LibraryMom

New Back-to-School Books for 2022

latest books for school library

This may be the best round of newly published back-to-school books I’ve seen! With reassuring stories tackling first-day jitters to engaging tales teaching readers the power of kindness to stories celebrating diversity and welcoming others, there is a lot to love about these new releases.

Whether you are a parent preparing your child for their first day or a teacher looking to update your classroom library, the below books are excellent choices for reading at the beginning of the school year!  

*This post contains affiliate links.  

latest books for school library

This book is the perfect beginning-of-school read aloud! Simple text paired with bold bright illustrations featuring a diverse group of students and staff remind readers that school is a place to ask questions, learn new things, and make connections. The repeating refrain referring to the school as a community helps reinforce what a welcoming and unifying place school can be. As an extra bonus, the inside jacket of the book doubles as a poster!

Buy It Here

latest books for school library

Filled with colorful illustrations and affirming text, this playful book is sure to generate excitement about starting kindergarten. When a mother deems her daughter the “queen of kindergarten”, she gains the confidence to face anything. With a giant smile, she listens to her teacher, shares, plays, and makes new friends. This charming story will leave readers eager to explore their own royal school kingdoms.

latest books for school library

This story is a must-read for anyone preparing to attend kindergarten or for kindergarten classrooms! Leo is nervous about starting school, especially when he receives a welcome letter from his teacher stating that each student will share ways to be kind on the first day. The colorful illustrations follow Leo as he becomes acquainted with his new school and creates a class Kindness Pledge. Initially Leo struggles with ideas of how to be kind, but in a sweet, gratifying ending, his new friends point out ways Leo was kind all day long.

There are so many things to love about this book. It effortlessly introduces school as a friendly environment and addresses common fears such as knowing how to tie shoes and making friends. The class takes a tour of the school giving readers an inside peek of the different rooms their school has. Best of all is the idea of the Kindness Pledge. The author is a seasoned teacher and includes a note on how she uses the Kindness Pledge in her own classroom. This sweet story will not only reassure children with first-day jitters, but also empower them to be kind.

latest books for school library

This adorable story stands out among the myriad of ABC books. Charming illustrations paired with flowing rhymes present a variety of animals demonstrating random acts of kindness. “Ape picks an apple for Aardvark below. Bat puts a bandage on Brown Bear’s big toe.” Each letter of the alphabet is represented by an upper and lower case while the caption includes several examples of the sound the letter makes. The final pages invite readers to identify one way they can be kind today. This utterly delightful story is excellent for learning letters and concrete examples of kindness.

latest books for school library

This brilliant follow up to I Walk with Vanessa is an excellent conversation starter on conflict resolution. Beautiful watercolor illustrations follow Alex, who accidentally knocks his classmate’s drawings into a puddle. Alex clearly feels bad, but is unsure of what to do. For the rest of the day the other children in the class are upset with him. Because the book is wordless, it gives readers an opportunity to interpret the character’s expressions and better understand complex social cues.

In a powerful scene, Alex apologizes to the boy and is forgiven. An author’s note includes several tips on resolving a conflict focusing on taking responsibility for our mistakes and forgiving others. This impactful story is one that will benefit many.

latest books for school library

I have no doubt that this book will become a classic first-day-of-school read aloud. The cheerful story playfully reassures readers that they can overcome their fears by using a variety of strategies. Feline detective Hattie Harmony is ready to help any friend struggling with anxiety by teaching them how to use mindful movement, stress balls, breathing techniques, and affirmations. In a powerful scene, she even faces her own fear while climbing up a tall slide. The story is enhanced further by a helpful author’s note discussing each strategy used in the story.

latest books for school library

It’s the night before school and Ollie is nervously preparing for bed, when the hoot of an owl draws her outside. Dressed in her cozy bear costume, she ventures into the woods where she discovers a tiny school for animals. She befriends a bear cub who is also feeling some first-day jitters. Together they have a magical night learning, playing games, and listening to stories. Ollie returns home ready start a new adventure at her new school.

Die-cut windows and embossed gold foil are sprinkled throughout the mostly black, white illustrations adding to the whimsy of this adorable book. We absolutely love this enchanting series!

latest books for school library

Inspired by her own childhood experience, Anoosha Syed has created a relatable and empowering story of a young girl embracing her identity and speaking out when her teacher and her classmates say her name incorrectly.

latest books for school library

Our family absolutely adores Amy Wu! With her kind character and resilient attitude, she is an excellent role model for kids.

In her brand-new story, Amy does her best to welcome Lin, the new boy in her class. She grows discouraged, however, when he doesn’t talk to her. After noticing him speaking with his little sister in Chinese, she creates a welcome banner using Chinese symbols to make him feel more comfortable.

This heartwarming story is enhanced further with an author’s note providing ideas for kids to create their own banner to welcome a new classmate or new friend.

latest books for school library

This dynamic duo has created several essential classroom read alouds and their newest collaboration is no different. Camila is constantly plagued by the “What Ifs” that live in her mind. After spending the week worrying about her class field trip to an aquarium, she surprises herself by finding courage once she is there. When a boy in her class asks for help, she resolutely faces her fear and makes a new friend in the process. Discussion questions are included to continue a conversation on overcoming anxiety.

latest books for school library

The frustration of being a new student who speaks a different language is skillfully portrayed in this moving new book. Dat is doing his best at his new school, but the language the teachers and students speak sounds like gibberish to him. When one girl kindly plays with him, he discovers that friendship can exceed language barriers. The visuals of this book especially help demonstrate Dat’s perception and how transformative a simple act of kindness can be.

latest books for school library

This clever and beautifully illustrated gem provides sage advice that children (and adults!) can live by to help create a better world. Each page features an alliterative sentence such as “Give Generously” and “Invite Imagination” that is brought to life with eye-catching illustrations. I love every page in this book so much, I wish I could make the book into a poster to display in my children’s rooms to inspire them every day.

latest books for school library

This hilarious book is perfect for establishing classroom expectations in a fun and engaging way. A group of diverse students are told that a comically clumsy purple monster named Dennis will eat them if they don’t obey the instructions in the book. Listeners will love following along the amusing directions that range from sitting crisscross applesauce to making funny faces and practicing mindfulness techniques. 

This interactive book is an excellent choice for the beginning of the school year, returning from a break, or anytime you need to review classroom procedures. 

latest books for school library

(Ages 5 and up)

Abdul loves to tell stories, but when it comes to writing them down, he just can’t do it. The spelling is too hard, he still has trouble remembering which way a “b” and “d” goes, and his paper always ends up with too many smudge marks from his eraser. When an author comes to visit his classroom, however, he inspires Abdul to write all of his thoughts down even if the result is messy. With the author’s encouragement, Abdul is able to gain the confidence to continue working on his stories and sharing them with the world.

After witnessing my own son’s struggles with spelling and frustration with writing, this story really touched my heart. It’s a great reminder that we have the ability to empower kids to work through the obstacles they encounter and help them accomplish their dreams. With its important lesson in empathy and understanding that people can learn in different ways, this is an essential book for classrooms.

View more of my BACK-TO-SCHOOL BOOKS HERE.

You May Also Like:

latest books for school library

About rdurso

You may like these posts.

latest books for school library

Lunar New Year Books

latest books for school library

Culturally Diverse Chapter Books With Girl Protagonists

latest books for school library

Books That Celebrate Names

latest books for school library

New Back-to-School Books 2023

latest books for school library

Books for Disability Pride Month

latest books for school library

  • Build Classroom Libraries to Engage Readers at Booksource.com

latest books for school library

Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!

