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A girl and a friendly yeti find a way to negotiate family problems in a new graphic novel for early readers.
13 new and forthcoming books to add to your TBR!
It’s Betsy Bird month on The Yarn podcast. In our last episode, Betsy shares how her picture book POP! Goes the Nursery Rhyme (illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi) was made. In our latest episode, Betsy talks about her highly influential children’s literature blog A Fuse #8 Production. If you’ve ever read Betsy’s blog, I think you’re […]
Take a trip into the future, where the new crop of Norton books tackle protests, codes, swallows, and the environment. Check out the upcoming titles here today!
COLBY: I had the best time chatting with SLJ blogger and librarian Betsy Bird for The Yarn. We chatted about the origins of her blog, her 31 lists and 31 days project, and the current state of children’s literature. I hope you’ll give it a listen on your podcast listening app of choice. If you […]
Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring Sheeta's Little Big World Volume 2 from Kodansha Comics.
A huge piece of the Newbery medal is that titles are a distinguished contribution to American literature. What does that mean and what 2026 potentials hit the mark? Let's take a look.
Raidah Shah Idil joins us to talk about her new book, How to Free a Jinn.
A queer Romeo and Juliet, a memoir from a member of the Exonerated Five, pretend magic, and more!
Announcing the winners of the 2025 Undies Case Cover Awards!
"This is the episode of Kate being annoyed by the silliest of things." In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday we tackle a 1987 publication, complete with kohlrabi.
Today’s guest blogger is Lisa Menasha, introducing WEIRD, SAD, AND SILENT by Alison McGhee.
Today we are joined by author team Jim Zub, Stacy King, and Andrew Wheeler to talk about their new book, The Warriors & Wizards Compendium: A Young Adventurer's Guide.
I'm curious what's moving the most at your libraries, especially if you're in Minnesota.
Can you guess the children’s book by its scathing one-star review on Goodreads?
"The mode of operation in writing about one’s past is searching for the hidden patterns. They are there in the first place but only the hindsight examination avails them to you." Eugene Yelchin recounts his teenaged years in Russia and we discuss what doing that entails.
In cartoonist Hamish Steele's new book, lonely little boy Tobi becomes a giant, kaiju-fighting superhero. In addition to being a lot of fun, this is also a metaphor.
Lullabies for the Insomniacs strings together the countless lonely sleepless nights I spent as a teenager, stranded in the turbulence of my mind and emotions.
Lullabies for the Insomniacs strings together the countless lonely sleepless nights I spent as a teenager, stranded in the turbulence of my mind and emotions.
I chat with Fuse #8 Production blogger Betsy Bird about her latest picture book.
Bold and brassy (but never bratty) the iconic pig reaches her 25th year, and we've her editor and publisher on hand for a quick Q&A.
In typical McBride fashion, the lines and verses evoke a story that is more shadow play than structure.
Hopefully, we will choose to learn and grow from the mistakes we make in digital spaces . . . and to be kinder people in the future.
This year's Newbery winner will need to excel in the area of "presentation for a child audience." As we consider this year's contenders with that in mind, let's recall some past award winners that were especially notable for the ways they connect with child readers.
"We have all made some kind of pilgrimage in our lives; we are all in transit, searching for the best path to a life full of opportunities and shared happiness." A talk with the author and the translator of a seminal work.
Leo Da Vinci: Renaissance Kid takes the real Leonardo and his work as inspiration for an imaginative adventure story.
Readers deserve a chance to discover as many different stories as possible.
Our next installment of PENGUIN TBR is here featuring LAST CHANCE LIVE!, HEARTSICK, & THE SECRET ASTRONOMERS
Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring Chase Speedington Volume 1: Chase Speedington and the Last Dragon's Breath from Papercutz and Mika and the Chiller from Oni Press.
While we continue to look for the most distinguished children's books in our Mock Newbery year, we can't forget one important criteria: award winners must display "excellence of presentation for a child audience."
Author Neal Shusterman joins us to talk about his new book, MINDWORKS.
The Sheraton Boston Hotel has created a replica of the boldly decorated room made famous in Goodnight Moon.
Is this our first self-published picture book that got picked up by a major publisher later? Perhaps. It's the certainly the first recommended by a Kardashian.
Back in late June I talked with author, librarian, and Fuse #8 Production blogger Betsy Bird about her excellent 2025 picture book POP! GOES THE NURSERY RHYME.
Jennifer and Matthew Holm, the brother-and-sister creators of Babymouse, reflect on their creation and the way attitudes have changed in the 20 years since they started.
Today’s guest blogger is Helen Baldwin, introducing RETURN TO SENDER by Vera Brosgol.
How does an able-bodied person write about a person with disabilities and do it without their own assumptions and discomfort getting in the way? A talk with the author of an incredible new chapter book bio.
Cartoonist Trung Le Nguyen's sophomore effort is another graphic novel with fairy tale inspiration, but it's a lighter, less personal tale...albeit a deceptively deep one.
A transgender teen struggles with a self-portrait assignment in this introspective and meditative look at gender and identity originally published in the Netherlands.
Amazon recently released their list of the top children's lit of the year.
"I really wanted to do a story about people playing across abilities – the way my kids and their friends play. Deal with the logistics later, the first step is the imagination. Adventuring for the sake of adventure." We talk with Howie Shia.
Teen Librarian Karen Jensen reviews the new horror novel FINAL CUT by Olivia Worley
A month from now we'll announce our full 15-title Heavy Medal Book List. For now, though, we've identified a half-dozen books that will definitely be on that list: The Early 6.
