The rich, imaginative landscapes, and charming whimsical characters of French artist Nathalie Dieterlé matched the mood we wanted to convey for our 2022 back-to-school issue.

While the pandemic lingered into the fall, schools prepared a return to in-school teaching, with a lifting of mask mandates. We sought to foreground the joy and anticipation as students and their teacher greet each other on the first day back after summer break.  

In this issue:

School Librarians of the Year Offer Ideas, Inspiration
K.C. Boyd, Amanda Jones, Cicely Lewis, and other School Librarians of the Year share new plans and perspectives for 2022-23.

When “Perfect” Is a Pitfall
Educators may naturally seek to help those who are struggling at school, but some high performers can need a different kind of support—to know that imperfect is OK.

School Librarian and Counselor Create Book-Centered Program to Address Student Mental Health
IdaMae Craddock and Ouida Powe began a bibliotherapy initiative to help combat the growing mental health crisis among children and teens.

Put ESSER Dollars to Work: School Libraries Can Benefit from American Rescue Plan Funds
School districts are devising plans to spend the third round of ESSER funds, $122 billion, signed into law in March 2021.

A Little Courage
Share these SEL books with kids when scary things happen