Public Libraries

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. and School Library Journal announce the 2024 Children & Youth Literary Awards, which celebrate the diversity of the Black experience.

In these novels, characters find connection and joy amid life-altering health issues.

“Because Black history isn’t centered, you have to search harder for those stories,” says Gill, who has researched figures including Spottswood Rice, who escaped enslavement and joined the Union Army, and motorcyclist Bessie Stringfield. 

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

Award-winning authors and illustrators whose books center Black history discuss how they delve into research to tell powerful stories. With Carole Boston Weatherford, Lesa Cline-Ransome, Amina Luqman-Dawson, and James E. Ransome. 

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.

SLJ's most viewed coverage of book banning and censorship, which remained front and center in 2023.

We Need Diverse Books offers a new website with resources for librarians and educators about books by Native creators and how to use them in the classroom; Newbery-winning author Susan Patron has died; YALSA releases Teen Top 10 list; federal education employees will create AI guidance and policy for K-12; and more in this edition of News Bites.

Newbery-winning author Donna Barba Higuera based Petra on someone who also kept her vision loss a secret: her mother.