DIVERSE BOOKS

Juliet Menéndez On Reinvention and Revolution Through Children’s Books | Stars So Far 2025

The author/illustrator's work shines a light on Latinx icons who haven't always appeared in our history books. Here we celebrate Menénedez's illustrations in the Spanish and English editions of the excellent poetry collection Hopeful Heroes by Margarita Engle.

BLOGS

GOOD COMICS FOR KIDS

The Yarn LIVE with the 2025 Newbery Winners! (Part I)

BOOKS & REVIEWS

8 Merry Picture Books and Board Books to Celebrate Christmas in July

Rory Power: Flipping the Script on Whodunit in 'Kill Creatures' | Stars So Far 2025

42 Stellar Middle Grade & Hi-Lo Titles | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

More Books & Reviews

BOOKS & REVIEWS

8 Merry Picture Books and Board Books to Celebrate Christmas in July

Rory Power: Flipping the Script on Whodunit in 'Kill Creatures' | Stars So Far 2025

42 Stellar Middle Grade & Hi-Lo Titles | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SPONSORED

SPONSORED

In Divided Times, Picture Books Connect

SPONSORED

Celebrating Diversity and Cultivating Empathy with Hà Dinh, Author of Ly-Lan and the New Class Mix-Up

SPONSORED

Social Media Program Helps Students Learn About Jobs and Careers in High Demand

SPONSORED

In Divided Times, Picture Books Connect

SPONSORED

Celebrating Diversity and Cultivating Empathy with Hà Dinh, Author of Ly-Lan and the New Class Mix-Up

SPONSORED

Social Media Program Helps Students Learn About Jobs and Careers in High Demand

EXPLORE SLJ

BOOKLISTS

19 Standout Nonfiction Books for Middle and High School | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

Our starred middle and high school nonfiction offerings for the first half of 2025 are sure to keep readers engaged and informed.

BOOKLISTS

It's Summerween! 31 Titles to Celebrate Halloween This Summer

SLJ Reviews, Jul 18, 2025

Why should Christmas in July get all the summer holiday glory? This list of Halloween board books and picture books is perfect for those who want to get into the spooky spirit despite the summer heat.

BOOKLISTS

42 Stellar Middle Grade & Hi-Lo Titles | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

From rollicking fantasy to heartbreaking realism, these excellent additions to the middle grade and hi-lo genres will have something for every tween to enjoy.

BLOGS

Papercutz to Publish Steampunk Adventure Story | News

Brigid Alverson, Jul 16, 2025

The Extraordinary Visions is a steampunk adventure series inspired by the imaginings of Jules Verne.

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.

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.

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

11 Must-Read Spanish-Language Middle Grade, YA, and Graphic Novels

SLJ Reviews, Jul 15, 2025

Finding Spanish-language books for older readers continues to be a challenge, but we’ve curated this list that includes translations of Jason Reynolds and Raina Telgemeier’s popular titles and a Spanish-original YA about an undocumented teen.

BOOKLISTS

6 Utterly Charming Board Book Titles | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

These six titles show that good things come in small sturdy packages. Board books, for the pre-literate and newest readers, continue to surprise and delight in equal measure, and fly off the shelves for story hours.

BOOKLISTS

65 Brilliant Picture Book Titles | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

From Pakistan to Spain to ordinary neighborhoods, the power of books has never been more visible than in these 65 gems plucked from the mines of picture books published in the first half of 2025.

BOOKLISTS

9 Middle Grade & YA Graphic Novels About the Holocaust

SLJ Reviews, Jan 22, 2025

Every year on January 27th, International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorates the 1945 liberation of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. This year marks the 80th anniversary. Share these graphic novels with young readers leading up to the day and all year long.

BOOKLISTS

42 Stellar Middle Grade & Hi-Lo Titles | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

From rollicking fantasy to heartbreaking realism, these excellent additions to the middle grade and hi-lo genres will have something for every tween to enjoy.

BOOKLISTS

21 Notable Transitional & Decodable Books | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

New readers will feel proud of their ability to read these fun, outstanding stories on their own.

INDUSTRY NEWS

BCALA, SLJ Announce 2025 Winners of the Children & Youth Literary Awards

Kathy Ishizuka, Feb 19, 2025

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. and School Library Journal have revealed the winning titles in the 2025 Children & Youth Literary Awards, which celebrate the diversity of the Black experience.

