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The following 16 titles emphasize social emotional core values that are important for healthy childhood development.

More time, less social pressure, and more flexible scheduling has helped some kids flourish.

What can educators do? We can offer young people an opportunity to better understand and make sense of this moment through information. Nonfiction books for young people offer us gripping accounts of the past and present in language that engages young people’s hearts and minds. Nonfiction books for young people provide a “container” of information vetted and researched, with evidence documented in bibliographies and chapter notes, acknowledgements and author’s notes. Nonfiction books for young people personalize and problematize history. Nonfiction books for young people can be juxtaposed in the classroom so that students can hear a range of perspectives and make sense across texts. Nonfiction books for young people can model inquiry and informational literacy, while also providing essential information about our past, our present, and the government structures within which we operate.

The post Teaching Ideas for a Democracy Under Assault appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed BasketballWritten by Jen BryantIllustrated by Frank MorrisonPublished by Abrams, October 6, 2020ISBN: 978-1419741081 Book ReviewThe end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 heralds the opening of the NBA basketball season. As we enter the new year, we are reminded of the athlete activism that has changed the landscape […]

The post Above the Rim: Peaceful Activism for a New Year appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

We don't know what next year holds. We don't know where books will take us. But as we do each year, we’ve curated “best of” lists from a range of publications and organizations that review children’s and middle grade books. We hope you find these lists useful. You may be in search of winter holiday hibernation reads. You may be trying to find just the right book for a child or tween in your life, or new books for your classroom collections or school library.

The post Books as Bright Spots in 2020 appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

In a stunning picture book biography, author Kelly Starling Lyons and illustrator Laura Freeman celebrate the life and work of Philip Freelon, Architect of Record for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. This not-to-be missed title has broad possibilities for exploring art and design; featuring diverse life stories; and inviting students to consider how they might use their own talents to be dream builders.

The post Building Big Dreams with Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

Companies continue to respond to the pandemic's impact on educators and students; NCTE is taking proposals for next year's convention; the Educator Jobs Fund Act of 2020 is proposed in the senate; and Simon & Schuster plans new graphic novels for young readers.

Four superb titles made SLJ's list of must-have chapter books. 

The Teachers March! captures a powerful moment in U.S. history, celebrates the tenacity and intrepidity of teachers, and has an important role to play in language arts and social studies curriculum.

The post Celebrating Collective Action in The Teachers March appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

Messner and Sorell contextualize the "first Thanksgiving" myth; Hachette announces new BIPOC imprint; Linda Sue Park creates Korean and Korean diaspora author and illustrator resource; results of the K-12 Scholastic Student Vote.

Set in January 1986 against the countdown to the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger, this coming-of-age novel by Newbery Award-winning author Erin Entrada Kelly tells the story of a family searching for something to bring their orbits into alignment with their dreams and with one another before disaster strikes.

The post Navigating Family, Middle School, and the Universe in We Dream of Space appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

From the author-illustrator team that brought you the Caldecott Honor- and Newbery Honor-winning Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, comes another poignant picturebook that celebrates Black joy and Black excellence.

The post Affirming Children’s Worthiness with I Am Every Good Thing appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

When you see a frog, do you think ‘brilliant beautiful being’? If you don’t already, you will after reading Being Frog by acclaimed picturebook author and photographer April Pulley Sayre. Sayre’s stunning photographs depict the frogs she and her husband observe weekly in a local pond. Backyard scientists of all ages will find Being Frog a call to action - a call to watch, wonder, imagine and inquire.

The post Being Observant with Being Frog appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

n the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, When We are Kind offers preschool and primary grade children a vision of kindness they can enact in their own lives.

The post Celebrating Kindness with When We are Kind appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

With increasing Muslim representation in picture books, all readers can explore the diversity of Muslim communities, identities, and cultural backgrounds.

A beautiful commentary on what “home” is, Phoebe Wahl's The Blue House offers much for your students to discuss and discover.

The post Connecting Home and Heart with The Blue House appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

Overview  It’s Banned Books Week 2020! As described on the official Banned Books Week (BBW) website, this week “brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.”  […]

The post Banned Book Week: Skirting Skippyjon for Latinx Kid Lit appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

Remote learning—and finding a new book—is more fun as educators get creative and add a personal flair with their Bitmoji libraries and classrooms.