13 questions to ask when choosing new books for classroom libraries.

Whether you’re freshening up existing classroom libraries or starting a classroom library from scratch, consider how the books you choose will help students develop a lifelong love of reading. Here are some key questions to keep in mind when selecting titles for a classroom library.

1. Are there enough books in this classroom library?

The first step in giving students a choice in what they read is providing enough books. Booksource recommends 300-600+ books per classroom and at least seven books per child. No matter how large or small a classroom library is, there is always a new story worth sharing.

2. Is there a good mix of fiction and nonfiction books?

Both fiction and nonfiction books are essential for teaching students new concepts and expanding their worldviews. Encourage readers’ analytical thinking and creativity when you share a mix of both! As kids read more fiction and nonfiction books, they are exposed to many different perspectives. Soon they will be able to form their own educated opinions about the world around them.

3. Will these books excite students?  

While it’s easy to select titles that are informative, students remember new information better if the books are funny, surprising, beautifully illustrated or unique. Do you know what kinds of titles students are most excited about reading? Adding high-interest titles like graphic novels, adventure stories or humorous reads is a good place to start.  

4. Do these books include popular authors and series that can engage even the most reluctant readers?  

Once one kid is going bananas for the latest and greatest book or series, suddenly the entire class wants to get their hands on it. Try getting to know what the students in your school and beyond are buzzing about. Then add the most engaging and relevant titles to classroom libraries and watch them fly off the shelves.  

5. Does this classroom library feature a range of literary and informational genres?  

To engage all the readers in a classroom, consider adding books from many different genres. Whether it’s short stories, poetry collections, fantasy novels or historical fiction, every student is going to gravitate toward a different writing style and subject matter. To get kids excited about history, social studies and more, it’s helpful to include a variety of informational genres including biographies, autobiographies, narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction. You never know which format will resonate most, so share them all!

6. Does this classroom library offer a range of reading difficulty?  

Does the classroom library have enough above, below and on-level books to meet every student where they are? Does it include enough high/low titles ? Consider guided reading and Lexile levels to provide books at the right grade and interest level for students.

7. Do the books provide cross-curricular opportunities?  

Books can give students a new way to understand a lesson with which they are struggling. By adding titles in content areas like social studies, S.T.E.M. and more, you can help students get excited about a subject they formerly disliked and build cross-curricular confidence.

8. Do these titles give students enough variety and choice in what they are reading?  

To help reluctant readers become engaged readers, try giving them a voice in what they get to read. When you provide a wide variety of titles, every student in the class can find a book to which they relate. Consider including multiple books about the same topics, and use Booksource’s classroom library management tool, Booksource Classroom , to track which titles are the most popular.

9. Do these titles support Social Emotional Learning and help students navigate their world?  

The world can be an overwhelming place at any age, and books can provide a healthy outlet for students coping with the challenges of day-to-day life. SEL books are great for promoting empathy, teaching students how to resolve conflicts and showing kids how to cope with big feelings.

10. Are these books diverse and inclusive? Do they represent all students in the classroom?

It can be difficult for students to enjoy reading if they don’t see themselves or their communities in the stories they read. When a classroom library is diverse and inclusive , it lets every student know that they are welcome. Sharing books with diverse perspectives also helps students learn about experiences different from their own. Consider books with incidental diversity , where the characters are diverse without making diversity central to the story.

11. Does this classroom library have a good balance of classics and new titles?

While there are plenty of time-tested classics worth keeping on your shelves, it’s important that at least 30% of the books in your classroom library have copyright dates within the last five years. Outdated ideas in some older books may detract from the plot. Newer titles can explain the same important lessons in a more relatable way.  

12. Are the books in my classroom library still accurate and relevant? Do I need to replace them with up-to-date titles?

As we learn more and more about the world around us, the information we believed to be true as little as a few years ago may already be outdated! Do your best to periodically evaluate every nonfiction title in your library for accuracy and add fresh new reads.

13. Do these books work well for read alouds, reading groups or book clubs? 

Read alouds are essential for fostering a love of literature and increasing vocabulary at an early age. Make sure to choose stories with memorable rhyming patterns, colorful illustrations and call and response opportunities.  Likewise, it’s important to consider which books might be appropriate for group reading time or book clubs. Try to select fast-paced titles that would appeal to many students with many different interests.

Feeling overwhelmed with all these things to consider? We can help!

Connect with a friendly and knowledgeable Booksource team member for free, personalized assistance with building classroom libraries that engage readers.     How is your current classroom library or libraries successful? How could it be improved?

About the Author: Booksource

' src=

Related Posts

latest books for school library

How Literacy Coaches and Principals Can Support Classroom Libraries

latest books for school library

Why Incidental Diversity is Important in Classroom Libraries + Booklist

latest books for school library

Booksource’s 2022 Literacy Takeaways

latest books for school library

10 Ways to Engage Readers for Long-term Success

books back-to-school

5 Reasons Why Books Belong in Your Back-to-School Strategy

One comment.

' src=

Thank you for sharing this article. Library books help students and teachers enhance their reading comprehension and widen their vocabulary.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Search Topics

  • Administrators (3)
  • Author Posts + Interviews (29)
  • Award-Winning Titles (15)
  • Back-to-School (2)
  • Author + Genre Studies (5)
  • Book Clubs + Lit Circles (2)
  • Comprehension Strategies (4)
  • Content Areas (19)
  • Guided Reading (4)
  • Independent Reading (13)
  • Inquiry (1)
  • Read Alouds (17)
  • Reading/Writing Workshop (8)
  • Chapter Books (19)
  • Diverse Books (31)
  • Favorite New Titles (17)
  • Genres (15)
  • Graphic Novels (15)
  • Mentor Texts (6)
  • Picture Books (17)
  • Seasonal (24)
  • Subjects + Themes (20)
  • Young Adult (YA) (14)
  • Classroom Library Resources (35)
  • Classroom Technology (17)
  • Early Childhood (7)
  • Inside Booksource (2)
  • Lit Coaches (3)
  • Literacy News + Events (17)
  • Professional Development (14)
  • Standards-Based Learning (5)
  • Summer Reading (22)
  • Teacher Resources (38)
  • Uncategorized (21)
  • Write for Us (1)

Follow the Conversation

Our expert librarians selected the year's best books for kids, teens, and adults. Explore titles in accessible formats , and learn more about our 2023 picks .

Best Books for Teens 2023

Filter results below, 50 books found, akane-banashi, vol. 1.

Illustrated by Takamasa Moue | When Akane's father is forbidden to become a rakugoka (Japanese storyteller), she decides to become one herself to avenge her father's humilation.

Cover of Akane-banashi, Vol. 1

Alonda channels her professional wrestler persona, Alondra, with friends Spider, Pretzel, and King during a fateful summer in Coney Island.

Cover of Alondra

America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History

A non-linear, visual portrayal of American history through photography and collage. Explore little-known facts that are rarely talked about in schools today.

Cover of America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History

Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything

When Bianca Torre witnesses the murder of their next door neighbor, they find themselves caught up in a conspiracy they never could have imagined.

Cover of Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything

A Bright Heart

After her murder by the fiance she helped become king, Mingshin is transported two years into the past with one goal: avenge her own death.

