Reviews+

By reading books that explore difficult issues, kids have the opportunity to learn about, experience vicariously, and practice mentally, these hard subjects in nurturing ways, preparing them for positive encounters later in life.

The post Tough Terrain: Why & How I Craft Story for Connection & Compassion, a guest post by Heather Mateus Sappenfield appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Here Lies Me is the first realistic fiction podcast about middle school, but the idea for the story began as a novel too "dark" for middle grade.

The post Is There a Place in Publishing for Realistic Fiction About Middle School? A guest post by Hillary Frank appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

The 2022 Youth Media Awards are coming on Monday, January 24th!

The post Watch the 2022 Youth Media Awards LIVE! appeared first on 100 Scope Notes.

Over and over, I find myself looking at climate change through the lens of fantasy, using magic and dragons and Incursions to tell the story.

The post Hope in the Time of Apocalypse, a guest post by Jodi Meadows appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Children’s literature is becoming more inclusive. But it has been a long, complicated road, and the journey is ongoing.

From fantasies to thrillers, these middle grade titles with Latinx characters are must-reads. Your kids won't want to miss them.

If you have been asking yourself, where are all the YA books with teens in marching band, here are 2 new titles coming in 2022 to answer the call

The post This one time at band camp . . . YA Lit about Marching Band Coming Soon appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Vedder talks about her Sleeping Beauty retelling and recommends a few favorite books.

The post Something Old, Something New: The Magic of Reimagining Fairytales, a guest post by Leslie Vedder appeared first on Teen Librarian Toolbox.

Moving poetry, thought-provoking nonfiction, and an adorable Valentine's title are among this month's 25 starred reviews, spanning picture books, chapter books, middle grade, YA, and more.