SLJ has assembled its starred reviews to date in a subscriber-exclusive issue, along with insight into the trends revealed by the top books of 2022 for children and teens. 

Debuting this year, “The Stars Issue,” comprises SLJ’s July print edition and provides librarians, educators, and industry professionals with a handy, all-in-one reference to the best in children’s publishing.

“We understand the weight a School Library Journal star carries. It’s a stamp of approval that librarians have turned to for decades to ensure that their shelves are filled with quality and child-friendly materials for their students and patrons,” says Shelley Diaz, SLJ reviews editor.

More than 300 books received an SLJ starred review in the first half of 2022, each listed in the special edition, along with the reviewer’s “verdict.” 

Cover illustration by Bob Staake

Also in “The Stars Issue”:

What’s a Star Made of?
Notable trends in this year’s top picks
By Amanda MacGregor

Breaths and Depth
The intense collaboration behind ‘Ain’t Burned All the Bright’ by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin
By Marva Hinton

Messy Roots: An unconventional publishing path from viral tweet to Indie best seller
A comic by Laura Gao

Straight to the Top
Debut authors whose works earned stars share their experiences
By Shelley Diaz, Florence Simmons, and Amanda Mastrull

The Nurturers
Children’s book editors bring out the best in creators
By Brigid Alverson, Kimberly Olson Fakih, Shelley Diaz, and Kristyn Dorfman

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 Read: "SLJ Reviews Explained: Our editors field questions on grade levels and how ‘stars’ are made"