Kathy Ishizuka
@kishizuka.bsky.social
Third generation JA; Master Gardener
Priors: Editor in Chief, School Library Journal, Partnerships & Innovation Director, SLJ & LJ
Priors: Editor in Chief, School Library Journal, Partnerships & Innovation Director, SLJ & LJ
ATTN Librarian job seekers:
The Dalton School is seeking a High School Librarian, Grades 9-12.
The Dalton School is seeking a High School Librarian, Grades 9-12.
December 28, 2025 at 11:12 PM
ATTN Librarian job seekers:
The Dalton School is seeking a High School Librarian, Grades 9-12.
The Dalton School is seeking a High School Librarian, Grades 9-12.
Lavender.
Lavandula x intermedia 'Phenomenal’
Lavandula x intermedia 'Phenomenal’
December 28, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Lavender.
Lavandula x intermedia 'Phenomenal’
Lavandula x intermedia 'Phenomenal’
Love this annual series by Betsy Bird, who posts a different list each day in Dec of her picks in kids books, She runs down the usual categories, along with the most unconventional titles of the year, "Caldenotts," and "Funny Books," because who doesn't love those.
31 Days, 31 Lists: 2025 Comics and Graphic Novels for Kids
I may have gone a bit overboard...
afuse8production.slj.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Love this annual series by Betsy Bird, who posts a different list each day in Dec of her picks in kids books, She runs down the usual categories, along with the most unconventional titles of the year, "Caldenotts," and "Funny Books," because who doesn't love those.
Reposted by Kathy Ishizuka
Bombing on Christmas. Yeah that tracks for the dude who gave himself a madeup Fifa Peace Prize.
December 25, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Bombing on Christmas. Yeah that tracks for the dude who gave himself a madeup Fifa Peace Prize.
Kudos, Diane!
During her long career at the magazine, Roback oversaw the expansion of Publishers Weekly’s coverage of the children’s book market during a period when the sales of children’s books exploded. Starting March 2, Roback will become editor-at-large.
Diane Roback to Step Down as ‘PW’ Children’s Book Editor
During her long career at the magazine, Roback oversaw the expansion of Publishers Weekly’s coverage of the children’s book market during a period when the sales of children’s books exploded.
buff.ly
December 23, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Kudos, Diane!
Reposted by Kathy Ishizuka
I hadn’t thought about 60 Minutes in forever, but then they started hiding the news, like a cool scavenger hunt.
December 22, 2025 at 10:56 PM
I hadn’t thought about 60 Minutes in forever, but then they started hiding the news, like a cool scavenger hunt.
Under Trump, the Dept of Education has dismissed thousands of civil rights investigations and instead has pursued inquiries into alleged anti-white discrimination, antisemitism complaints and policies regarding transgender students, reports Hechinger.
Probes into racism in schools stall under Trump
Parents say racist incidents are going unchecked after the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights retreated from investigating schools in Lubbock County, Texas.
hechingerreport.org
December 20, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Under Trump, the Dept of Education has dismissed thousands of civil rights investigations and instead has pursued inquiries into alleged anti-white discrimination, antisemitism complaints and policies regarding transgender students, reports Hechinger.
It bears repeating.
The White House claims the vote to rename the Kennedy Center was “unanimous.” That is false. I was muted on the call and denied the opportunity to speak or register my opposition. That is not consensus. That is censorship.
December 19, 2025 at 9:35 PM
It bears repeating.
Nice piece by Jess deCourcy Hinds, surveying research, perspectives on bibliotherapy, with resources for reading and further exploration.
#BookSky
#BookSky
Can Bibliotherapy Heal the Pain of the World?
As a librarian, I’ve often felt like a part-time therapist. People confide in librarians the way they do with bartenders; we form bonds with our regular customers, listen to their troubles and serv…
lithub.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Nice piece by Jess deCourcy Hinds, surveying research, perspectives on bibliotherapy, with resources for reading and further exploration.
#BookSky
#BookSky
This.
@klingebeil.bsky.social: “Journalism risks becoming endlessly malleable, shaped to fit yet another set of companies’ platforms, metrics, and algorithms rather than public needs.”
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/jour...
www.niemanlab.org/2025/12/jour...
December 19, 2025 at 4:10 PM
This.
Reposted by Kathy Ishizuka
I have a few openings on my School Librarian Advisory Team for 2026 – if you're interested in taking the occasional survey, getting early copies of new books, & taking a peek behind the scenes of making kids’ books, it might be a good fit for you & your readers! Details: forms.gle/mkA9L5EuvjTu...
Kate Messner's School Librarian Advisory Team
With recent shifts in social media, support for libraries, and school budgets, it feels more challenging than ever to connect kids with books they’ll love. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how au...
forms.gle
December 15, 2025 at 11:28 AM
I have a few openings on my School Librarian Advisory Team for 2026 – if you're interested in taking the occasional survey, getting early copies of new books, & taking a peek behind the scenes of making kids’ books, it might be a good fit for you & your readers! Details: forms.gle/mkA9L5EuvjTu...
PW Notables 2025: Carla Hayden
Former librarian of Congress
Former librarian of Congress
PW Notables 2025: Carla Hayden
Modeling fortitude and resilience, the former librarian of Congress—who was fired without cause by the White House in March—says “it’s time to regroup” amid uncertain federal funding for literature an...
www.publishersweekly.com
December 15, 2025 at 5:47 PM
PW Notables 2025: Carla Hayden
Former librarian of Congress
Former librarian of Congress
40% of full-time faculty (126) at the New School have received voluntary separation or early retirement offers. It's said to be the “largest attempted firing of faculty currently taking place in the nation.”