Cover of A Bright Heart

Illustrated by Teo DuVall | Witches fighting racism, ableism, and sexism on brooms in 1930s Mississppi.

Cover of Brooms

Illustrated by Rye Hickman | Isaac is struggling with his recent diagnosis of OCD. When he joins a roleplaying game with his friends, the thoughts get a little quieter and his world a little brighter. Can he convince his mother that the game is actually good for him?

Cover of Buzzing

Chloe and the Kaishao Boys

Chloe eagerly awaits her new start at USC, but not before her auntie and dad give her a big traditional Filipino debut to send her off, complete with matchmaking.

Cover of Chloe and the Kaishao Boys

A Crooked Mark

Matt has a deadly job: ridding the world of those who are cursed with the devil's mark. But does he have the courage to finish the job when the marked one is also his first crush, Rae?

Cover of A Crooked Mark

Dear Medusa

Alicia has been trying to swallow her trauma ever since her teacher sexually abused her. While facing constant scrutiny from her classmates, she disovers she might not be the only victim at school. Alicia’s vulnerable and fierce story unfolds in breathtaking verse.

Cover of Dear Medusa

The Fall of Whit Rivera

Whit Rivera gets diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome and learns to navigate her new life. Together with her two best friends, she plans the Fall Fest of her dreams.

Cover of The Fall of Whit Rivera

Lamb is the peacemaker between her mother and brother, who have different ideas about how to survive in the Jim Crow South while Black. But her conciliatory nature leads to a friendship with a white girl that will change her family’s lives forever. CW lynching, sexual assault.

Cover of For Lamb

Forgive Me Not

Violetta's drunk driving kills her younger sister Viv. The grueling Trials she must now face are made all the more painful by the fact that the people Violetta wronged are her own family.

Cover of Forgive Me Not

Luma Mufleh's struggle to obey and stay with her beloved Muslim family clashes with the growing self-discovery that she's a lesbian. From Jordan to America, Luma must decide what it means to be herself, and what she's willing to sacrifice for that chance.

Cover of From Here

Give Me a Sign

Lilah is hard of hearing and relies upon lipreading and hearing aids to function in daily life. When she goes to a camp for deaf and blind kids as a counselor to brush up on her ASL, she’s not expecting to make friends and find love.

Cover of Give Me a Sign

Godly Heathens

Gem is having fun in high school exploring their sexuality and gender identity, but their life is completely changed when they find out that they are the reincarnation of a god from another world

Cover of Godly Heathens

Going Bicoastal

It's almost summer and Natalya must decide whether to stay in NYC, find odd jobs, and perhaps talk to the cool girl she keeps bumping into. Or take an internship in LA at her mother's marketing firm. But what if there was a way to see what happens in both timelines?

Cover of Going Bicoastal

Gorgeous Gruesome Faces

After a scandal ends her career, Sunny Lee joins a K-pop workshop to reconnect with former groupmate Candie and find out what happened the night the third member of their group tragically died.

Cover of Gorgeous Gruesome Faces

Hidden Systems

Have you ever wondered about where the things we use every day come from? This graphic nonfiction describes the history, science, and people behind the utilities that run our lives.

Cover of Hidden Systems

I'd Rather Burn than Bloom

Marisol never got along with her mother—but when she suddenly dies in a car crash, Marisol is left to contend with what it means to find peace.

Cover of I'd Rather Burn than Bloom

In this coming-of-age graphic memoir, Lee shares her experiences with racism, mental wellness, identity, and parental dynamics with her mother. TW: Eating Disorder, Attempted Suicide

Cover of In Limbo

In My Feelings

Dr. Annan succinctly and thoughtfully explores universal teen emotions, unpacking the concept of emotional intelligence. In My Feelings asks readers to reconsider emotions as useful signals or messengers, not scary thoughts that need to be avoided.

Cover of In My Feelings

Lion's Legacy

After a disagreement while filming a reaity TV show, Tenessee and his archeologist dad have a falling out. After two years of not communicating, his dad unexpectedly shows up and invites Tennessee on a new adventure.

Cover of Lion's Legacy

Love's in Sight!, Vol. 1

Morio’s tough exterior usually scares people off, but since Yukiko has low vision, all she notices is the lovesick sweetheart underneath the facade.

Cover of Love's in Sight!, Vol. 1

Made of Stars

Shane and Ava lead a life of interplanetary crime. Cyrus is fresh out of military school and ready to keep the peace at all costs. But when Cyrus learns that his general has plans that would destroy the world he’s stationed on, he suddenly finds himself allied with the outlaws.

Cover of Made of Stars

Magic Has No Borders

Edited by Sona Charaipotra, Samira Ahmed | New twists on old tales in this collection of South Asian folklore, legends, and short stories retold by contemporary authors.

Cover of Magic Has No Borders

The Making of Yolanda La Bruja

Unsure of what to do when the new kid is acting sketchy, Yolanda channels her Brujas Diosas to guide her. With the help of her ancestors and South Bronx community, Yolanda finds a way to protect her loved ones and stand up for what’s right. CW school shooting, gun violence.

Cover of The Making of Yolanda La Bruja

Money Out Loud: All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us

Illustrated by Monique Sterling | Tackle your financial fears and trauma with real conversations about money management in real life.

Cover of Money Out Loud: All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story

Sarah Myer's graphic memoir covers their childhood as a transracial adoptee growing up in the American South during the 1990s. Sarah struggles to connect with the world around them, often finding the only way to truly express themselves is through their art.

Cover of Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story

The Moon on a Rainy Night, Vol. 1

Saki learns her new classmate, Kanon, has isolated herself because she's extremely hard of hearing, but once she cracks Kanon's cold exterior, she discovers a girl she can't wait to get to know better.

Cover of The Moon on a Rainy Night, Vol. 1

The Next New Syrian Girl

Khadija is not happy when Leene, a refugee from Syria, comes to stay with her family. It only brings attention to the fact that in her mother's eyes, she is not a perfect Syrian daughter. What happens when Khadija and Leene discover their stories may not be so different?

Cover of The Next New Syrian Girl

Nigeria Jones

Nigeria has not known life outside of The Movement, a Black separatist group led by her father. When her mother disappears, Nigeria learns that she was preparing a separate life for them.

Cover of Nigeria Jones

Only This Beautiful Moment

Moud has always felt more connected to his grandfather than his own father. A visit to Iran not only reveals the country's deep history, but hidden family secrets as well.

Cover of Only This Beautiful Moment

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

To protect her careless and free lifestyle, Lady Camembert takes up the guise of a man and intends to lay low in her new city. When Princess Brie of Fromage—activist and fashionista—catches her attention, their growing romance puts both of their futures at risk.

Cover of The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Project Nought

It's 1996 and Ren is suddenly transported 126 years into the future. He finds himself in the year 2122 as part of a time travel experiment. But what happens when the future decides it's done with him?

Cover of Project Nought

Promise Boys

When J.B., Ramón, and Trey find themselves as the prime suspects in the murder of their principal, they take matters into their own hands to clear their names.

Cover of Promise Boys

The Queens of New York: A Novel

Everett, Ariel, and Jia are spending their first summer apart. Despite the miles between them, their friendship is as important as ever as they navigate racism at theater camp, grapple with unresolved grief, and balance family obligations with hopes and dreams of their own.

Cover of The Queens of New York: A Novel

Tre is the star basketball player of his high school and its up to him to represent his Ojibwe rez and take his team to the state championships for the first time.

