From the moment children are born, their home, family, and community become their world. Children’s earliest feelings, impressions, experiences, and dreams come from these interactions, and set the stage for how they will engage with the broader world around them....
I’m a Muslim American immigrant, and my children are Americans who were born in the U.S. and raised through the lens of the worst terrorist attack on the U.S. Yet for the longest time, it never occurred to me that...
About the Book Shadi is named for joy yet is feeling anything but. It’s 2003. The United States has officially declared war on Iraq and the local Muslim community is being harassed and targeted more than ever before. Her community...
About the Book Release your inner Drag Queen and get ready for Pumpkin! Growing up in a small town isn’t easy especially when you’re fat AND openly gay like Waylon Brewer. Luckily, Waylon has a plan. After graduation, he and...
ABOUT THE BOOK Told from multiple points of view, A Sitting in St. James intertwines the story of a white slaveholding family as their position in society begins to slip with the lives of the enslaved at Le Petit Cottage....
The Accursed Vampire is on sale 7/27/21 When I write and draw comics intended for a middle grade reader, I can’t help but think about my experiences as a book-loving kid. I think about what I would’ve found fun and...
This piece was originally published on SLJ Teen Librarian Toolbox on May 27, 2021. I get asked a lot what I’d like to see more of in the YA space, and my answer is always, “More frankness around the topic...
Download the FREE poster! Hop aboard the Peace Train in this picture book adaptation of Cat Stevens’s legendary anthem of unity and harmony in time for the song’s 50th anniversary! With illustrations by New York Times bestselling illustrator Peter H....
The town I grew up in didn’t have a library. In fact, it still doesn’t to this day. But for a while it had instead what we called the "lending library." It was housed in the old bank, and then...
View the archived webinar here! By sharing and celebrating diverse books, teachers and librarians have an opportunity to help young people better understand themselves and others. We encourage you to look critically at the books you’re sharing with your students...
Take a read on the wild side this summer with some of our favorite books about animals! The Collaborative Summer Library Program’s theme for 2021 is “Tails and Tales,” so here are some great titles for middle grade to keep...
Author Kekla Magoon and The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall's Life, Leadership, and Legacy - available now! I’ve always thought of Thurgood Marshall as a hero. He was a famous attorney who battled for civil rights in courts all over the...
The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall's Life, Leadership, and Legacy is on sale now I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve had the opportunity to illustrate so many wonderful books about amazing, inspiring people. I love the challenge illustrating a biography for children...
Brian Pinkney's newest picture book, Time for Kenny, is on sale now! Time for Kenny is the story of a busy kid whose days are filled with things that bring him joy. He loves dressing in Granddaddy’s hat, learning to...
“If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” - Carter G. Woodson, historian and founder of the Association...
What books are you sharing with young readers this Black History Month? We encourage you to #ShakeUpYourShelves by celebrating the Black history makers of today and shining a spotlight on Black creators for all ages and genres. Check out some...
While 2020 was not the year anyone expected, it was certainly a great year for children’s books. We could not be prouder of our winners and honorees! Please find more information about these books and authors below. ...
Dear Reader, Like so many stories, this one began with the question what if? What if I could slip through time and talk to my sixteen-year-old self? I know exactly what I’d tell her: It isn’t okay. You aren’t alone....
National Book Award winner Kacen Callender reflects on why it is so important to build inclusive literary curriculum for children and teens. Their latest YA book, FELIX EVER AFTER, is on sale now. Hello, teachers, librarians, and booksellers! It’s Kacen...
By Cynthia Leitich Smith November is Native American Heritage. As we honor the Indigenous peoples of North America this month, we know the importance of uplifting Native voices every day of the year. Award-winning author Cynthia Leitich Smith is the...
By Meena Harris Meena Harris is the Founder and CEO of Phenomenal and the New York Times bestselling author of Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea. She currently resides in San Francisco with her partner and two daughters. “No one can...
