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School Library Journal
@slj.com
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School Library Journal is the premiere publication for librarians and information specialists who work with children and teens. A source of quality, award-winning journalism and reviews for 70 years, SLJ publishes 5,000+ reviews annually.
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Shannon Gibney: The KidLit community and the ICE invasion
pearlsandrubys.slj.com/2026/02/10/s...
Shannon Gibney: The KidLit community and the ICE invasion
I have some friends here who are writers who cannot write. I can write, but this is all I can write about now.
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February 10, 2026 at 9:43 PM
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We Need Diverse Books Announces 2026 Walter Dean Myers Awards Winners
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We Need Diverse Books Announces 2026 Walter Dean Myers Awards Winners
The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze by Derrick Barnes and Champion by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Raymond Obstfeld, and Ed Laroche are this year's winners.
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February 10, 2026 at 1:42 PM
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‘Europa’ by James Ponti Tops Holds List | Book Pulse
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'Europa' by James Ponti Tops Holds List | Book Pulse | School Library Journal
Europa by James Ponti (S. & S./Aladdin) leads holds this week. Barnes and Noble Reads recommends the best audiobooks of February 2026, including two children’s titles. People exclusively reveals the c...
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February 9, 2026 at 6:38 PM
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Muslims Are Not a Monolith — Our Stories Shouldn’t Be Monolithic Either, a guest post by Seema Yasmin
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Muslims Are Not a Monolith — Our Stories Shouldn’t Be Monolithic Either, a guest post by Seema Yasmin
Writing the middle grade biographical series, Muslim Mavericks, means stepping into lives wildly different from my own—from disabled comedians to trailblazing Olympians—and learning to tell Muslim sto...
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February 9, 2026 at 4:30 PM
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'The Librarians' Director: I see the film as a movement
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#TLSky #Skybrarians
The documentary begins streaming on PBS today.
'The Librarians' Director: I see the film as a movement | School Library Journal
With the documentary airing on PBS on Monday, February 9, director and producer Kim Snyder spoke with SLJ about the documentary, the audience response, and her hope it makes a bigger impact on the ant...
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February 9, 2026 at 1:44 PM
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8 Lovely Titles for Young Readers That Center Ramadan and Eid
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8 Lovely Titles for Young Readers That Center Ramadan and Eid
Running from mid-February to late-March, the religious holidays are celebrated by Muslim people all over the world. From board books to a graphic novel, there’s something here for every young reader.
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February 6, 2026 at 7:43 PM
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Good Comics for Kids Review: Calamity Before Jane
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Calamity Before Jane | Review
Noah Van Sciver dissects another American legend in an insightful new graphic novel, this one about the Wild West heroine we know as Calamity Jane.
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February 6, 2026 at 7:10 PM
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13 Great Sports Books for Kids That Raise a High Bar and Meet Their Mark
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13 Great Sports Books for Kids That Raise a High Bar and Meet Their Mark
Here are recent and upcoming titles that incorporate a wide range of sports and experiences, including baseball, football, soccer, and even powerlifting.
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February 6, 2026 at 5:03 PM
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Take Five: February 2026 Middle Grade Books
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Take Five: February 2026 Middle Grade Books
A family cafe, angry girls, a taekwondo wiz, a mysterious painting, and a heist inspired by Indigenous American mythology.
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February 6, 2026 at 4:07 PM
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There's something for everyone in this preview. Picture books. Board books. Middle grade fiction. Nonfiction. 🤩 Read this blog post today! sbee.link/4u7gwkf9nm
February 5, 2026 at 2:54 PM
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Are you planning to attend PLA in April? Reach out to SLJ senior news editor Kara Yorio (kyorio@mediasourceinc.com) to discuss what you're excited for and your thoughts on attending the event in Minneapolis for a story in advance of the conference.
In scene from movie, actor Jim Carrey types furiously. Words on screen say: EMAIL SENT!