Cover of Rez Ball

Saints of the Household

When brothers Max and Jay step in to help a classmate, the struggle turns violent, leaving them to worry about taking after their abusive father. The once inseparable Bribri American brothers look to their futures, wondering if growing up needs to mean growing apart.

Cover of Saints of the Household

Secret of the Moon Conch

A moon conch connects Sitlali, who's fleeing from Mexico to the US in 2019, and Calizto, in 1521 just before the fall of the Aztec Empire. Can their love truly change history?

Cover of Secret of the Moon Conch

Something More

Join Jessie as she navigates her first year of high school right after learning she has autism. What happens when Jessie finds herself torn between two very different boys? Will she find out the true meaning of love and friendship?

Cover of Something More

Stars in Their Eyes: A Graphic Novel

Maisie looks forward to meeting her hero, an actress who also has a lower leg amputation, at a convention. When she meets Ollie, she gets sidetracked, leading her to wonder if her day with them is what love feels like.

Cover of Stars in Their Eyes: A Graphic Novel

The Summer Hikaru Died, Vol. 1

Yoshiki's best friend, Hikaru, has just come back from a trip to the mountains. But something is not quite right. Where is the real Hikaru and why is this thing pretending to be him?

Cover of The Summer Hikaru Died, Vol. 1

Superman: The Harvests of Youth

Following the death of a classmate attached to an online conspiracy theory group, Clark Kent looks to be the support his town needs. But when another student helps the group plot an attack on the people of Smallville, can Superman put a stop to something he can’t fight?

Cover of Superman: The Harvests of Youth

Their Vicious Games

Adina has lost everything after being provoked at her private, predominantly white high school. But everything changes when she's invited by the town's founding family to compete in a high-stakes contest where the winner gets their wildest dreams granted.

Cover of Their Vicious Games

Those Who Saw The Sun

Listen up! This collection of interviews with some of our Black Elders sheds light on their childhoods in the Jim Crow South. Reading these oral histories reminds us that we are all connected to the past, and that it’s important to hear about experiences other than our own.

Cover of Those Who Saw The Sun

The Twenty-One

"Just look at what random teenagers can do." Twenty-one Americans aged 8 to 18 sue the Federal government for actively working against providing them with a sustainable climate.

Cover of The Twenty-One

What Stalks Among Us

A day of playing hooky leads to a waking nightmare when Sadie and Logan find themselves trapped in a never-ending, ever-changing corn maze with the belongings and bodies of those who visited before them—including those of past versions of themselves.

Cover of What Stalks Among Us

Where You See Yourself

Effie has spent her life battling odds as a person with a visible disability. But during her senior year, she's overloaded with discrimination, college applications... and a cute boy. How is Effie supposed to navigate these new worlds where she doesn't see herself represented?

Cover of Where You See Yourself

Young Queer America: Real Stories and Faces of LGBTQ+ Youth

Hear from queer youth themselves through their collected personal essays and unfiltered photographs, coast to coast!

Cover of Young Queer America: Real Stories and Faces of LGBTQ+ Youth

  • Our Mission

Illustration of students doing different activities together and separate in a school library

Setting Up Libraries to Be the Best Space in School

We took a peek inside school libraries across America to see how librarians are reframing the space to support students’ social, emotional, and creative growth—while still prioritizing excellent reads.

On any given day, more than 500 students visit the library at Campbell High School in Smyrna, Georgia—often before the school day even begins or during their lunch period. 

In other words, students are choosing to spend “what little unstructured time they have,” inside the library, says Andy Spinks, one of the school’s two library media specialists.

The recently renovated library—now known as the Learning Commons—is a bright, spacious multipurpose hub within the school. There are bistro tables where kids can work together; comfortable and flexible seating; a makerspace where students can explore activities like sewing and jewelry making; an audio recording and production studio ; and a video production studio where kids can create TikToks or YouTube videos using their phones or school-issued laptops. It’s a far cry from the space it used to be—an attendance sheet from 2008 tracked just 21 students signing into the library one day. 

“It’s a place where students come together, interact, and build community,” Spinks says. “I often hear adults complain about teenagers ‘always looking at their phones’ and not being able to interact with people face-to-face, but that’s not what I see. I see them talking, working on group projects, playing chess and Uno, and exercising their creativity in collaborative ways. Even their screen time—playing video games, making videos, and recording music—is collaborative.” 

Spinks and other like-minded librarians across America are transforming school libraries from staid, silent repositories of knowledge into vibrant spaces that welcome kids and encourage “exploration, creation, and collaboration,” writes researcher and former teacher Beth Holland . Through careful planning and with the help of student input, the Campbell High School library, and others like it, offer a critical escape from the hurly-burly of the day, serving as a nucleus of support for all manner of social, emotional, and creative needs—while still providing access to good books.

To get a sense of how schools are rethinking libraries, we spoke to librarians and library media specialists around the country about the creative ways they’re making libraries among the best places to be in school.

Putting Kids at the Center

At A. P. Giannini Middle School in San Francisco, almost half of the books brought into the school’s collection come from student requests, says teacher librarian Shannon Engelbrecht. “If a kid comes up and says, ‘Do you have this book?’ and I say, ‘I don’t have it; fill out the request sheet,’ we’ll have it in a week through the quick order system.” The same is true of the makerspace, mostly stocked with items kids ask for, purchased from a budget provided by the PTA. 

“I’ll go to the Dollar Tree and see if they have pom-pom makers so that what we have in the maker center is what students have requested,” Engelbrecht says. “Then they are much more likely to want to read a book or to recommend it to their friends and say, ‘Hey, I chose this book for the library. You should give this a try.’ Or ‘Have you ever tried a pom-pom maker?’”

Photo of cloth on dress form on a table display for Black History Month

After completing a student needs assessment, Washington, D.C.-based librarian Christopher Stewart started making small changes to the school library, displaying fabrics and art connected to students’ various cultures, for example. “I want them to be a part of it,” Stewart says. “Ordering African American fabric [to display on dress forms], ordering art from Mexico that represents the students. It’s not just enough to have the book collection that is representative. I wanted to make sure that students see themselves not only in the pages of the books but also in the furniture, the art.”

Stewart also hires students to act as “library brand ambassadors,” functioning as a sort of market research panel with input on the library’s book collection, types of programming they’d like to see, and selections for book club, among other things. “It’s beautiful because they are the ears for their peers,” he says. “It’s showing intentionality on the library’s part. Because I don’t want to give you what I think you should have; I want to give you what you want and need.” 

Reframing for Creativity and Even Some Noise

Libraries in the Herricks Union Free School District on Long Island, New York, aren’t always quiet—and that’s intentional, says Michael Imondi, the K–12 director of ELA, Reading, and Library Services. The days of whispering between the stacks are long gone, and when the district decided to refresh its libraries, the design priorities focused on four Cs—communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. “This is not a quiet space,” he says. “This is a working space, a collaborative space.” 

There are large tables to encourage student collaboration, as well as silent study rooms where kids can work independently. In the middle school library, some tabletops are whiteboards you can write directly onto when planning group projects or mapping out thinking. A small tweak to the framing—from library to Library Learning Suite—helped emphasize the new focus. “Words matter,” Imondi says. “Having that word ‘learning’ in there, it’s important because that’s what’s happening now. Whether you’re coming to read a novel off the shelf or you’re using our 3D printer to build something for your science class, it’s a learning space.”

