Some interesting articles to enjoy:

9 Exemplary Novels in Verse for Middle Grade and Teen Readers – SLJ

The American Picture Book’s Unsung Parent: Japan – The New York Times

Author John Green talks about living with OCD – NPR (This one really moved me. Definitely worth the listen!)

Classification as Colonization: The Hidden Politics of Library Catalogs – The Scholarly Kitchen

Happy Trans Day of Visibility 2025 – a booklist for all ages – LGBTQ Reads

Magic Cat Announces Deal for Board Book Series with Jamie Oliver – Publishers Weekly

Michael Morpurgo: The five books that changed my life – iNews

Ten New Children’s Books That Reveal the Wondrous Act of Storytelling – Literary Hub

And a cool video on publishing picture books in translation:

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

12 must-read November children’s book releases – Book Riot

Alex Gino’s children’s novel George retitled Melissa ‘to respect trans heroine’ – The Guardian

I tried to redpill my son with these far-right children’s books – Rolling Stone

Kirkus Prize winners revealed in virtual ceremony – Kirkus

Robert Munsch’s classic The Paper Bag Princess has been optioned to become a film – CBC

LIBRARIES

Being a librarian: expectations vs. reality – Book Riot

Blind people won the right to break ebook DRM. In 3 years, they’ll have to do it again. – Wired

Books probed by a Texas lawmaker by women, people of color, LGBTQ writers. They’re asking: ‘Really?’ – The Dallas Morning News

Creating safer libraries – Public Libraries

More public libraries, including New York Public Library, have eliminated fines for overdue books – Forbes

Texas governor decries school library books with ‘pornographic or obscene material’ – NPR

US files antitrust suit to stop major book publisher merger – ABC News

TEEN LIT

10 YA novels released in 2021 that deserve movie/TV adaptations – ScreenRant

12 inclusive YA books your middle schooler won’t be able to put down – SheKnows

The 16 most anticipated YA books to read in November – Epic Reads

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

Four fan-favorite YA trilogies come to an end this fall – Publishers Weekly

Mariko Tamaki debuts new LGBTQ+ graphic novel imprint – Publishers Weekly

New YA retellings to fall into – Book Riot

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

19 Canadian books for kids and young adults to read this Halloween – CBC

20 magical children’s books about witches for all ages – Romper

50 years ago, ‘The Electric Company’ used comedy to boost kids’ reading skills – NPR

2021 Vine Awards for Canadian Jewish Literature shortlist announced – Quill & Quire

Anne Ursu’s magical thinking – Mpls St Paul

Announcing Evanston Public Library’s 101 Great Books for Kids List of 2021 – Evanston Public Library

Author Margarita Engle explores Cuban history in two new books for young readers – KVPR

How gruesome penny dreadfuls got Victorian children reading – Atlas Obscura

Let children choose their own ways to read, and you’ll make them lifelong readers – Desert Sun

A very busy fall for Ada Twist – Publishers Weekly

LIBRARIES

The Freedom to Read is a right and must be protected – Texas Library Association

‘Harmful content’ Cambridge University to put trigger warnings on children’s books – Express

I set out to build the next Library of Alexandria. Now I wonder: will there be libraries in 25 years? – TIME

How Memphis created the nation’s most innovative public library – Smithsonian Magazine

Texas House to launch investigation into school library books – The Hill

YA LIT

Jewish YA books: more than the Holocaust – Book Riot

The most underrated YA books of the pandemic – Book Riot

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Beloved author Gary Paulsen has died aged 82 – Pan Macmillan

Documentary chronicles diversity in children’s literature – SLJ

From middle grade novel to Netflix: a conversation with Adam Gidwitz about A Tale Dark & Grimm – 100 Scope Notes

Grover’s iconic Sesame Street children’s book turns 50 – NPR

Jerry Pinkney, the beloved award-winning children’s book illustrator, has died at 81 – NPR

Picture books for children – reviews – The Guardian

Southlake school leader tells teachers to balance Holocaust books with ‘opposing’ views – NBC News

Your favorite children’s books – The New York Times

LIBRARIES

Texas’s book censorship hysteria: an interview with Ashley Hope Pérez – OIF Blog

YA LIT

Netflix’s To All the Boys gets spin-off show with original star returning – DigitalSpy

Realms of Ruin – a project from six YA authors to create an NFT-based writing project has been cancelled – Bad Writing Takes on Twitter

