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The YA author shares how laughter through tears is a survival tactic employed by her protagonists—and Indigenous people—to get through difficult times.

Creaky Acres is a story about a girl, a horse, and a whole new way of life. Brigid Alverson spoke to the creators about their graphic novel featuring Nora, a competitive rider, who finds her way on a delightfully weird farm, inhabited by an equally quirky crew of young equestrians.

Shifa Saltagi Safadi's novel in verse about an immigrant family, the 2016 Muslim ban, and a boy trying to balance school and family earned the prestigious prize.

As teachers and school librarians work to add more diverse voices to their libraries’ collections, we continue learning more about the impact of these efforts on literacy. According to First Book Research & Insights, “a majority of students chose to read diverse books that serve as mirrors, where they can see themselves.”

While book bans and other efforts to curtail free expression in schools have made headlines, canceled visits have gone relatively unmarked. SLJ spoke with authors about their experiences. 

Readers can see the Goa-based artist’s work in two 2024 SLJ-starred titles, each distinct in format and scope: the cover of Saadia Faruqi's novel The Partition Project and the illustrations in Abigail Wheatley’s children’s cookbook, World Kitchen.

The acclaimed graphic novel romance, written by Yang and illustrated by Pham, features supernatural elements, family conflict, and celebrations of Asian culture.

The writer of the landmark YA novel, Annie On My Mind, died 10 years ago this month. Her work paved the way for hundreds of other books on a host of LBGTQIA+ subjects long before the acronym was created. There are now ways for children of all ages to address feelings without shame, to locate characters with hearts and minds and the ability to love as they do, and to feel empowered by books where gay young people (or trans or bi or ace) are part of the narrative. 

Centering dignity and equity, authors strive to normalize the topic of menstruation and show how different people experience it.