At Campbell High School’s library, Spinks says one of the big shifts in recent years concerns the fundamental role of libraries as spaces “primarily concerned with the information that students receive.” Now they’re “shifting more focus toward making things, producing information and media.” One of those areas is the creative arts: Spinks was surprised at the well of talent that students exhibited in the library’s audio and production studios. 

“These kids are so talented, they’re so creative,” Spinks says. Originally he thought the studio might not get much use during the school day because students would need an hour or two to get anything done. But they keep surprising him with what they’re able to accomplish in short snippets of time: “They come in, and during a 25-minute lunch block, they can load up the beat, freestyle over it, and have something to share with their friends.” 

Libraries Where Kids Let Their Guard Down

After noticing that students needed a “space that was their own” where they could safely process their emotions, Stewart created a peace, love, and meditation room inside the library. “It is the hub,” he says. “A place to not feel judged, to feel so much love, and to feel warm.” A welcome and necessary respite from the stress of the outside world with calming music and a water feature, it also doubles as a venue for restorative justice sessions as well as an open room that counselors and therapists utilize to care for the needs of the school community.

Photo of a female student reading with a mask on in a school library nook by the window

Carving out a judgment-free zone inside the library is also a priority for Engelbrecht. Need to use one of the desktop computers to finish your homework before class? That’s not a problem. Having trouble keeping your eyes open? Engelbrecht doesn’t mind if students occasionally doze off on the big U-shaped couch in the center of the room—it holds around seven kids sitting, and she won’t tell you to keep your feet on the ground. “You never get to do that at school because you’re not supposed to put your feet on the furniture,” she says. “But we have three pieces of furniture specifically for putting your feet up.”

Still, judgment-free doesn’t mean lawless, she says. Engelbrecht sees every English class once a month and teaches different lessons on media, technology, and digital literacy and citizenship. Her motto is “Assume best intent, equity of space, kind heart.” The conversations she has with students about everything from cyberbullying to how to respond when someone makes you uncomfortable are crucial to creating trusting relationships and establishing the library as a safe haven. 

Meanwhile, in states where book bans are in effect, we spoke with librarians who are finding ways to keep their spaces welcoming and inclusive—via, for example, book displays that highlight different cultures, values, and identities. 

“Every child deserves to come into the library and find a book that has somebody who looks like them, or acts like them, or has some similarity to them,” says Jamie Gregory, a librarian in a private school in South Carolina. “I think it’s important that our library collection reflects our community, but it should still be diverse, so students can learn that there aren’t people to be afraid of or who are out to get them. Every type of community deserves fair representation.” 

Books Are Still the Bomb

No matter how much libraries evolve, reading is still the foundation, says K. C. Boyd, the 2022 School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year. Rearranging her bookshelves to be more dynamic makes the library a place where kids are continuously intrigued and drawn in by new books. The effort also drives circulation in her library. 

“Literature is the priority. The print and e-book collection is the priority,” Boyd says. “The second priority is access to technology, so that kids are on an even playing field with other students from across the district and across the country. I want to make sure that the kids have clear access to materials so they can learn and discover independence, not just through a classroom assignment.”

Keeping a keen eye on the books so they’re relevant, interesting, and popular remains a top priority for all the librarians we spoke with. Even though she frequently thins out the collection, no books go to waste in Stacy Nockowitz’s middle school library in Columbus, Ohio. Everything that’s weeded out is offered to students as part of a book giveaway. This year’s giveaway was supposed to last a week—but supplies only lasted two days because kids “just went crazy for the books,” she says. “There was a lot of talk a number of years ago about ‘Are libraries going to go bookless? Are they going to go all digital?’ That kind of thing. We made a very conscious decision not to do that. It was not something that we ever even considered because our kids love having physical books in their hands.”

How Florida’s New School Librarian Training Defines Off-Limits Materials

latest books for school library

  • Share article

School librarians in Florida will soon have to seek parent approval to order new books. They won’t be able to add any instructional materials to classrooms about culturally responsive teaching, social-emotional learning, or social justice. And they will bear the responsibility of defending the educational value of books and instructional materials if anyone objects to them.

That’s all according to a new training released by Florida’s department of education in accordance with a state law passed last year.

The proposed version of the training adds rules for what kinds of books school librarians—typically called media specialists in Florida—can have in school and classroom libraries, what criteria should be used for their selection and removal, and the considerations for responding to book challenges. It’s open to public comment before being finalized.

State education officials developed it along with other stakeholders, including members of the state’s school librarian group, Florida Association of Media in Education, or FAME, and conservative parent groups such as Moms for Liberty.

The proposed version of the training aligns much more closely with what the Moms for Liberty members wanted, according to a statement from the group . Parents can weigh in on book purchases, attend meetings where curation of learning materials is discussed, and if they object to a book, they are not required to explain why it’s offensive or inappropriate.

This version of the training is open to public comment before it can be finalized.

Here are a few key points that the training highlights:

Library books and instructional materials must be free of pornography

The training and the state law that it’s based on both explicitly ban pornography in books and instructional materials. The policy relies on the Merriam-Webster definition of pornography, which is “the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement.”

Calling books that contain LGBTQ characters “pornographic” has been a common argument people who pursue book bans have made over the past year. However, no books in Florida’s public schools have been determined to contain pornography, said Kathleen Daniels, president of FAME.

Librarians also have to make sure a book is not deemed “harmful to minors,” which the training defines as a book which:

  • Predominantly appeals to a prurient, shameful, or morbid interest;
  • Is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for minors; and
  • Taken as a whole, is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

If a book in a school library or one used in curriculum is deemed harmful, librarians and media specialists can be charged with a third-degree felony.

A student browses through books in the Presidio Middle School library in San Francisco, Calif. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019.

Library books must avoid indoctrination

One of the factors librarians must consider while curating books for schools is “avoiding unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination.” The training does not define indoctrination, but the voiceover accompanying the training video offers some examples of what can count. “Critical Race Theory, culturally responsive teaching, social justice, social and emotional learning, and any other unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination are prohibited,” the voiceover says.

Librarians are not allowed to add instructional materials that contain any of these theories to classrooms.

Suitable to student needs

Another requirement of the new law and training is that librarians stock books that are age appropriate, and meet students’ needs. For library books and instructional materials, the training says that those considerations include:

  • Student ability to comprehend material;
  • The degree to which the material will be explained/supplemented by classroom instruction;
  • The educational purpose of the material;
  • The accurate portrayal of Florida’s broad racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural diversity, without bias or indoctrination;
  • Age and grade level of students; and
  • Maturity of students.

Media specialists should always “err on the side of caution while selecting materials,” according to the training.

“It is good practice to assess whether or not you as an adult making book selection decisions will be comfortable reading aloud the material in question in a public meeting,” the training says. “If you would not be comfortable reading the material in a public setting, then you should lean towards not making the material available in a public school library for children.”

Sign Up for EdWeek Update

Edweek top school jobs.

Kate Maxlow, director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment at Hampton City Schools, who helped give students a voice in curriculum redesign, works in her office on January 12, 2024.

Sign Up & Sign In

module image 9

Thanks for your patience during the library systems upgrade! Systems are operational, though borrowing and scanning from other institutions is limited.  Questions or comments? Please email [email protected] or chat us!

