CHILDREN’S BOOKS

10 children’s books about racism and activism to help parents educate their kids – HuffPo

31 children’s books starring black characters your kids will love – Romper

2020 summer reading list – We Are Kid Lit Collective

Antiracist resources and reads: Lists for all ages – Fuse 8

BookExpo 2020: Middle Grade Editors’ Buzz Picks – Publishers Weekly

Children’s books roundup – the best new picture books and novels – The Guardian

How to speak to kids about race relations in America with Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely – Today

Jules Feiffer, a stubborn pooch, and a children’s counting book – Christian Science Monitor

Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize back for 2020 – Booksellers

Police picture books revisited: the lie white adults read to children – SLJ

Say ‘Hello, Neighbor’ to this charming picture book about Mister Rogers – NPR

These books can help you explain racism and protest to your kids – New York Times

This bedtime book helps kids find their place in the ‘Universe’ – NPR

LIBRARIES

40+ must reads for anti-racist teachers – white fragiles beware! – Culturally Responsive Leadership

My responsibility to fight racism – R. David Lankes

YA LIT

10 great June 2020 YA releases to TBR – Book Riot

17 YA books to diversify your kids’ bookshelves and teach them to become better allies – PopSugar

All the new young adult SFF books arriving in June – Tor

BookExpo 2020: YA Editors’ Buzz – Publishers Weekly

Future 40: author Jason Reynolds is writing our stories – BET

Where are our black boys on young adult science fiction and fantasy novel covers? – Tor

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

5 children’s books about Latina trailblazers – Book Riot

BookExpo 2020: Tuning into children’s book coverage – Publishers Weekly

Little House, Big Problem: What to do with “Classic” books that are also racist – SLJ

LIBRARIES

Is it safe to go back to my local library? – Boston City Life

Librarians recruited as COVID-19 hunters – American Libraries

Libraries must change – New York Times

YA LIT

The 20 most anticipated YA books to read in June – Epic Reads

Neal Shusterman’s inclusive YA and talking to the author about representation – Book Riot

St. Paul author stunned by success of genre-jumping “CatNet” – Twin Cities Pioneer Press

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Bad Kitty: Wash Your Paws – a free download

Christian Robinson: creating art that matters – Publishers Weekly

Erin Entrada Kelly, Bich Minh Nguyen: An APAHM reading list – NBC News

Fall 2020 Book Buzz with your favorite publishers – SLJ

Poet and author Bao Phi: ‘It felt like the hate was cranked up to 11’ – MinnPost

LIBRARIES

How Oregon libraries are planning to reopen – OPB

Libraries have spent years reinventing themselves. Will they have to do it again? – Marketplace

Library workers return to work Wednesday to prepare for eventual reopening. Exactly when? Unclear. – Chicago Sun Times

Pandemic-caused austerity drives widespread furloughs, layoffs of library workers – Library Journal

Using librarians to track the virus – Today

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

For kids who don’t have books at home, communities are working to reach them – SLJ

Mem Fox on fear, creativity and Covid-19: ‘What if I die with the story unfinished?’ – The Guardian

Watch Michelle and Barack Obama a read children’s book for Chicago Public Library – Chicago Sun Times

With a dozen new books this year alone, Kate Messner is smashing expectations – Publishers Weekly

LIBRARIES

13 Pioneering Black American Librarians You Oughta Know – Book Riot

Arts, parks and libraries bear the brunt of 472 furloughs as City of Dallas reacts to pandemic – KERA

Corpus Christi Public Libraries reopening with restrictions in place – KIII

Madison Public Library moves to curbside pickup on Monday – Wisconsin State Journal

North Platte (Nebraska) Public Library to open with restrictions – KNOP

TEEN LIT

The return of the YA vampire – Publishers Weekly

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

11 body positive children’s books to read during quarantine – Book Riot

18 librarian-approved books for kids of all ages – PBS Newshour

2020 political books for children – Publisher’s Weekly

2021 Carle Honors Announced – Publisher’s Weekly

Children’s books roundup – the best new picture books and novels – The Guardian

Helen Mirren, Stephen Fry, Jude Law and more are reading daily bedtime stories for Save the Children – Good Housekeeping

Inclusive read-alouds – ALSC

Jacqueline Woodson and Albertine Win 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Awards – Publisher’s Weekly

LIBRARIES

Public library to reopen in phases starting Monday – Cleveland (Tennessee) Daily Banner

While more Americans rely on parking lot wi-fi, many public libraries do not have adequate broadband – Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

TEEN LIT

30 LGBTQ YA books you’ll absolutely want to pick up this spring – BuzzFeed

The rise of magical realism in young adult fiction – Tor

All the new young adult SFF books arriving in May – Tor

 

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Julie Andrews’ new storytelling podcast is a must-listen – Parade

