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31 Days, 31 Lists: 2024 Unconventional Children’s Books

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2024 Unconventional Children’s Books
Some books today could easily be called "weird" but you're also going to see a number of titles that upset our conceptions of what a children's book published in America can even be. That might mean the subject matter, the narrative style, the art, or some other aspect is "unconventional".
BOOKS & REVIEWS
It’s All Connected | General Science Series Nonfiction

It’s All Connected | General Science Series Nonfiction
5 Kwanzaa Books and Audiobooks for Young Readers

5 Kwanzaa Books and Audiobooks for Young Readers
Best Young Adult Books 2024 | SLJ Best Books

Best Young Adult Books 2024 | SLJ Best Books
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BOOKS & REVIEWS
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BOOKLISTS

Best Manga 2024 | SLJ Best Books
Jasmine Amiri, Rachel Forbes, Joe Pascullo, Lisa Rowland, Sara Smith, Nov 19, 2024
As the medium continues its meteoric rise, 2024 marked the debut of SLJ's first-ever Best Books committee dedicated exclusively to manga. From shock-charged action and celestial fantasy to eco-horror and edutainment, these 22 standout titles offer something for readers of all ages and interests, redefining what belongs on K–12 shelves—and why.

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BLOGS

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2024 Unconventional Children’s Books
Betsy Bird, Dec 17, 2024
Some books today could easily be called "weird" but you're also going to see a number of titles that upset our conceptions of what a children's book published in America can even be. That might mean the subject matter, the narrative style, the art, or some other aspect is "unconventional".
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BLOGS

The Heavy Medal Book List Discussion Schedule (and more fun stuff coming in the next six weeks)
Steven Engelfried, Dec 16, 2024
Our discussion of 15 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery titles begins in two weeks. Here's a complete schedule of titles and discussion dates, along with other Heavy Medal activities in store as we approach the announcement of the 2025 Newbery Medal.
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INDUSTRY NEWS

Facing Book Bans, Libraries Need to Skill Up. Enter READCON.
Kathy Ishizuka, Dec 14, 2024
IMLS-funded, READCON provides free, self-guided training to help library practitioners build strong community relationships, ­manage ­difficult situations, and engage stakeholders. Public, school, and academic library workers are also welcome to READCON's ­Legal Landscape of Librarianship Forum, February 18–20.

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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.

 

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ELEMENTARY

New Trends in Transitional Books
Marlaina Cockcroft, Sep 27, 2024
Early chapter books? Easy readers? Whatever you call them, transitional books are key for young students, librarians say.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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." 

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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.

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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.

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BOOKLISTS

Native Voices: A Curated List of 2024 Titles Featuring Native American Stories | Great Books
SLJ Reviews, Oct 28, 2024
This roundup of 2024 books centering Native American stories offers something for every reader to enjoy this November and all year long.

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BOOKLISTS

Best Middle Grade Books 2024 | SLJ Best Books
Monisha Blair, Kristin Brynsvold, Tracy Cronce, Mariah Smitala, Ashleigh Williams, Nov 20, 2024
Gripping fantastical journeys, family secrets, unbridled joy, and inconceivable loss: in these pages, tweens are facing it all. These 26 middle grade titles are exemplars across genre of the power of truth telling and embracing one's authentic self, even when it seems impossible. 

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BOOKLISTS

Best Manga 2024 | SLJ Best Books
Jasmine Amiri, Rachel Forbes, Joe Pascullo, Lisa Rowland, Sara Smith, Nov 19, 2024
As the medium continues its meteoric rise, 2024 marked the debut of SLJ's first-ever Best Books committee dedicated exclusively to manga. From shock-charged action and celestial fantasy to eco-horror and edutainment, these 22 standout titles offer something for readers of all ages and interests, redefining what belongs on K–12 shelves—and why.

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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.

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SERIES MADE SIMPLE

Rising to the Occasion | Spanish Series Nonfiction
Natalie Romano, Denver PL, CO, Nov 18, 2024
This season's Spanish series include an exciting range of selections, with high-quality translations and striking artwork.

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AWARDS

'Kareem Between' Wins 2024 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature
Kara Yorio, Nov 21, 2024
Shifa Saltagi Safadi's novel in verse about an immigrant family, the 2016 Muslim ban, and a boy trying to balance school and family earned the prestigious prize.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Library Makers Offers Online Community, Resources, and Education
Kara Yorio, Oct 08, 2024
A former school librarian helped create Library Makers, an online platform designed to connect librarians and educators who manage makerspaces or run maker events and programs.

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TEENS

14 YA Romances to Warm Readers' Hearts During Hispanic Heritage Month and All Year Round
SLJ Reviews, Sep 17, 2024
From fantastical to contemporary, these 14 diverse YA romance novels featuring Latinx protagonists will be loved by readers this Hispanic Heritage Month and throughout the year.