  • UNIVERSITY HOME
  • Archives & Special Collections
  • Art Collection
  • Center for English Language Studies
  • University Learning Center

Home

  • Library FAQ
  • Collection Management
  • Library Blog
  • Acceptable Use Guidelines
  • Website Feedback
  • List Center Library
  • Performing Arts Library
  • University Center Library
  • NYU Bobst, Cooper Union, & More
  • Laptop Loans
  • Printing & Scanning
  • Public Computers
  • Library Borrowing
  • Collaboration Rooms
  • Electronic Materials
  • Loans, Holds, & Fines
  • Renew & Return
  • What do I have access to?
  • Workshops & Events
  • Books & More
  • Databases A-Z
  • Visual Resources
  • Request Consultation
  • Request a Purchase
  • Research Guides
  • Subject Librarians
  • Course Reserves
  • Library Instruction
  • Copyright & Fair Use
  • Textbooks in the Library
  • Renew Items
  • My Requests
  • Interlibrary Loan
  • My Citations

Search & Discover

  • Digital Archives
  • Google Scholar
  • Library Website

Quick Links

Book a room, 1-on-1 consultations, in-class instruction, on campus wifi, library hours, upcoming events, finding scholarly articles.

List Center Library, Room 808

Intro to Refworks

The new school libraries & bureau van dijk (bvd) orbis.

University Center Library, Room 606

Our Community

New York , NY 10011

Libraries, Collections, & Academic Services

University resources.

  • MyNewSchool
  • Course Catalog
  • Resources and Services A-Z
  • Academic Calendar
  • Libraries and Archives
  • Faculty and Staff Directory
  • Your Right to Know
  • Harrassment, Discrimination & Title IX
  • Shop The New Store
  • Working at The New School
  • Parsons School of Design
  • Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts
  • College of Performing Arts
  • The New School for Social Research
  • Schools of Public Engagement
  • Parsons Paris
  • Continuing and Professional Education

Copyright © 2024 The New School

  • Privacy Notice
  • Consortium Libraries
  • Loan Periods & Fines
  • Request 1-on-1 Consultation
  • My RefWorks Citations
  • University Home

In a Maryland school library, empty shelves are about to get emptier

While the nation has been focusing on book bans, some schools have gone without enough (noncontroversial) books. one elementary school has been trying to raise funds..

latest books for school library

A fourth-grade girl with Velcro straps on her pink and white tennis shoes wishes her school library had enough books to ensure that when she finishes reading one she enjoys, she could walk over to a shelf and pick a similar one.

“Sometimes I just choose the same book, because I can’t find one I like,” she says as she sits at a table in her school’s cafeteria.

Near her sits a long-legged fifth-grader who wishes the library had more comfortable chairs. The chairs there now have short legs and hard backs.

Next to her sits a fifth-grade girl who is tired of looking at the library’s brown and bare shelves. She wishes those shelves were at least painted in brighter “more fun” colors.

Getting children to read more can sometimes pose a challenge. But students at Oxon Hill Elementary School in Prince George’s County, Md., know exactly what would help pull them into their school’s library and make them want to stay there. They also know that the grown-ups around them have been trying to fulfill their wishes.

While the nation has been focusing on book bans, school libraries all around us have gone without enough (noncontroversial) books. Or inviting furniture. Or amenities that would help create a sense of community. Oxon Hill is one of those schools.

Her book empowers Black children, and hopefully won’t enrage adults

For the past year, staff members and parents have been working to raise money to give students at the school the library of their dreams. But they remain far from their goal. I hadn’t planned to tell you about the library, but then I saw it while visiting the school recently for another purpose. It’s impossible to walk through the building and not notice the library. It sits smack in the middle of an open space between hallways.

The library, in some ways, is like many school libraries. It is decorated with posters that feature cartoonish animals and words that encourage young minds to get lost in books. “Reading Helps you Imagine,” reads one. “Come. Stay. Read a great tale!” reads another.

But, unlike some libraries, it also has this: empty shelves that are about to get emptier.

A few years ago, the school had to remove a large number of books as part of a weeding process that is required by the state to make sure old and damaged books don’t remain on the shelves. The school’s librarian, Jannie Cobb, said another weeding process will require her to remove 5 percent more of the school’s books by April.

“I understand the reasoning, because you do want to have up-to-date collections,” Cobb, whose official title at the school is media specialist, told me when I asked about the state of the library.

Removing the books has not been the problem, she said. Replacing them and adding more popular titles has been the challenge because of the school’s limited resources. About 80 percent of the school’s 229 students qualify for free and reduced lunch, and the school does not have an active PTA, which is how many schools raise extra funds. The library collects some funds through the Scholastic Book Fair, but that money does not stretch far, Cobb said.

Right now, a child at the school who finishes “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and wants to keep reading through the series will find the library’s collection incomplete. The same is true for the popular graphic novels by Dav Pilkey.

“There are so many series that are incomplete because we don’t have the resources to put them in place and put them in kids’ hands,” Cobb said. “It really tears at my heart when kids come into the library and they are looking for books and they aren’t finding the books they want. Then they say, ‘There are no books in there for me.’”

Cobb has wishes, too, for the library. She would like to see it get more comfortable furniture, partitions that offer some soundproofing so she can give lessons without surrounding noises distracting students and more “books, books and books.”

“I hope that the library will be transformed into an inviting place of wonder where kids will want to come in and lose themselves in the stories contained on the shelves, so that they forget about whatever problems may exist at home or in their lives, at least for a little while,” she said. “This will, I hope, help to transform their lives as well so that they begin to see themselves as future teachers, lawyers, doctors, policemen and firefighters, and know that it is attainable.”

The valentine I gave myself — the braces I should have gotten as a child

Sibigi Lipford-Transou, who became the school’s principal last year, said she noticed the state of the library the first day she walked through the building. She recalled her first thought: “I can’t be the only one this bothers.”

Since then, school officials have met with an architectural firm to get ideas for making improvements, and the school community has held two fundraisers for the library. Lipford-Transou said the estimated cost for making the improvements is about $25,000, and the fundraisers have so far brought in about $9,000.

“It’s nowhere near the amount we need,” she said. Even so, she said, the children and their families are proud of what they have been able to raise.

Last year’s fundraiser ended with Lipford-Transou and the school’s vice principal sitting on a stage, taking pies to the face. They had agreed to that public punishment if the fundraising amount hit a certain benchmark.

“That took me out of my comfort zone,” Lipford-Transou said. “That’s how much I wanted to improve that library.”

Lipford-Transou said she hopes to create the library students and the staff want. She also wants to add computers, so that parents who may not have access to one at home can come in to fill out forms and take care of other online needs.

The school, which has a student body that is mostly Latino and African American, faces many of the same challenges as schools across the country. One is absenteeism. Another is the lack of transportation for some students who are left to walk routes that aren’t ideal. Those issues take time and collaboration to fix. Improving a library just takes will and money — and the school has one and is working on the other.

Cobb said the fundraisers have energized the students, and now they don’t only ask her if she has the latest “Dog Man” book.

“They come to me and say, ‘When are they going to renovate the library?’” she said. “I tell them, ‘We’re still working on it.’”

  • A doctor tried to renew his passport. Now he’s no longer a citizen. November 25, 2023 A doctor tried to renew his passport. Now he’s no longer a citizen. November 25, 2023
  • Meet the Red Bike Guy, who in a viral video heckled white nationalists May 17, 2023 Meet the Red Bike Guy, who in a viral video heckled white nationalists May 17, 2023
  • How a baby, now 4 months old, was left without a name May 27, 2023 How a baby, now 4 months old, was left without a name May 27, 2023

latest books for school library

You have exceeded your limit for simultaneous device logins.

