SLJ Staff

Ryan Thames, one of the plaintiffs in Amanda Jones’s defamation suit in Louisiana, posted an apology admitting that his previous statements about Jones “were not true”; an annotated Gender Queer to be published in 2026; and more.

The Arkansas district instructed staff on how to block student access to 50 titles; the Alabama Public Library board wants to ban books that “positively” depict trans lives; Texas district reopens school libraries; and more.

The new Children’s Booker Prize to be given for fiction written for ages 8–12 will launch in 2026 and first be awarded in 2027.

New Braunfels ISD is using SB 13 to shut down middle and high school libraries during reviews; groups ask Supreme Court to review Little v. Llano County decision; and more.

A district court judge said removing the picture book about two male penguins raising a penguin chick did not violate the authors’ or students’ First Amendment rights; the South Carolina Association of School Librarians filed suit against the state superintendent; and more in censorship news this Banned Books Week.

The five titles honored by the National Book Foundation include three novels in verse.

Schools can apply for the annual grants aimed at getting math-related titles to students.

New Delaware laws protect against book bans; national parks are removing titles from gift stores; Texas district offers tool for parents to monitor student reading; and more.

The Freedom to Read Project has released a free advocacy guide and workbook; ALA sets date for Youth Media Awards; educators and public librarians can submit proposals for a visit from National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Mac Barnett; and the National Women's History Museum opens registration for virtual field trips.