Sixth grader, Stephen, lives in Brooklyn, is into sci-fi, and is a mixed race tween who has started to painfully experience the ways that white people in his neighborhood treat him differently than his white friends. If you are wondering how to begin confronting Anti-Black racism in your classroom, start with What Lane?

The post Confronting Anti-Black Racism with the Middle Grade Novel What Lane? appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

During the pandemic, social readers have lost outlets for discussing books, but we can encourage students to keep their reading momentum going with personal recommendations.

It's Constitution Day. We've pulled together some recent books on the subject for those who want to learn more about the U.S. document.

“I’m not coming back ever again.” A young girl stomps out her anger and frustration as she walks with Momma at the end of the first day of school. The source of her distress? No one could pronounce her name. “Not even the teacher?” queries Momma? As they pass by a street musician, Momma offers some advice: “Tell her your name is a song.”

The post Hearing the Melodies of Classmates with Your Name is a Song appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

“School is not the only place to find a teacher.” This first line of Sy Montgomery and Rebecca Green’s picturebook adaptation of their 2018 adult book How to Be a Good Creature may ring true for many students and their families right now.

The post Reading the World with Becoming a Good Creature appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association will use the money to fund a one-day forum to strengthen support for Black/African American MLIS students; students fight censorship in Texas and Alaska, and more.

The award-winning author partnered with Adventure Academy, a subscription-based digital education platform, to inspire kids to write.

With the release of "Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Friendly Adventure," the best-selling author found a way to embark on an in-person tour despite the pandemic.

Longtime favorite authors dominated the lists of checkouts in the first half of June, according to Follett's Students' Choice data.

Pandemic and politically polarized nation be damned, educators adjust lessons to take on escalating rhetoric, mail-in ballots, accusations of voter fraud, and more. They remain fierce advocates for engaged citizenry and will demand civil discussion whether online or in-person.

The United States Census reported that the Hispanic population accounted for almost 20 percent of the U.S. population in 2020. However, only five percent of children’s books feature Latinx characters or subjects. Thankfully, more picture book biographies are being published about groundbreaking Latinx luminaries every year. These are some must-add choices for your collections.
 

These nonfiction books for elementary and middle grade readers celebrate and amplify Black scientists, thinkers, and inventors.

Nothing like bugs that fizz, animals with mucus-skin, and slimy information about digestion to get the whole family in on these weird science lessons!

From Kwame Alexander to Gwendolyn Brooks and Maya Angelou, we've selected some of our favorite poets to remind readers that summer is the time to slow down and savor the sounds of words. 

Sometimes emerging readers want to sink into a slightly longer book, and one that looks a little more challenging than many picture books. Graphic novels are cool—and they help strengthen both print and visual literacy skills. These titles offer food fights and tender moments.

From robots to Rube Goldberg machines to cosplay costumes, kids of all ages—and their grown-ups—will find plenty of inspiration in these works. 

Hand these books to kids who are excited about these films and shows out this spring and summer.

Ten mysteries for independent readers ranging from laugh-out-loud interactive fun to edge-of-your-seat thrills.

From clowning skills to creating forts, here are some great books to help get kids (and their grown-ups) away from screens for a bit. 

These picture books, with their exuberant illustrations and positive prose, offer portraits of Black joy, within and beyond the African diaspora.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has produced a remarkable virtual exhibit that affords viewers an intimate view of the studios and creative processes of 21 picture book artists. This blog entry provides teaching ideas to take the exhibit experience a step further, using the paintings, prints, and drawings, as a launch points for art making experiences.

The post Studio Spaces: Art as a Way of Seeing, Feeling, and Sense-Making: Teaching Ideas for the Virtual Exhibit at the Eric Carle Museum appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

Science and math take a starring role in these stories that explore everything from the deep sea to outer space. 

Newly proficient readers in the longer form are always delighted to be in on the jokes. Here are 13 titles to get them started.

Learning to recognize and combat racism and other forms of injustice and move toward a more equitable world is a lifelong process—and one that must start as early as possible. Aimed at infants and toddlers through elementary school students, these titles introduce topics such as intersectionality and privilege, with explanations that are age-appropriate and honest.

These delightful beginning readers feature simple sentences, accessible design, and text features that strengthen emerging readers' decoding and comprehension skills. 

We commit to doing more to bring the realities of the present day into our text selections, to center books that directly address systemic inequities, and to identify books that encourage student action and activism. We can do more in our work to become anti-racist educators and we invite you to join us.

