Back to School

This roundup features reference titles for all ages, including a volume on Norse myths for tweens and encyclopedias on hair, Supreme Court decisions, and African American firsts for high schoolers.

One of the amazing superpowers of childhood is curiosity, continuously asking “why?” and not being satisfied without finding the perfect answer. These guidebooks will help get them there.

A team of librarians and academics identifies different kinds of counting books and recommends titles and read-aloud strategies for each. 

Book sanctuaries—where “endangered” books, the right to read, and intellectual freedom are protected—are popping up in cities, libraries, churches, and schools across the country.

Linda Sue Park's Newbery Award–winning middle grade novel A Single Shard tells the story of Tree-ear, an orphan in 12th-century Korea. The boy's heart and courage resonate with readers, and these multimodal picks are great way to expand on the novel's themes and world.

SLJ and NCTE have revealed the 2023 round of “Refreshing the Canon” selections. Use these multimodal recommendations to contextualize and extend the messaging of Virginia Hamilton's acclaimed Black folklore collection The People Could Fly.

SLJ and NCTE have revealed the 2023 round of “Refreshing the Canon” selections. The following seven works will deepen young readers’ understanding of the historical context of The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 and inspire them to connect its social justice themes to present-day issues. 

Black Boy, published in 1945, is Richard Wright's memoir about growing up in the South during the Jim Crow era. Pair it with these books, movies, and art pieces to translate Wright's experience to modern day.

SLJ asked librarians and educators to weigh in on which classics should remain on summer reading lists. Inspired by the most popular titles that emerged, SLJ editors and members of NCTE’s Build Your Stack® Committee have curated this year’s round of “Refreshing the Canon” suggestions.