From the amazing new library where I am Assistant Director.

And I’ll brag a little bit more:

Appleton Public Library wins 2025 Wisconsin Library of the Year award for distinguished service – Post Crescent

Appleton Public Library Wins AIA Chicago People’s Choice Award – SOM

Inside SOM’s Forward-Thinking Appleton Public Library Design – GB&D

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

‘Strega Nona’ is still reaching audiences at 50 years old – NPR

Travel Can Make Classic Children’s Books Come Alive – New York Times

LIBRARIES

How the Library Made Me an Author – SLJ

Ohio Republicans are messing with libraries, but voters just sent a clear warning shot – Cleveland.com

Some Tennessee Libraries Shut Down For “Emergency Closure” Over Transgender Books – Erin in the Morning

YA LIT

Chloe Gong: The Books That Sparked My Dystopia Era – Paste

CHILDREN’S LIT

9 Contemporary, Indigenous Graphic Novels for Kids and Teens – SLJ

9 Sensational Indigenous YA Books to Make You Think – Book Riot

10 Great New Children’s Books Out in November That Explore the Skies – Lit Hub

Is a giant picture book about a bus the new Harry Potter… in Denmark? – Diggit Magazine

It will take more than the new Children’s Booker Prize to arrest the dramatic decline in reading enjoyment – The Conversation

Strega Nona turns 50 — and her art lives in Minneapolis – MPR

LIBRARIES

AI Is Supercharging the War on Libraries, Education, and Human Knowledge – 404 Media

Historic libraries bring modern comfort to book lovers and history buffs in New England – SC Now

How one South Florida teen continues her fight against banned books and censorship – WLRN

I joined the oldest and most overlooked library in my town – and it feels like being part of a secret club – The Guardian

YA LIT

10 LGBTQ+ YA Fantasy Novels to Inspire Teens to Live Their Truth – People

E. Lockhart Returns to the Land of ‘We Were Liars’ in a New Book – New York Times

A Guide to the Biggest Young Adult Book Releases Wrapping Up 2025 — And How to Read Each Series – US Weekly

Q&A: Chloe Gong, Author of ‘Coldwire’ – The Nerd Daily

Talking teen literacy with University of Minnesota – UMN

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

7 Nature-Themed Graphic Novels to Inspire Kids to Explore the Great Outdoors – SLJ

77 Picture Book Series That Encourage Readers to Embrace the Journey – SLJ

Children learn to read with books that are just right for them – but that might not be the best approach – The Conversation

The Children’s Booker prize will tell kids that they matter – The Guardian

How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Macabre – New York Times

Phil Johnston discusses his animated adaptation of the classic children’s book ‘The Twits’ – NPR

There is a silver bullet for childhood happiness: a love of reading – The Times

LIBRARIES

More than 100 people show support for Hales Corners library director targeted by out-of-state group over teen content – CBS 58

Passing notes: Public libraries communicating with schools – ASLC Blog

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

COVID Hurt Our Kids’ Reading Levels But These Black Books Will Help Them Catch Up – The Root

Great Read Alouds: Bird Watching – Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

LIBRARIES

A 3,200km tour of Australian libraries taught me just how vital they are – The Guardian

Alabama board seeks to ban books that ‘positively’ depict trans themes from library youth sections – The Seattle Times

Books about race and gender to be returned to school libraries on some military bases – NPR

Can libraries help overcome isolation and bridge cultural divides? – WVTF

Hundreds of Carnegie Libraries to Receive $10,000 Gifts in Celebration of United States’ 250th Anniversary – Carnegie Corporation of New York

N.J. school board that refused to ban teen sex guide from library is cleared of ethics charges – NJ.com

Wi-Fi Hot Spot Lending Program Scrapped, Leaving Libraries Scrambling – EdSurge

YA LIT

8 New Dystopian YA Books – Book Riot

Why threats to YA literature are a threat to our future – The Daily Campus

CHILDREN’S LIT

12 Books for Kids That Celebrate Neurodivergent Brains – Parents

2025 Bookish Gift Guide for Kids Ages 6-8 – Reading Middle Grade

Halloween is Coming! 20 New Books to Celebrate Spookytime – 100 Scope Notes

Lessons from Neverland: A writer reflects on the eternal wisdom of children’s books – Scroll.in

hao Lam wins Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature – CBC

‘They didn’t even read the book’: How children’s authors are being canceled over Palestine – The Guardian