The post Taking Stock and Taking Action to Educate Ourselves and Design Anti-Racist Curriculum appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

The redesigned database with a focus on elementary students, Gale in Context: Elementary, aims to provide individualized instruction for kids in the classroom and at home. 

Whether kids are eager to read about friendship woes, holidays, or new pets, they’ll find something to satisfy them in this list of realistic chapter books. Looking for more summer reading recommendations? SLJ is publishing lists all summer long—from family stories to mysteries to teen reads. 

The young people featured in these middle grade novels are intrepid, confronting racism, grief, queer identity, and more. They’re relatable teens and tweens, making mistakes and stumbling as they find themselves. Looking for more summer reading recommendations? SLJ is publishing lists all summer long—from family stories to mysteries to teen reads. 

From inventors and engineers to scientists and artists, the individuals profiled in these captivating read-alouds will inspire young readers (and their grown-ups). Looking for more summer reading recommendations? SLJ is publishing lists all summer long—from family stories to mysteries to teen reads.  

These narratives of home and family push back against stereotypes.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States. The purpose of this movement is to raise awareness of those living with mental or behavioral health issues and to help #BreakTheStigma. These nonfiction books not only provide support but will educate children, tweens, and teens.

When headlines scream out our political dysfunction, and a global pandemic keeps us uncertain at home, we can all feel powerless. But with a book like this, that offers both information and action, young people, their teachers, and their families can feel empowered.

The post Preparing for the 2020 Election Cycle appeared first on The Classroom Bookshelf.

With school athletics seasons canceled and professional leagues shuttered, students can find comfort in these sports books, movies, and streaming shows.

COVID-19 continues to raise challenges for people across the globe. Some parents are eager to find books that will educate children about handwashing and personal hygiene. These 15 titles (picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and nonfiction) will teach young readers about developing and maintaining healthy hygiene habits as well as the science behind germs and how to prevent them.

A summer initiative allowed Denver Public Library to evaluate  competencies such as relationship skills, engagement, and problem-solving, which are difficult to gauge with drop-in public library programming.

2020 is turning out to be a bumper year for cat stories of all kinds. Here’s a look at some of this year’s cat tales.

For school librarians planning for a return to in-school programming, peers share their AR/VR programming, mistakes made along the way, and the best way to incorporate the mixed reality edtech into the library and classroom.

Launching today: A wizarding respite for the coronavirus-weary. Through Harry Potter at Home, readers can access HP-related activities and downloads, including free audiobook and ebook versions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, available through April.

The at-home program offers downloadable superhero-themed activities, previews of graphic novels, and how-to videos from DC's roster of middle grade authors and illustrators, including Minh Lê, Gene Luen Yang, Shannon and Dean Hale, Meg Cabot, and Amanda Deibert.

First make a schedule for your little one including choice time, quiet time, and screen time for when you need to work or rest. Then use these resources.
 

These websites, books, and articles will help students dig deeper into the history of women’s suffrage.

The annual feminist booklist is out from Rise, formerly known as the Amelia Bloomer Project.

Increasing book access for young people boosts their chances for both personal and academic success. Donalyn Miller identifies common obstacles in schools and libraries, along with advice on how to reduce the negative impact on young readers.

Back in print at long last, the "Owly" series is now in full color, with words. Here's how author Andy Runton adapted his beloved books.

Aimed at early elementary school students, PebbleGo offers wide-ranging ready reference, with an emphasis on accessibility that strengthens the ease of interaction for students with physical and cognitive challenges.

To help the next generation learn the "fundamental life skill" of news literacy, the organizations will educate people of all ages on how to identify misinformation and the importance of a free press.

Betsy Bird’s annual marathon of standout titles in children’s literature, from the unconventional to the informational. 

Children should be encouraged to look closely at the world around them and ask questions. These recently published titles for preschool and early elementary students will do just that as they build a solid foundation for STEM work and wonderings.

"Room on Our Rock" and "A Place To Land" honored by National Council of Teachers of English.

Nine superb titles made SLJ's list of must-have transitional chapter books. 

Fourth- and eighth-grade reading levels have declined since 2017, according to the Nation's Report Card from the National Center for Educational Statistics.

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Children's Book Week, November 4–10, with titles that salute the magic of stories and pleasures of reading. 

The New York Times Magazine's 1619 Project and companion curriculum is being used by teachers to change the narrative of American history lessons in the classroom.

The new website provides teachers with information on Penguin Random House titles, teaching guides, and resources to improve student literacy.