Your current subscription allows you to be actively logged in on up to three (3) devices simultaneously. click on continue below to log out of other sessions and log in on this device., best picture books 2022 | slj best books.

latest books for school library

Impeccable art and lyrical and child-friendly text set these 27 titles apart from everything else we read this year.

PICTURE BOOKS

latest books for school library

Behar, Ruth. Tía Fortuna’s New Home: A Jewish Cuban Journey. illus. by Devon Holzwarth. Knopf. ISBN  ‎9780593172414. K-Gr 3 –This powerful intergenerational story about heritage and hope is enhanced by stunning art; a must for all libraries, and remarkable in every way.

Blackall, Sophie. Farmhouse. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316528948. PreS-Gr 2 –Blackall worked in mixed-media collage using items from a 19th-century farmhouse to recreate her vision of the true lives of its large family; it’s a one-of-a-kind, exquisite glimpse of land once held by Indigenous people, then by immigrants, and then toppled and very nearly returned to nature itself. Burningham, John & Bill Salaman. Air Miles. illus. by Helen Oxenbury. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536223347. PreS-Gr 2 –Adults notice that the text never uses the word “death.” Very young children notice that Miles, an old dog, is about to lean into his very best adventure. Slightly older children grasp all of it. Heartbreaking and breathtaking, this is the very best book for the late Burningham to leave in his wake. Eady, Antwan. Nigel and the Moon . illus. by Gracey Zhang. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. ISBN 9780063056282. PreS-Gr 3 –There is a high contrast in most children’s lives between the jobs they see others performing and the aspirations they have for themselves. Eady infuses an entire person with this wistfulness: Nigel, whose nights are full of mighty dreams and whose days are more prosaic. Zhang’s exceptional images and reassurances from parents cast away anxiety and ostracism. Goade, Michaela. Berry Song. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316494175. PreS-Gr 2 –A botanical guide to bright berries, an intergenerational journey in a wintry setting, an invitation to explore Tlingit values, or simply a beautiful picture book—there are so many reasons to sing this berry song while uncovering the lyrical elements of the natural landscape.

latest books for school library

Gopal, Jyoti Rajan. My Paati’s Saris. illus. by Art Twink. Penguin/Kokila. ISBN 9780593324608. K-Gr 3 –While a grandmother pulls sari after sari from an elaborate wardrobe, glorious fabrics unwind, one more gorgeous than the last; also unwinding is a boy’s dreams of wrapping himself in the sari and allowing himself to express himself in whatever way he wishes. Text and art create a fever dream of color, pattern, and texture as the child’s dream comes true. Hare, John. Field Trip to Volcano Island. Holiday House/Margaret Ferguson. ISBN 9780823450428. K-Gr 4 –The latest of Hare’s wordless tales follows a winning formula for a grand adventure that tucks in some SEL and aliens, too. The ingenious compositions demand repeat viewings; book-phobics turn into book-lovers with details that level the literacy playing field. Comedic timing? Perfect. Jokes? Guaranteed giggles. Universal, even interstellar, appeal. Kim, Erica. Kimchi, Kimchi Every Day. Soaring Kite. ISBN 9781953859273. PreS-Gr 3 –The Korean snack, side dish, and condiment gets its own book as a young narrator explains in a crescendo of excitement why she loves it, needs it, craves it; and Kim convinces readers in no time to join in. Suggestions on how to add kimchi to hamburgers and French fries further delight. Kim, Jihyun. The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky. Floris. ISBN 9781782507420. PreS-Gr 1 –In an era of screens and scrolling, this wordless picture book pays homage to the wonder beyond, in nature. It’s a call to pause, slow down, and enjoy time. The author-illustrator uses writing ink to draw and paint, and each spread is a masterpiece, occasionally resembling photographs more than illustration. Leisurely and lovely—a break from regular programming. Lại, Thanhhà. Hundred Years of Happiness. illus. by Nguyên Quang & Kim Liên. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780063026926. K-Gr 3 –At once a lifelong love story between husband and wife, a tribute to the sweetness of multigenerational connections, and a celebration of Vietnamese cultural traditions and cuisine, this title should find a home in every collection.

latest books for school library

Macleod, Mrs. & Mr. How to Eat a Book. Union Square & Co. ISBN 9781454945444. K-Gr 3 –The MacLeods have a distinct view on reading, and they are not afraid to tear up some tropes to put it across. This delightful book will have children staging their own versions of what it takes to know a book inside out, once cousins Sheila, Gerald, and Geraldine Grunion have shown them the way. Inventive fun. Mancillas, Mónica. Mariana and Her Familia . illus. by Erika Meza. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. ISBN 9780062962461. K-Gr 2 –For every child who has ever had the jitters from facing family, a new environment, a new language, or all of those, Mancillas creates the most loving gathering ever. The challenges of families that are culturally and geographically distant are nothing compared to love. Meza’s festive illustrations invite everyone in for a closer look. Marcero, Deborah. Out of a Jar. Putnam. ISBN 9780593326374. PreS-Gr 2 –The sequel to In a Jar finds the hero with more emotional extremes than he knows what to do with, and his solution—to shove every one of them into jars—is creating an arsenal of small bombs. Marcero offers a new spin on exploring one’s emotions, not locking them away, and promotes the importance of sharing them instead. Moore, David Barclay. Carrimebac, the Town That Walked. illus. by John Holyfield. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536213690. Gr 2-5 –Merging history and magic, this reads like a unique folktale. The KKK tries to intimidate them, but the residents won’t have it, and the town just—leaves. A text that resonates, and scenes that seem to rumble, this book is one for the ages.

latest books for school library

Pumphrey, Jarrett & Jerome Pumphrey. Somewhere in the Bayou. Norton. ISBN 9781324015932. K-Gr 2 –Four swamp creatures, beset with curiosity, consider the best route around an enormous tail—possibly attached to a mouth with large teeth—in front of them. Eccentric charm, a bold graphic style, and a side-splitting punch line, the Pumphreys know how to tickle a child’s funny bone. A tale to reread and repeat. Raúl the Third. My Party, Mi Fiesta: A Coco Rocho Book.  illus. by Raúl the Third & Elaine Bay. HarperCollins/Versify. ISBN 9780358394723. Baby-Toddler –When a board book busts out of its format and becomes a party, Raúl the Third’s in town, reinventing the game. Coco Rocho welcomes readers and lets them know that this fiesta is as much for them as it is for him. Bilingual, funny, and 100 percent refreshing. Savage, Stephen. Moonlight. Holiday House/Neal Porter. ISBN 9780 823450848. PreS-Gr 1 –“Something is on the move” are the potent opening words of this story, which begins with a bit of mystery; offering one red herring after another, Savage’s linocuts render a moody nightscape where almost anything can happen—most nights. Splendid and tranquil. Sirdeshpande, Rashmi. Dadaji’s Paintbrush. illus. by Ruchi Mhasane. Levine Querido. ISBN 9781646141722. K-Gr 3 –Subtle and poetic in its treatment of death, this book stands out for the depth of its wise messages and its gentle, evocative art. The story of a boy taking on his dadaji’s artistry is subtle; no one has been replaced as much as a continuation has been achieved.

