable trend: The format’s popularity has shot up at over 90 percent of school libraries in the last few years, according to a new SLJ survey.

INDUSTRY NEWS

SLJ, NCTE Launch Survey to Remake Summer Reading Lists

SLJ staff, Jan 19, 2022

Those dreaded summer reading lists. For eons, teachers have been handing out assigned reading, mostly comprised of old “classics.” With this survey, SLJ and NCTE invite teachers and librarians to choose the titles you’d like culled from required reading and those books you would urge students to read instead.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Time to Refresh the Canon: Here Are Our Picks

Shelley Diaz, May 10, 2022

SLJ and NCTE collaborated to create 18 booklists of titles to replace, or use as a companion to, canon "classics."

INDUSTRY NEWS

Under Pressure: Survey Provides Insight into Librarians' Job Satisfaction

Marlaina Cockcroft, Feb 21, 2023

More librarians find their work challenging, but most still love what they do, the latest LJ/SLJ Survey shows.

CENSORSHIP

Censorship Attempts Will Have a Long-lasting Impact on School Library Collections, SLJ Survey Shows

Kara Yorio, Sep 08, 2022

In the past year, school librarians have faced coordinated, hate-filled censorship campaigns that impact available books and collection development decisions. Here, they share their stories.

More Research

BOOKLISTS

42 Stellar Middle Grade | SLJ 2024 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 08, 2024

This year has gone above and beyond with its middle grade offerings! From powerful historical fiction to hilarious magical mayhem, this list features our top titles so far.

BOOKLISTS

27 Exceptional YA Books | SLJ 2024 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 15, 2024

It's been a great year for YA so far! These starred titles include everything from contemporary coming-of-age stories to high-stakes fantasy to diverse romances, and more.

INDUSTRY NEWS

How to Encourage Voting Through Story Time | First Steps

Betsy Diamant-Cohen and Rachel G. Payne, Aug 05, 2024

Offer registration help to caregivers, add voting activities to engage children and adults, and share these age-appropriate books about civic engagement.

CENSORSHIP

Defending the Canon: SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics

SLJ Reviewers and NCTE, Apr 17, 2024

In our last round of reviews of banned classics, SLJ and NCTE cover two of Jane Austen's works, the timely Fahrenheit 451, and the heartbreaking I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.

BEST OF

2024 Stars So Far

Jul 08, 2024

We’ve starred 276 books, published from January 2024 to June 2024. Here’s what we thought of them.

NEWS & FEATURES

6 Multiplayer Video Games for Library Collections

Chance Lee Joyner, Jul 10, 2024

From multiplayer matches to couch co-op adventures, sometimes two (or more) heads are better than one. Here are six multiplayer video games to add to your collection for building community in the library and at home.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Nonfiction for Young Readers About Paralympians and the Paralympic Games

SLJ Reviews, Jun 24, 2024

As the world prepares for the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games, here are a few nonfiction titles about the Games and some of the inspiring athletes who have competed in them.

BOOKLISTS

13 Joy-Filled Middle Grade Titles for Tweens’ Summer Reading | We Are Kid Lit Collective

Sam Bloom, Edith Campbell, Ariana Hussain, Sujei Lugo & Lyn Miller-Lachmann, May 16, 2024

From magical school fantasies to hilarious sibling stories, these 13 selections will keep middle schoolers turning pages during summer break. Complete with graphic novels, biographies, and poetry, this list has something for every tween.

BOOKLISTS

10 Reference Titles for Research in Women's History, Sharks, AI & More

SLJ Reviews, Jun 25, 2024

This print reference roundup features nonfiction titles for all ages, including a bird guide for kids, a volume on censorship, two research-ready tomes on women's history, and the ultimate bugopedia.

BOOKLISTS

32 Superb Graphic Novels | SLJ 2024 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 15, 2024

From early reader to YA titles, these starred graphic novels showcase the very best of the comics medium so far in 2024. Use the downloadable spreadsheet to ensure your collection includes these superb graphic novels.

BOOKLISTS

22 Recent Picture Book Biographies of Fascinating People

SLJ Reviews, Jul 29, 2024

Biographies for the picture-book set are in abundance, so we pulled out recent titles that got our reviewers' attentions and became stars in the first months of 2024. Use the link for the full review!

ED TECH

AI for the Library: Readers' Advisory Tasks

Elissa Malespina, Jul 23, 2024

A step-by-step guide to using generative AI for book summaries and recommendations.

BOOKLISTS

Children at Play | Board Books Roundup

Kimberly Olson Fakih, Jul 30, 2024

Inclusion and play seem to be the watchwords for this roundup. These books include children using cochlear implants, eye shields, prosthetics, wheelchairs, and other helpful tools and devices, but the text never points them out or even mentions them. Welcome to the world of children at play.