Toad on the Go, the sequel to the Geisel Honor-winning Towed by Toad, comes out on June 16, 2026. Today, we have a first look at the cover. But before the big reveal, I wanted to talk with author/illustrator Jashar Awan about how the book was made. Travis: What was the inspiration for Toad on […]
For the Inevitable Tough Moments: A Talk with Kevin Maillard and Rafael López about And They Walk On
"Death is very confusing to the living, and stories can help us navigate the strange displacement in the wake of bereavement." A talk about a necessary book for a modern age.
Writing about education policy serves as the backbone infrastructure for an influence campaign.
I wanted to bottle up all that magic from the past month by writing a book that might inspire other girls like me, while also channeling the fun and romance I’d experienced. And that was how my debut novel, You Had Me at Hello World, was born.
"She had so much hope for saving this planet. We mustn’t disappoint Jane." We talk today with Jane Goodall's picture book biographer Patrick McDonnell about her life and legacy.
The quest to find the 2026 Heavy Medal Mock Newbery winner continues as the second round of nominations closed last Saturday. Twenty-one new titles were nominated for a total of 59 Mock Newbery potentials.
We're getting ready for the winter holidays with a preview of Archie's new Christmas comic!
Teen Librarian Karen Jensen talks about graphic medicine, a concept developed by librarian Matthew Noe that discusses using comics and graphic novels to talk about health and medicine
Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Godzilla #1 from IDW Publsihing and Emma and Capucine Volume 3 from Tokyopop Kids.
Make your voice heard by voting for the 2025 Undies Case Cover Awards.
And the official trend of 2025 children's literature is... gushy yellow fruit for the win!
My favorite annual "Best of" list was announced - the New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Books, and we have to take a look.
An overview of some recent manga titles that feature detectives and mysteries.
In today's guest post, we feature a historical fiction title THE PEACH THIEF by Linda Joan Smith.
I feel like end-of-the-year books get so easily overlooked, especially when I've already been seeing "best of" lists for weeks. Be sure to check these out!
Shapes! Shrews! History! Legalese! And, to top it all off, speculation on whether or not life as any meaning. It's a slew of interesting books in today's preview.
Contributor Riley Jensen shares some YA books to read this fall if you are missing those summer vibes
The popular picture book series The Pout-Pout Fish is coming to theaters on March 20th, 2026.
Want to start your own children's book magazine? Why not talk to someone who has? SHELF is a remarkable new addition to periodical collections everywhere, and we talk to its founder.
As we get later into the calendar year, I always start getting paranoid about missing titles and not reading everything. What’s nice on the “real committee” AND on Heavy Medal is that you are not reading just by yourself and have other people making suggestions and nominations. However, despite a robust and active Heavy Medal […]
Teen Librarian Karen Jensen discusses two YA mytery thriller series that feature teens helping the FBI solve crimes
The creators of The Legend of Zelda manga series are back with an epic tale of a half-human, half-dragon boy trying to find his place in the world.
Just in time for Native American Heritage Month we've a preview of Diné cartoonist, zinester, and librarian Julie Fiveash's upcoming graphic novel debut!
Here's a look at the graphic novels that publishers have been acquiring, and when we can expect to see them.
New month, new box of books from Penguin! I hope you find something fun to add to your winter reading lists.
The little ones in your life can stay hydrated thanks to the new Hydro Flask/Very Hungry Caterpillar collab.
Folks, I think it's fair to say that the Persian myths on your library shelves are in serious need of an upgrade. Happily, one is here, and we're talking about it today.
Today our second nomination period opens. You have until Saturday Nov. 8 to pick two more precious nominations for Mock Newbery 2026.
In the spirit of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, Teen Librarian Karen Jensen shares a review of THIS IS WHERE WE DIE by Cindy R.X. He
Check out this week's list of new comics, manga, and graphic novels for readers 12 and under, featuring Kindred Dragons Volume 1 from Abrams Fanfare and Agent Cupcake from Oni Press.
"Then she was smoked, delicately. She was delicately smoked. Delicately smoked was she." Like it when your picture book protagonists are killed off halfway through the title? Then you're gonna LOVE today's book.
Teen Librarian Karen Jensen discusses some YA books you might like if you like EVERYBODY SCREAM, the new album by Florence & the Machine (which she really recommends)
It's unicorns vs. zombies in cartoonist Sam Bragg's new fantasy epic, but that's just the start of this sprawling story set at the end of the world.
32 new and forthcoming books to get on your TBR.
Guest poster Owen Ridings introduces STORY SPINNERS to our Mock Newbery discussion, noting that this graphic novel "manages to pack in humor, realistic sibling dynamics, and fantastical adventures—all while cleverly satirizing the entire fairy tale genre."
Visit a land that's more like, "a tale from folklore, rather than in a magical fictional setting." We talk Pumpkin Kings (and their living wards) with Steven Banbury.
Teen Librarian Cindy Shutts shares a Video Games in Real Life program
Here's a look at the graphic novels that publishers have been acquiring, and when we can expect to see them.
Here's a look at the graphic novels that publishers have been acquiring, and when we can expect to see them.
Send in those nominations for the Undies and Endies Awards!
Here's an exclusive preview of the sparkly spy story Agent Cupcake!
Today we've got breaking news about a new S.T.E.A.M. series from Papercutz.
14 quick reviews of new books.
Here's a look ahead at what's in store on Heavy Medal over the coming weeks as we move towards the announcement of the Newbery Medal on January 26th
An animated version of The Twits is coming to Netflix.
You lucky ducks. You're getting an extra special sneak peek of Evanston Public Library's illustrious year end list of some of the best children's books of 2025. Enjoy!
Nayeri is good at engaging setting, and these devices works especially well in a story about land.
Hopefully you'll find some great titles here to add to your 2026 TBR!
Would you like to hear a story? A true one? One told by Laurie Halse Anderson? Discover the tale of how Abigail Adams inoculated her family against smallpox, and see the repackage of Anderson's Fever 1793.
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