Marlon James, Kao Kalia Yang among Minnesota Book Award winners – StarTribune

Middle grade books that help unpack complex conversations – Book Riot

 

 

LIBRARIES

Austin Public Library will not open locations on Friday – KXAN

Five unexpected benefits for eliminating library fines – InfoSpace

In-person services returning to Middle Georgia Regional Library – NBC 41

Librarians under pandemic duress: layoffs, napkin masks, and fear of retaliation – Book Riot

Libraries contemplate re-opening – Public Libraries

Texas State Library and Archives Commission Reopening Libraries: Resource Guide – Texas State Library

 

 

TEEN LIT

For spring, 3 YA tales of girls on the edge – NPR

Frances Hardinge: ‘Young adults tend to be more broad-minded than adults’ – The Bookseller

A rainbow of YA titles – Stacked

As part of National Library Week, the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom compiles the list of the most challenged books in libraries and schools for the previous year. I have included ALA’s notes about the reasons the books were challenged. I hope you find them as infuriating as I do!

Here are the top books for 2019, many of which will be familiar and likely beloved titles:

1. George by Alex Gino
   Reasons: challenged, banned, restricted, and hidden to avoid controversy; for LGBTQIA+ content and a transgender character; because schools and libraries should not “put books in a child’s hand that require discussion”; for sexual references; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint and “traditional family structure”
2. Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin
   Reasons: challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, for “its effect on any young people who would read it,” and for concerns that it was sexually explicit and biased
3. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss, illustrated by EG Keller
   Reasons: Challenged and vandalized for LGBTQIA+ content and political viewpoints, for concerns that it is “designed to pollute the morals of its readers,” and for not including a content warning
4. Sex is a Funny Word by Cory Silverberg, illustrated by Fiona Smyth
   Reasons: Challenged, banned, and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content; for discussing gender identity and sex education; and for concerns that the title and illustrations were “inappropriate”
5. Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack, illustrated by Stevie Lewis
   Reasons: Challenged and restricted for featuring a gay marriage and LGBTQIA+ content; for being “a deliberate attempt to indoctrinate young children” with the potential to cause confusion, curiosity, and gender dysphoria; and for conflicting with a religious viewpoint
6. I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas
   Reasons: Challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content, for a transgender character, and for confronting a topic that is “sensitive, controversial, and politically charged”
7. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
   Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity and for “vulgarity and sexual overtones”
8. Drama written and illustrated by Raina Telgemeier
   Reasons: Challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and for concerns that it goes against “family values/morals”
9. Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
   Reasons: Banned and forbidden from discussion for referring to magic and witchcraft, for containing actual curses and spells, and for characters that use “nefarious means” to attain goals
10. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson illustrated by Henry Cole
    Reason: Challenged and relocated for LGBTQIA+ content

 

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Audible streams Harry Potter, hundreds of other audiobooks for free – Consequence of Sound

#AuthorsTakeAction, Authors Save Lives – Publishers Weekly

How Kids’ Lit is responding to the coronavirus – Publishers Weekly

Jason Reynolds to start online initiative as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature – SLJ

Little scientists: children prefer storybooks that explain why and how things happen – ScienceDaily

Spring 2020 middle grade spotlight: a book list – Publishers Weekly

LIBRARIES

Most libraries are closed. Some librarians still have to go in – The New York Times

School Library Journal offers free full access to content, digitized magazines – SLJ

Two libraries in one: when schools and public libraries share space, all users benefit – SLJ

TEEN LIT

Young adult fiction round-up: reworking of Irish myth is a hit – The Irish Times

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Dolly Parton will read children’s books online every Thursday night – and our hearts are so happy – Travel + Leisure

Dressed for success: LGBTQ children’s books 2020 – Publishers Weekly

LeVar Burton reading live on Twitter is everything we need right now – Forbes

Reading with Pride: LGBTQ Books 2020 – Publishers Weekly

Stay in your cave: the Gruffalo lends a claw to the coronavirus effort – The Guardian

Tomie dPaola left a legacy of comfort, kindness, and quality children’s books – SLJ

Watch the 1st installment of Jason Reynolds #WriteRightRite where he challenges you to create an award for yourself – Library of Congress

LIBRARIES

Eight Hennepin County libraries now offer curbside pick up – Bring Me the News

Library workers fight for safer working conditions amid coronavirus pandemic – NBC News

University libraries offer online “lending” of scanned in-copyright books – Ars Technica

TEEN LIT

21 middle-grade and YA books to read in spring 2020 – CBC

Ahead of the 2020 election, YA novels are more political than ever – Bustle

Author and poet Elizabeth Acevedo on diversity in young adult literature – BELatina

Read these 2020 YA mystery books for the ultimate thrill ride – The Nerd Daily

Six interviews with LGBTQ children’s and YA authors – Publishers Weekly