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

19 Black children’s books to share with the little ones in your life – Essence

Center for Children’s Books examines Newbery Medal’s history, legacy – Chambana Sun

Children’s books round-up: the best reads this autumn – The Scotsman

The Guardian view on children’s books: take them seriously – The Guardian

LIBRARIES

New York City’s public libraries abolish fines on overdue materials – NPR

YA LIT

The best books for teens this autumn – The Scotsman

One of Us Is Lying team talks changes from book to TV, defying teen drama archetypes – TV Line

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

15 must-read October children’s book releases – Book Riot

Children’s book awards that celebrate diversity – SLJ

David Walliams: ‘Harmful’ Chinese character removed from children’s book – BBC News

How the Clique books taught me to hate other girls and myself – New York Times

‘I, Witness’ makes world events visceral for young readers – NPR

Shang-Chi director to helm American Born Chinese series for Disney+ – Tor

‘The stories will be the last thing to go’: Robert Munsch on his legacy as one of Canada’s great storytellers – CBC

Why parents tried to ban this children’s book about a Chinese immigrant family – Yahoo

LIBRARIES

Mid-Continent Public Library Board blasted as banned books comments suggest censorship – KCUR

Sexual harassment, intimidation, violence on the job worsened during pandemic, librarians report – CBC

Why investing in libraries is a climate justice issue – Next City

Wyoming librarians under fire for books about sex, LGBTQ – The Washington Post

YA LIT

11 new YA books you won’t want to miss this October – PopSugar

How students fought a book ban and won, for now – New York Times

Top new YA books in October 2021 – Den of Geek

Westworld’s Gina Atwater to adapt YA fantasy novel ‘Raybearer’ for Netflix series – Collider

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

11 children’s books combatting the idea of pelo malo – HipLatina

15 sweetly spooky Halloween books for toddlers – Book Riot

19 children’s books about cats to read with your kitten-loving kid – Romper

20 kids’ books to read during Hispanic Heritage Month – Motherly

‘Amber Brown’ TV show from Bonnie Hunt ordered at Apple TV+ – Collider

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

How reading aloud can help you bond with your kids – NPR

‘I have these stories to tell’: the authors trying to diversify children’s books – The Guardian

The most popular children’s book the year you were born – Yahoo!

LIBRARIES

Banned Books Week fights censorship by people in power – Teen Vogue

Restricted Reading: a new original audio series on prison censorship – OIF Blog

YA LIT

8 YA books for budding teen journalists – Kirkus

The dramatic life of the American teenager (interview with Kacen Callender) – NPR

The American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom has released its list of the top ten most challenged books in 2020 In 2020, 273 books were targeted for removal from libraries, schools and universities. Here are the most challenged books along with the reasons cited for censoring them.

George by Alex Gino

Reasons: Challenged, banned, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community”

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds

Reasons: Banned and challenged because of author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, drug use, and alcoholism, and because it was thought to promote anti-police views, contain divisive topics, and be “too much of a sensitive matter right now”

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted because it was thought to contain a political viewpoint and it was claimed to be biased against male students, and for the novel’s inclusion of rape and profanity

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and allegations of sexual misconduct by the author

Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story about Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin

Reasons: Challenged for “divisive language” and because it was thought to promote anti-police views

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and their negative effect on students, featuring a “white savior” character, and its perception of the Black experience

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Reasons: Banned and challenged for racial slurs and racist stereotypes, and their negative effect on students

The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and depicts child sexual abuse

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Reasons: Challenged for profanity, and it was thought to promote an anti-police message

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Charlie and Lola author Lauren Child says children’s books should be taken seriously – The Guardian

Jason Reynolds extends term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature – Publishers Weekly

Netflix lands golden ticket by buying Roald Dahl estate – BBC News

Remembering Ramona and Beverly Cleary’s attention to childhood emotions – Los Angeles Review of Books

A storybook romance – On Wisconsin

Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family revolutionized Jewish children’s literature – Aish

LIBRARIES

Name calling, property damage: public librarians harassed over vaccine mandate enforcement – Hawaii News Now

YA LIT

13 funny Twitter responses to the idea of rating YA books – Book Riot

Amazon is adapting Charlie Jane Anders’ Victories Greater Than Death – Tor

Creepy fun: 35 new YA horror books to devour – Book Riot

Haunted houses and magic brownies: new young adult SFF/H September & October 2021 – Tor

In defense of unlikable girls in YA books – Epic Reads