February 3, 2026 at 3:47 PM
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Learn more about the latest book news by signing up for our weekly Book Pulse newsletter! 📩 Information about other big things happening this week can be found here: sbee.link/pd9mgqrnuh
February 3, 2026 at 2:45 PM
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It's time to step up planning for those summer reading programs.
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Getting Creative with Summer Reading Programs
Across the country, school and public librarians are creating their own summer reading programs that not only combat the academic slide and keep kids reading but promote book choice and personal conne...
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February 2, 2026 at 7:24 PM
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Take Five: Little Women Reimaginings | Teen Librarian Toolbox
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Take Five: Little Women Reimaginings
With (at least) two Little Women reimaginings coming out in 2026, let's see what other retellings there are!
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February 2, 2026 at 4:22 PM
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Tracey Baptiste: First Generation Kids | Pearl's & Ruby's
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Tracey Baptiste: First Generation Kids
If educators let kids see their experiences as expertise, they could really thrive and assimilate a lot more quickly.
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February 2, 2026 at 2:01 PM
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Historic Day for Candace Fleming
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Historic Day for Candace Fleming
At the 2026 Youth Media Awards, author Candace Fleming became the first person to receive the Children’s Literature Legacy Award and the Margaret A. Edwards Award in the same year. In addition, her bo...
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January 29, 2026 at 7:45 PM
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Heavy Medal is looking ahead to Newbery 2027
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Looking ahead to Newbery 2027
It's time to look ahead to the 2027 Newbery medal. We don't have a lot on our radar, what's on yours?
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January 29, 2026 at 4:32 PM
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A recent study indicated 72 percent of teens have used AI as companions at least once. Learn more here: sbee.link/ye69d8atnc
January 29, 2026 at 3:30 PM
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As ICE raids continue in Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN (MSP), the school day is anything but normal. Read more about how school librarians are supporting students and peers: sbee.link/a6ucetnjhg
January 28, 2026 at 10:00 PM
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There are some great titles in this list of starred reviews! ⭐ Explore them all here: sbee.link/k7c98ybna3
January 28, 2026 at 6:34 PM
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Connecting Censorship and the 1960s Freedom Schools

Author Ashley Hope Pérez teaches the 1960s movement to help her Ohio State University students understand the impact of book bans and learn how to take action against censorship now.
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Connecting Censorship and the 1960s Freedom Schools
Author Ashley Hope Pérez teaches the 1960s movement to help her Ohio State University students understand the impact of book bans and learn how to take action against censorship now.
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January 28, 2026 at 3:31 PM
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SLJ Starred Review: One Day: A True Story of Survival in the Holocaust by Michael Rosen, illus. by Benjamin Phillips
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One Day: A True Story of Survival in the Holocaust
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January 27, 2026 at 5:24 PM
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It's International Holocaust Remembrance Day and we pull this story from the archives to remind people of the impact of the Holocaust Museum.
Rochester (NY) Public Library Program Takes Teens to Washington, DC
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Rochester (NY) Public Library Program Takes Teens to Washington, DC
Thanks to a remarkable effort by a public library, 20 New York teens had an unforgettable trip touring monuments and museums and learning and connecting with history.
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January 27, 2026 at 4:59 PM
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Pearl's & Ruby's Review: The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class: Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat
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review: The Kids in Mrs. Z’s Class: Fia Hosein Finds Her Beat
In this illustrated work of fiction, Baptiste connects with her roots in Trinidad and Tobago to write about the experiences of Fia Hosein whose family just moved to Peppermint Falls.
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January 27, 2026 at 4:47 PM
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SLJ Reviews of the Morris Award Titles | ALA Youth Media Awards 2026
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SLJ Reviews of the Morris Award Titles | ALA Youth Media Awards 2026
Bestowed annually, the William C. Morris Award honors a young adult title written by a first-time author writing for teens. Here, the reviews of the 2026 William C. Morris Award and finalists.
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January 27, 2026 at 4:40 PM