BOOKLISTS

4 Picture Books About Women Taking Their Daughters and Granddaughters to the Polls

SLJ Reviews, Jul 25, 2024

Women's Equality Day, celebrated on August 26th, commemorates the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. In these titles, mothers and grandmothers take their daughters and granddaughters along with them to polls, to show the children the importance of exercising the hard-won right for women to vote.

BOOKLISTS

4 Captivating Crossover Titles for Teens to Read During Summer Break | We Are Kid Lit Collective

Sam Bloom, Edith Campbell, Ariana Hussain, Sujei Lugo & Lyn Miller-Lachmann, May 30, 2024

From a TEDx Talk to a manga, these transmedia picks will entice young adults to keep their minds engaged this summer.

BOOKS & MEDIA

8 Titles of Resilience and Hope for Holocaust Remembrance Day

SLJ Reviews, Jan 23, 2024

January 27 is designated as a day to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust. Share these stories of resilience and hope about people of various ages, races, nationalities, and more with young readers today and throughout the year.

BOOKLISTS

19 Books Featuring Incarcerated Family Members for Young Readers of All Ages

Rachel Owens, Jun 05, 2024

Stories of children with parents behind bars are as diverse as the millions of real-life kids familiar with the experience. These 19 fiction and nonfiction titles may offer an empathetic, metaphoric hand for young readers to hold.

BOOKLISTS

81 Exemplary Picture Books | SLJ 2024 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 08, 2024

Get your purchase list out and make sure you include these picture books; we've found dozens of contenders for this year's Best Books collection.

More Classroom & Curricula

BOOKLISTS

32 Superb Graphic Novels | SLJ 2024 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 15, 2024

ADVOCACY

15 Graphic Novels to Celebrate Pride This Month and Year-Round

SLJ Staff, Jun 17, 2024

As we find ourselves at the midway point of June, amidst the celebrations of Pride Month, it's an opportune time to reflect on the rich tapestry of narratives within the LGBTQIA+ community with 15 noteworthy graphic novels that can help us celebrate Pride this month, and year-round.

BOOKLISTS

Grandparents Play a Key Role in These Graphic Novels | Stellar Panels

Brigid Alverson, Jun 13, 2024

In these stories, some grandparents are kind and loving, others carry the trauma of their past. Often, kids turn to them when they feel their parents won’t understand.

BOOKLISTS

Eight Fantasy-Focused Graphic Novels | Stellar Panels

Brigid Alverson, May 21, 2024

From a fire-breathing corgi to bunnies with wings, characters in these fantasy titles for elementary and middle school readers hold strong appeal.

BOOKLISTS

Best Graphic Novels 2023 | SLJ Best Books

Jasmine Amiri, Jenny Arch, Shelley M. Diaz, Andrea Lipinski, Carla Riemer, Nov 21, 2023

From stunning memoirs to sustainability guides, this year’s Best Graphic Novels list features 25 unforgettable works that take comics to new heights.

BLOGS

Just Like Mona Lisa, vol 1 | Review

Renee Scott, Jul 16, 2024

A nonbinary teen finds themselves in a complicated love triangle in this thought-provoking manga.

BLOGS

Warriors: The Prophecies Begin | This Week’s Comics

Lori Henderson, Jul 22, 2024

Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring a new graphic adaptation of the Warriors novels from Harper Alley and the second volume of Meesh the Bad Demon from Knopf Books for Young Readers.

NEWS & FEATURES

New Manga from Viz, Kodansha, and More! | Manga Roundup

SLJ Reviews, Jun 03, 2024

Seven new manga releases that are sure to be a hit with YA readers.

BOOKLISTS

14 Genre-Blending Graphic Novels for Middle Graders

Rosemary Kiladitisis, Apr 23, 2024

Genre-blending books offer readers the opportunity to comfortably expand across boundaries and try something different while still in the safety of their preferred reading choice. Here are 14 middle grade graphic novels that blend genres to perfection.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Winning Manga for Grades 1-8

Brigid Alverson, Mar 05, 2024

Nine popular series for elementary and middle grade readers.

BLOGS

Afro Unicorn | This Week’s Comics

Lori Henderson, Jul 15, 2024

Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring Afro Unicorn Volume 1 The Land of Afronia from Andrews McMeel and Jackson's Wilder Adventures Volume 1 Habits and Habitats from Papercutz.

