Readers clap back on censorship and more.

Amid the celebration of books and libraries was the undercurrent of a community under attack, with conversations and sessions at ALA Annual in Philadelphia centered around advocacy, democracy, and diverse books.

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.

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.

These eight forthcoming board books and picture books will be available long before December. Turn on some Christmas tunes, grab a Santa hat, and peruse these holly, jolly offerings.

The July issue—“the stars so far”—is our halfway point on the path to Best Books in December. SLJ reviews editors stand back to take a look at a beautiful, blossoming list of notable books.

This funding can help with everything from collection development and programming to disaster recovery and more.