The New School faces identity crisis amid planned layoffs, reorganization
The storied leftist university faces a $48 million deficit.
gothamist.com
December 15, 2025 at 12:15 AM
40% of full-time faculty (126) at the New School have received voluntary separation or early retirement offers. It's said to be the “largest attempted firing of faculty currently taking place in the nation.”
Rest in peace, Chris Choy.
Some life force this one.
Some life force this one.
Christine Choy, indie filmmaker who led seminal documentary on the killing of Vincent Chin, dies
Christine Choy, a trailblazer for Asian Americans in independent film and whose documentary on the fatal beating of Vincent Chin was nominated for an Academy Award, has died.
apnews.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Rest in peace, Chris Choy.
Some life force this one.
Some life force this one.
Japanese American National Museum Receives $20 Million Gift from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott
It's the largest single gift in JANM history.
It's the largest single gift in JANM history.
Japanese American National Museum Receives $20 Million Gift from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott | Japanese American National Museum
The Japanese American National Museum’s Pavilion building. Photo by Paloma Dooley.
www.janm.org
December 13, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Japanese American National Museum Receives $20 Million Gift from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott
It's the largest single gift in JANM history.
It's the largest single gift in JANM history.
My dad survived valley fever decades ago, thx to one dr's accurate diagnosis. The proposed treatment for a misdiagnosed ailment would likely have shortened his life. A trip to the Calif desert to dig for shark's teeth likely stirred latent spores. Shifting climate could increase fungal disease.
December 11, 2025 at 3:15 PM
My dad survived valley fever decades ago, thx to one dr's accurate diagnosis. The proposed treatment for a misdiagnosed ailment would likely have shortened his life. A trip to the Calif desert to dig for shark's teeth likely stirred latent spores. Shifting climate could increase fungal disease.
"Show up to your local school board meetings, make your voices heard," writes Kamye Hugley on @the74.bsky.social
The Hidden Cost of Children’s Book Bans
Hugley: Banning books that impart critical lessons of understanding and representation for children of color sends the wrong message.
www.the74million.org
December 10, 2025 at 2:33 PM
"Show up to your local school board meetings, make your voices heard," writes Kamye Hugley on @the74.bsky.social
Reposted by Kathy Ishizuka
A library's entire board of trustees was fired and replaced because they refused to ban one of my books. It's so terrible. www.randolphhub.com/article/news...
Commissioners vote 3-2 to dismiss Library Board of Trustees
<p>How the Library Board voted to handle a controversial children's book led to a majority decision by commissioners to dismiss the whole board.</p>
www.randolphhub.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:53 PM
A library's entire board of trustees was fired and replaced because they refused to ban one of my books. It's so terrible. www.randolphhub.com/article/news...
Goodness, I love this word.
December 9, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Goodness, I love this word.
The Illustrated Children’s Book I’ll Never Stop Recommending to Adults - by Hannah Kingsley-Ma
The Illustrated Children’s Book I’ll Never Stop Recommending to Adults
www.nytimes.com
December 9, 2025 at 1:50 PM
The Illustrated Children’s Book I’ll Never Stop Recommending to Adults - by Hannah Kingsley-Ma
Celebrating Somali Americans in Minnesota and Beyond, a booklist
(Ramsey County Library)
tinyurl.com/25756r8y
(Ramsey County Library)
tinyurl.com/25756r8y
December 8, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Celebrating Somali Americans in Minnesota and Beyond, a booklist
(Ramsey County Library)
tinyurl.com/25756r8y
(Ramsey County Library)
tinyurl.com/25756r8y
In 2026, "the news industry will finally realize that these informal community information networks are not peripheral to local news — they are the most functional version of it."
—Garry Pierre-Pierre, The future of news is happening where no one is looking
(@niemanlab.org)
—Garry Pierre-Pierre, The future of news is happening where no one is looking
(@niemanlab.org)
The future of news is happening where no one is looking
"In 2026, more news organizations will understand that people don’t always want an article. Sometimes they just want clarity."
www.niemanlab.org
December 8, 2025 at 11:32 AM
In 2026, "the news industry will finally realize that these informal community information networks are not peripheral to local news — they are the most functional version of it."
—Garry Pierre-Pierre, The future of news is happening where no one is looking
(@niemanlab.org)
—Garry Pierre-Pierre, The future of news is happening where no one is looking
(@niemanlab.org)
Reposted by Kathy Ishizuka
So love wobbegongs. Everything is good about the wobbegong. Its name. Its flattened Oscar the Grouch face. Its frondy bits. Its lazy life as a hungry rug. And it’s a shark. Outstanding animal 10/10
The Tasselled Wobbegong is a master of disguise that can eat a fish almost as big as itself in one gulp. It's classified as a shark, but when it lays on the sea floor it looks like a harmless rug if you manage to see it. But with powerful jaws and sharp teeth they are no fish to mess with.
December 8, 2025 at 9:49 AM
So love wobbegongs. Everything is good about the wobbegong. Its name. Its flattened Oscar the Grouch face. Its frondy bits. Its lazy life as a hungry rug. And it’s a shark. Outstanding animal 10/10