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The seasoned duo chat about their collaborative process, real-life "Dogtown" counterparts, and drawing plot inspiration from the absurdity of the everyday. Plus, a cover reveal!

Just ahead of the release of their YA fantasy novel Infinity Alchemist, author Kacen Callender talked with SLJ about the idea of "chosen ones," reflecting their community and identity in their writing, and more.

Research provides an opportunity to reclaim the narrative of enslavement and “share it in creative ways that deeply connect us to the past,” says the author of Freewater, which won the 2023 Newbery.

Nikki M. Taylor discusses research challenges around early Black American history and suggests resources.

Crews discusses the research that went into her new picture book about the children’s author and literary legend.

The 2015 Caldecott winner explains why the award should go to the illustrator and the author, and reveals his memorable middle-of-the-night DM from that year's Newbery winner, Kwame Alexander.

From censorship and AI to book fairs and the state of middle grade publishing, it's been an eventful year. Among those driving SLJ's most viewed posts of 2023: Jeff Kinney, Moms for Liberty, and stellar librarians. Ah, and those Best Books.

We love our creators of children's and YA books and so do readers. Here are the five most popular stories centering writers whose stories inspired us over the past year. 

“You've made it your life's work to make sure we see the humanity in one another,” author Jeff Kinney said, speaking at the SLJ Summit 2023 in Atlanta this weekend. “Books might be empathy machines, but librarians are the beating hearts of the communities they serve.”