BOOKLISTS

37 Exceptional Graphic Novel & Manga Titles for All Ages | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

Ranging from heartfelt to hilarious, these remarkable graphic novel and manga titles are sure to leave a lasting impression that will stay with readers long after the final page is turned.

AWARDS

2025 Orbis Pictus and Charlotte Huck Award Winners Announced

SLJ Staff, Dec 09, 2024

NCTE has announced Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of American Indian Boarding Schools by Dan SaSuWeh Jones and The Last Stand by Antwan Eady, illus. by Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey, as the 2025 Orbis Pictus and Charlotte Huck award winners, respectively.

BOOKLISTS

3 Titles About Tweens Living with Incarcerated Parents | Middle Grade Spotlight

SLJ Reviews, Jul 01, 2025

These three titles feature tweens with parents navigating incarceration and detention in the United States.

BOOKLISTS

64 Superb YA & Adult Books for Teens Titles | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

Spanning genres from fantasy to thriller to romance and everything in-between, these titles for teens are sure to delight.

AWARDS

Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Announces 2025 EJK Award Winners

SLJ Staff, Feb 20, 2025

The 2025 Ezra Jack Keats Writer Award went to Breanna J. McDaniel for Go Forth and Tell: The Life of Augusta Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller. X. Fang won the Illustrator Award for We Are Definitely Human.

BOOKLISTS

Life During Wartime: 16 Untold World War II Stories | Great Books

Ashleigh Williams & SLJ's Reviewers, Jun 18, 2025

These recent, incredible titles cover under-explored events, figures, regions, and even creative literary approaches that warrant a spotlight in the WWII literary canon.

BLOGS

The Yarn LIVE with the 2025 Newbery Winners! (Part I)

Travis Jonker, Jul 19, 2025

A special LIVE episode with all the 2025 Newbery winners!

BOOKLISTS

35 Impressive Nonfiction Elementary Titles | SLJ 2025 Stars So Far

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

The accolades keep coming for nonfiction picture books that dare to offer facts and true stories to elementary-aged readers. We cannot wait for autumn, when it's time for a whole other harvest of titles that keep children reading and learning.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Going Viral: Share These Books About Infectious Diseases and Vaccines

Deborah Hopkinson, Jun 25, 2025

Children's and YA titles are vital resources in public health education.

NEWS & FEATURES

Panels to Pixels: Manga with Standout Anime Adaptations | Mondo Manga

Brigid Alverson, Jun 30, 2025

From figure skating dreams to dungeon crawler adventures, these seven popular manga titles with recent anime adaptations offer something for every taste and age.

BOOKLISTS

21 Outstanding Spanish-Language and Bilingual Titles for All Ages

SLJ Reviews, Jul 07, 2025

From picture book biographies to the Spanish-language edition of Jason Reynolds’s Lu, these picks are just-right for Spanish readers.

More Classroom & Curricula

NEWS & FEATURES

Romantasy Manga: Whirlwind Tales of Love and Adventure | Mondo Manga

Brigid Alverson, Mar 13, 2025

It’s romance! It’s fantasy! It’s romantasy: A fan favorite category for manga. Here are seven recent romantasy manga releases.

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.

BLOGS

Arree Chung Talks about his Debut Graphic Novel: Don’t Cause Trouble

Colby Sharp, Mar 17, 2025

COLBY: I had a whole lot of fun talking to Arree Chung about his new (and first ) graphic novel, Don’t Cause Trouble. I hope you enjoy our conversation! Subscribe below to catch every episode of The Yarn: iTunes Spotify Stitcher

BOOKLISTS

9 Middle Grade & YA Graphic Novels About the Holocaust

SLJ Reviews, Jan 22, 2025

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.

BLOGS

How to Draw a Secret | Review

J. Caleb Mozzocco, Mar 05, 2025

In cartoonist Cindy Chang's fictionalized childhood memoir, the young Cindy learns a secret that will transform her conception of her own family on a trip to Taiwan.

BLOGS

Underground, vol. 1 | Review

Renee Scott, Mar 06, 2025

In this much acclaimed manga, a fighter must battle fierce opponents and a life-threatening illness in his quest for revenge.

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

Funny Animal Comics, from 'Barkham Asylum' to 'The Unpetables' | Stellar Panels

Brigid Alverson, Jan 22, 2025

These selections combine witty dialogue, incongruous situations, goofy characters, and silly plots to keep young readers entertained.