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BOOKLISTS

21 Nonfiction Titles for Young People in Honor of Latinx Heritage Month
SLJ Reviews, Sep 18, 2024
From picture book biographies to historical overviews and reference titles, this roundup spotlights informational texts centering Latinx heritage. Add these works to nonfiction displays from September 15 to October 15 (and every other month of the year).

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CENSORSHIP

18 More Reviews of Banned Classics | Defending the Canon
SLJ Reviewers and NCTE, Sep 23, 2024
In time for Banned Books Week, NCTE and SLJ have partnered again to provide professional reviews of banned curriculum staples. We highlight 18 acclaimed works by celebrated authors, including Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

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BOOKLISTS

12 Transitional Book Series Librarians Love and Why
Marlaina Cockcroft, Oct 01, 2024
Librarians responding to our 2024 Transitional Books Survey had a lot to say about their favorite series. Here's why "Fly Guy," "Mercy Watson," and others stand out to them. 

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BOOKS & MEDIA

15 Titles with Haitian American Representation to Share with Kids of All Ages
SLJ Reviews, Sep 23, 2024
With Haitian communities under attack in Ohio and across the country, share these titles that feature Haitian American representation or are by Haitian American authors, including picture books by Tami Charles and YA novels by Ben Phillipe and Ibi Zoboi.

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BOOKLISTS

Break-Ups and Make-Ups: 14 books that tackle tween friendships | Great Books
Laura Dooley-Taylor, Aug 21, 2024
These excellent middle grade titles illustrate the significance and complexity of tween friendships.

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CENSORSHIP

Banned Books Week News, Events, and Resources
Kara Yorio, Sep 17, 2024
Banned Books Week 2024 is about raising awareness and taking action. Here are some events, resources, and ways to get involved in the fight against censorship.

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BOOKLISTS

8 Books to Help Librarians Thrive | Professional Reading Roundup
SLJ Reviews, Aug 07, 2024
From literacy instruction to battling book bans and censorship, the subjects of these titles will inform and inspire librarians and other educators.

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

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BOOKLISTS

Best Graphic Novels 2024 | SLJ Best Books
Jasmine Amiri, Angie Jameson, Rosemary Kiladitis, Andrea Lipinski, Allison Tran, Nov 21, 2024
Cozy fantasies, immigration stories, and reimagined classics—2024’s Best Graphic Novels list isn’t just a collection of 25 unforgettable reads, it’s a showcase of comics that push storytelling to new heights.

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BOOKLISTS

Best Manga 2024 | SLJ Best Books
Jasmine Amiri, Rachel Forbes, Joe Pascullo, Lisa Rowland, Sara Smith, Nov 19, 2024
As the medium continues its meteoric rise, 2024 marked the debut of SLJ's first-ever Best Books committee dedicated exclusively to manga. From shock-charged action and celestial fantasy to eco-horror and edutainment, these 22 standout titles offer something for readers of all ages and interests, redefining what belongs on K–12 shelves—and why.

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BLOGS

Flash Gordon Adventures | This Week’s Comics
Lori Henderson, Nov 26, 2024
Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring Flash Gordon Adventures Volume 1 Flash of Greatness from Papercutz and Sesame Street #4 from Oni Press.
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BOOKLISTS

Manga Monsters | Mondo Manga
Brigid Alverson, Oct 31, 2024
These seven series about supernatural creatures are more humorous than scary and often emphasize acceptance.

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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.

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BLOGS

Tegan and Sara: Crush | Review
J. Caleb Mozzocco, Nov 07, 2024
Tegan Quin, Sara Quin, and Tillie Walden return with the sequel to last year's Junior High, continuing the fictionalized story of Tegan and Sara's origin story.
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BLOGS

Take Five: New Middle Grade Graphic Novels for October
Amanda MacGregor, Oct 11, 2024
If I had a dollar for every time I said something to the effect of "graphic novels are real books" or "reading graphic novels is reading" to someone disparaging them... well, I couldn't quit my job, but I would have a LOT of dollars.
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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.

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NEWS & FEATURES

Sara Quin of Tegan and Sara on Collaboration, Comics Books, and Coming of Age
Jasmine Amiri, Aug 26, 2024
Sara Quin of indie pop duo Tegan and Sara discusses the forthcoming final installment in the band’s graphic novel series, offering a glimpse into the life events and creative journey that resulted in Tegan and Sara: Crush.

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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.

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BOOKS

Hilda and Twig: Hide from the Rain
Nov 01, 2024
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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 […]
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BOOKLISTS

Mighty Manhwa! | Stellar Panels
Brigid Alverson, Mar 27, 2024
Korean and Chinese comics reach English-language readers.

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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.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
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Middle Grade Magic 2025

ONLINE, Mar 06, 2025

What’s It Really Like? Join the 2025 Mock Newbery LIVE!

ONLINE, Jan 24, 2025

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Feb 21 to Mar 06, 2024

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Mar 06, 2025

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PROGRAMS & PROGRAMMING

Reasons to Love Libraries
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CENSORSHIP

Defending the Canon: SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
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