BLOGS

Goblin: The Wolf and the Well | Preview

Brigid Alverson, Jul 11, 2024

Today we have a preview of Goblin: The Wolf and the Well, by writer Eric Grissom and artist Will Perkins. This is the second volume of their middle-grade fantasy series about Rikt, an orphaned goblin, and his companion, a wolf named Fish-Breath. Here’s the publisher’s description: After losing his parents, Rikt struggles with a fear […]

BOOKLISTS

Mighty Manhwa! | Stellar Panels

Brigid Alverson, Mar 27, 2024

Korean and Chinese comics reach English-language readers.

OPINION

Turning a Page: SLJ will turn 70. How can we best serve readers? | From the Editor

Kathy Ishizuka, Oct 15, 2023

The editors are planning for 2024, SLJ's 70th anniversary year.

More Graphic Novels

INDUSTRY NEWS

A Librarian in the Library Is Good: John Oliver, ‘Abbott Elementary’ on an institution worth fighting for | From the Editor

Kathy Ishizuka, Jun 03, 2024

Can exposure in popular media make a difference? Given the sheer reach of these shows, it’s hard to imagine they haven’t raised awareness of libraries and the larger stakes currently at play.

CENSORSHIP

Kindergartener Goes Rogue with 'Poopy Pants' | Scales on Censorship

Pat Scales, Jun 12, 2024

A students entertains classmates with a book some may find objectionable; an elementary principal nixes librarian readers' advisory. Pat Scales offers advice.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Top Trends in SLJ's Starred Books | The 2024 Stars Issue

Kelly Jensen, Jul 01, 2024

Conservation, intergenerational bonds, joy, concepts of home, and other standout themes in this year’s standout titles.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Aida Salazar on the Art of Translation, Truth, and the Language of Lyricism | The 2024 Stars Issue

Shelley M. Diaz, Jul 29, 2024

Gifted translators are not celebrated as often as authors or illustrators, but their work is vital to a book's success. SLJ profiles Aida Salazar, the award-winning author who also translated this year's starred book La panza de mamá by Isabel Quintero.

BLOGS

The Power of Preserving and Passing Down Family Histories, a guest post by Ritu Hemnani

Amanda MacGregor, Aug 01, 2024

Of all we can leave to our future generations, a rich store of familial wisdom and virtue preserved through stories must be the most cherished inheritance of all.

BLOGS

Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Abuela by Arthur Dorros, ill. Elisa Kleven

Betsy Bird, Aug 05, 2024

Today we tackle Abuela by Arthur Dorros, a book that has remained popular after all these years. Does it deserve the acclaim? We intend to find out.

REASONSTOLOVELIBRARIES

Reasons to Love Libraries: 23 Notable Authors and Public Figures Share Their Joy

SLJ Staff, May 30, 2024

They are a community’s soul, “cathedrals to who we should be as a society,” and so much more.

INDUSTRY NEWS

What’s not Cringe? Books. Gen Alpha Likes to Read. | From the Editor

Kathy Ishizuka, Apr 16, 2024

Gen A is plugged in and opinionated, as marketers attempt to keep pace. Librarians stay right with young users, knowing that's all a part of the job.

BLOGS

Getting Big-Issue Narrative Nonfiction in the Hands of Teens and Tweens, by Patricia Newman and Jessica Stremer

Karen Jensen, MLS, Aug 05, 2024

Patricia Newman and Jessica Stremer talk about narrative non-fiction

AWARDS

Neal Shusterman, Dystopian Optimist

Kara Yorio, Jun 06, 2024

The 2024 Margaret A. Edwards Award winner talks about hope, collaboration, and the school librarian who changed his life.

OPINION

Gauging Service to Spanish Speakers: Libraries see critical demand for books, information en español | From the Editor

Kathy Ishizuka, Mar 23, 2024

The U.S. ranks second in the world for the most Spanish speakers, after Mexico. With shortages of bilingual teachers reported nationwide, librarians and publishers consider meeting an acute need.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Announcing a New Project: “Reasons to Love Libraries”

Kathy Ishizuka, Mar 11, 2024

“Reasons to Love Libraries” is a yearlong editorial project and campaign to engage the public in reflecting on libraries to reveal their impact on people and communities.

More Opinion

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Social Media Marketing and Engagement for Libraries

Oct 10, 2024

LJ & SLJ Public Library Youth Services Leadership Summit

Sep 26 & Sep 27, 2024

EVENTS

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ONLINE COURSES

Social Media Marketing and Engagement for Libraries

Oct 10, 2024

IN-PERSON EVENTS

LJ & SLJ Public Library Youth Services Leadership Summit

Sep 26 & Sep 27, 2024

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8 Books to Help Librarians Thrive | Professional Reading Roundup