BOOKLISTS

16 Fiction and Nonfiction Titles for Young Readers in the Wake of the Los Angeles Wildfires

SLJ Reviews, Jan 16, 2025

These books—which share stories of real and fictional people and animals who have endured wildfires—can provide information and comfort to children and teens.

BLOGS

Exclusive: Return to ‘Hollow’ with ‘The Woman in White’ | News

Brigid Alverson, Feb 20, 2025

The creators of Hollow return with a new Washington Irving-inspired queer romance, The Woman in White.

BLOGS

Weirdo | Review

J. Caleb Mozzocco, Feb 11, 2025

Writer Tony Weaver Jr. and artists Jes and Cin Wibowo tackle tough subject matter in a fictionalized memoir about becoming yourself in the face of relentless bullying and mental health challenges.

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

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OPINION

The Ugly Stereotype Beneath the Supreme Court Ruling on LGBTQIA+ Books | Opinion

Jonathan Friedman and Tasslyn Magnusson, Jul 10, 2025

The nine picture books cited in Mahmoud v. Taylor are not pornography. Nor are they obscene. What is obscene is a Supreme Court decision that denies the basic humanity and equality of LGBTQIA+ people.

INDUSTRY NEWS

In Praise of Curation: The practice of advising readers holds something dear—trust | From the Editor

Kathy Ishizuka, Jul 08, 2025

AI-generated booklists are possible—and even published. So what is the value of human curation?

INDUSTRY NEWS

I Would Quit Before They Made Me Do That | Feedback

SLJ staff, Jul 12, 2025

Readers clap back on censorship and more.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Identity, Poetic Justice, and Grief Among the Themes in This Year’s Starred Titles | The 2025 Stars Issue

Kelly Jensen, Jul 09, 2025

This year, we awarded dozens of books a prestigious star—and among this distinguished group, several clear commonalities shine bright. From fresh approaches on topics like grief to specific recurrences, such as characters taking on another person’s identity, here are the key trends among 2025's starred books.

OPINION

My School Visit was Cancelled. I Fought Back and Won. | Opinion

Erica S. Perl, May 06, 2025

A parent complaint about a nonbinary snail led a Virginia elementary school principal to cancel a visit by author Erica S. Perl. A former trial attorney, Perl offers a lesson in smart booking contracts and standing up to book and author challenges.

OPINION

Don’t Judge Young Readers Who Need a Break From Tough Topics | Opinion

Ann Braden, Jun 09, 2025

Author Ann Braden tackles difficult subject matter in her middle grade books. But she knows the value of an escapist read and wants the children's publishing world to respect and understand the kids who reach for "Wimpy Kid" more often than a title deemed to have more literary merit.

OPINION

Recentering Reading | From the Editor

Kathy Ishizuka, Jun 03, 2025

In a policy void, educators seek to maximize learning, turning to core skills, chiefly reading.

BOOKS & MEDIA

Solace Through Story: Books about school shootings encourage conversation

Amanda MacGregor, May 01, 2025

Middle grade and YA authors tackle the unfathomable and the long reach of tragic events.

BLOGS

Indigenous Resistance and Resilience: A Trickster Shadow Q&A with Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley

Betsy Bird, Jul 10, 2025

Nanaboozhoo stories, Carl Jung’s ideas on dream psychology, and struggles with depression and anxiety all inform this stunning (and fun) picture book of the ultimate rez dog trickster.

BLOGS

Do We Still Need Diverse Books?

Edith Campbell, Jul 13, 2025

Regardless of what words are used to describe literature that embraces white and BIPOC lives as well as those who have disabilities or are LGBTQIA+, regardless the words that are banned to describe these marginalizations, people who are really doing the work and not just following a trend, will continue to find ways to get it done.

BOOKLISTS

Jashar Awan: With Focus and Childlike Energy | Stars So Far 2025

Kimberly Olson Fakih, Jul 16, 2025

With every book, Jashar Awan comes a little closer to establishing himself as the chronicler extraordinaire of what most people see as childhood's mundane moments, and it's magic.

BLOGS

A Conversation Worth Reading: Kyle Lukoff Discusses His Work and A World Worth Saving

Betsy Bird, Mar 07, 2025

An amazing amalgamation of thoughts, themes, and ideas that could have ended up an unholy mess and, instead, work. Today, I talk with Kyle Lukoff about his Jewish/trans/epic fantasy latest.

More Opinion

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

BLOGS

Juliet Menéndez On Reinvention and Revolution Through Children’s Books | Stars So Far 2025