LIBRARIES

Could you survive on a third of your income? Libraries, Cleveland Metroparks might have to – Cleveland.com

‘A First Amendment problem’: Lawsuit over book bans at Department of Defense schools – USA Today

How the local library can save you money – NPR

Librarian to Receive $700,000 for Settlement in Censorship Lawsuit – Inside Hook

Where Public Libraries Take on New Roles as Community Anchors – Bloomberg

YA LIT

2025 YA Romantasy Reads To Put On Your TBR – Book Riot

I am Here for the Vibes: Magick, Folklore, and Spirituality in YA Books, a guest post by Amber McBride – Teen Librarian Toolbox

BOOK AWARDS

Meet the winners of the 2025 B.C. and Yukon Book Prizes – Vancouver Sun

Winners of SWCC Book Awards for science writing announced – Quill & Quire

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

The 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years – Slate

How a secret recording of a gender identity lecture upended Texas A&M – Texas Public Radio

A ‘Miss Nelson Is Missing!’ Movie Is Coming! Everything to Know About the Film Adaptation – Parade

Mo Willems on How He’s Forced Millions of Adults to Get Silly – Slate

My Kid Loves Dav Pilkey Books. What Should They Read Next? – New York Times

World Kid Lit Month: Illustrations Without Borders – SCBWI Blog

LIBRARIES

Libraries Are at the Heart of the Reading Ecosystem – EdTrust

Viral Instagram videos on Hong Kong’s libraries are ‘like a time capsule’ – South China Morning Post

Why Teens Love to Hang Out at the Library – KQED

YA LIT

LGBTQ+ Teens Need Books That Teach Them About Sex, Not Shame Them For It – People

Twilight at 20: how Stephenie Meyer’s vampire saga changed young adult fiction forever – The Conversation

BOOK AWARDS

2025 Washington State Book Awards Winners Announced – Seattle Mag

Victoria Book Prizes announce nominees, new category for 2025 awards – Times Colonist

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

15 Picture Books That Celebrate Hispanic & Latine Heritage – Brightly

2026 Newbery/Caldecott Fall Prediction Edition – Fuse #8

Are You Ready for a POUT POUT FISH Animated Movie? – 100 Scope Notes

The best children’s fantasy novels, according to Katherine Rundell – iNews

The Best Middle Grade Podcasts and What You Get From Them – From the Mixed-Up Files

How To Raise a Reader in an Age of Digital Distraction – Lit Hub

My Favorite Back to School Middle Grade Novels – ALSC

Top 5 children’s books to inspire awe for our universe, chosen by Chloe Savage – Big Issue

LIBRARIES

I’m a Librarian, Therapist, Personal Assistant, and First Responder. Moments Like This Make It All Worth It. – Slate

Librarians Are Being Asked to Find AI-Hallucinated Books – 404 Media

Libraries Can Be Democracy’s Living Room – Next City

‘They said I should be purged and killed’: The librarians who stood up for free speech – The Telegraph

YA LIT

7 New YA Horror Novels to Pop on Your Fall TBR Right Now – Book Riot

85 Scary (And Not-So-Scary) 2025 Young Adult Books To Get Readers In The Halloween Spirit – Pop Goes the Reader

This One’s for the Fans: The Rise of the YA Novella – Publishers Weekly

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Check Out These Lovely Children’s Books by Palestinian Creators – Book Riot

Children’s literature professor fired by Texas university over ‘gender’ content – The Guardian

Donald Trump accuses Australian author Scott Stuart’s children’s book of ‘radical gender ideology’ – The Guardian

Happy 75th birthday to Henry Huggins, Ramona Quimby’s big-kid neighbor – NPR

New and Noteworthy Children’s and YA Books: September 2025 – Publishers Weekly

LIBRARIES

Court Victory Inspires Hope But Creates No Immediate Change in Florida School Libraries – SLJ

How Getting a Library Card Is a Salute to Democracy – Nonprofit Quarterly

Libraries are public health hubs – WBUR

Why Would a County Evict Its Public Library Over $1?: Behind The Push to Decimate A Josephine County (OR) Library – Book Riot

YA LIT

Most Anticipated Young Adult SFF/H for September & October 2025 – Reactor

New teen thriller ‘Sisters in the Wind’ finds drama in hidden identities – NPR