latest books for school library

Snyder, Laurel. Endlessly Ever After: Pick YOUR Path to Countless Fairy Tale Endings! illus. by Dan Santat. Chronicle. ISBN 9781452144825. PreS-Gr 3 –Fairy tales can be defined by the fact that children know how they end—but not with this book! Snyder directs one plot after another, leaving choices in the hands of adventurous readers. Santat runs amok with the concept, gleefully providing humorous illustrations on every page. Sorell, Traci. Powwow Day. illus. by Madelyn Goodnight. Charlesbridge. ISBN 9781580899482. PreS-Gr 3 –With a light touch, Sorell lets readers know that her heroine has been through an illness and she is still weak. But in this tender and inspiring view of Indigenous traditions, there is healing and redemption for all. A deeply affecting story that will resonate. Stead, Philip C. Every Dog in the Neighborhood. illus. by Matthew Cordell. Holiday House/Neal Porter. ISBN 9780823444274. K-Gr 3 –This winsome book features Louis and his grandmother; he wants to make the case for dog ownership and she has her eyes on an empty lot. Stead and Cordell, separate masters, are co-conspirators on a secret civics lesson on how to get stuff done. We almost filed it under nonfiction. A great addition to any shelf. Tarnowska, Wafa’. Nour’s Secret Library . illus. by Vali Mintzi. Barefoot. ISBN 9781646862917. Gr 1-4 –Damascus, once a city of blooming roses, cherries, and apricots, becomes destroyed by war in this beautiful and poignant coming-of-age book. Children taking shelter with their families find hope and resilience that shines through even the worst of situations. Tokuda-Hall, Maggie. Love in the Library. illus. by Yas Imamura. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536204308. Gr 1-4 –Love is a miracle that can grow in the most unlikely of places. Based on true events, this is a gentle story about finding love and a future during bleak internment in a Japanese camp; though the main characters are older, the draw of this book is for all ages.

latest books for school library

Voss, Jonathan D. The Wishing Balloons. Holt. ISBN 9781250317377. Gr 1-5 –For the SEL shelves, a lesson on communication, or a story on empathy, this book breaks new ground. Just as its painterly illustrative style demands that readers squint, pay attention, and peer at the pages to see better, Dot has to think anew about friendship when a boy, Albert, moves in next door. The book’s rewards grow with rereadings. Williams, Alicia D. The Talk. illus. by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu. S. & S./Atheneum. ISBN 9781534495296. K-Gr 2 –To keep a child safe, do parents have to end childhood innocence? Williams confronts this topic head on, exploring the pain of having the “talk” with young Black boys to help them navigate the existing evils of racism. Heartfelt and heartbreaking, a necessary book. Wong-kalu, Hinaleimoana & others. Kapaemahu. illus. by Daniel Sousa. Penguin/Kokila. ISBN 9780593530061. Gr 2-5 –A Hawaiian legend about the four healing stones found on Waikiki Beach and their significance in Pacific Islander lore. Sousa’s paintings seem carved from light and granite, giving the story a beautiful heft and worth from its opening pages. Woodson, Jacqueline. The World Belonged to Us. illus. by Leo Espinosa. Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. ISBN 9780399545498. Gr 2-6 –A special book for sharing, parent and child, with a gorgeous depiction of summer in a Brooklyn neighborhood in the 1970s. Woodson and Espinosa remember everything and make it look like an amusement park, when it’s really “just” an urban cityscape from a simpler time.

Get Print. Get Digital. Get Both!

Libraries are always evolving. Stay ahead. Log In.

Add Comment :-

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:

  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know . Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

First Name should not be empty !!!

Last Name should not be empty !!!

email should not be empty !!!

Comment should not be empty !!!

You should check the checkbox.

Please check the reCaptcha

latest books for school library

Ethan Smith

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

Posted 6 hours ago REPLY

Jane Fitgzgerald

Posted 6 hours ago

Michael Woodward

Continue reading.

latest books for school library

Added To Cart

Related , unite against book bans launches book résumé resource, 33 stellar titles, including a zora neale hurston adaption by ibram x. kendi and 2 nintendo games | starred reviews, february 2024, 15 middle grade nonfiction titles about dynamic women for women's history month and beyond, 8 ya novels for readers who love the fake dating trope, celebrate tell a fairy tale day on february 26 with these new transitional readers, 3 picture books about holidays in history | spotlight, "what is this" design thinking from an lis student.

 alt=

The job outlook in 2030: Librarians will be in demand

L J image

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, --> Log In

You did not sign in correctly or your account is temporarily disabled

L J image

REGISTER FREE to keep reading

If you are already a member, please log in.

Passwords must include at least 8 characters.

Your password must include at least three of these elements: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, or special characters.

The email you entered already exists. Please reset your password to gain access to your account.

Create an account password and save time in the future. Get immediate access to:

News, opinion, features, and breaking stories

Exclusive video library and multimedia content

Full, searchable archives of more than 300,000 reviews and thousands of articles

Research reports, data analysis, white papers, and expert opinion

Passwords must include at least 8 characters. Please try your entry again.

Your password must include at least three of these elements: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, or special characters. Please try your entry again.

Thank you for registering. To have the latest stories delivered to your inbox, select as many free newsletters as you like below.

No thanks. return to article, already a subscriber log in.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

Thank you for visiting.

We’ve noticed you are using a private browser. To continue, please log in or create an account.

Hard paywall image

CREATE AN ACCOUNT

SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS

Already a subscriber log in.

Most SLJ reviews are exclusive to subscribers.

As a subscriber, you'll receive unlimited access to all reviews dating back to 2010.

To access other site content, visit our homepage .

Edmond Public Schools asks state Supreme Court to rule on library issue with Ryan Walters

Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Angela Grunewald and the district's attorney, Andy Fugitt, hold a news conference Tuesday to announce a lawsuit against the Oklahoma State Board of Education.

Edmond Public Schools asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday to decide whether the Oklahoma State Board of Education or a local elected school board has the authority to establish policies concerning books in the district’s libraries.

District Superintendent Angela Grunewald said the lawsuit was filed after the Oklahoma State Department of Education threatened to have the state board lower Edmond's accreditation at an upcoming meeting on Thursday because two books, “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls and “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, are in the libraries of the district’s three high schools.

The district is asking the court to assume original jurisdiction of its lawsuit against the state Board of Education, the state Education Department and state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, who leads both the state Education Department and the state board. It’s also asking the Supreme Court to issue “a writ of prohibition” that would prevent the state board “from proceeding further” against the district.

Walters issued a statement about two hours after the Edmond district announced the lawsuit.

“This is an ongoing subversion of accountability," Walters said. "Edmond Public Schools not only allows kids to access porn in schools, they are doubling down to keep pornography on the bookshelves. Parents and kids should have the confidence of going to schools to learn. Instead of focusing on education, EPS has chosen to peddle porn and is leading the charge to undermine parents in Oklahoma.”

How Ryan Walters, Oklahoma State Department of Education have been working to influence content available in school libraries

In March 2023, Walters announced the creation of an email address — dubbed Parent Watch — where concerned parents could notify the state Education Department about materials in school classrooms and libraries. The department also has a library advisory committee that reviews parental complaints, to which Walters recently appointed Chaya Raichik , the woman behind the “Libs of TikTok” social media account. The state Education Department has declined to release the identity of any other members of that board.

The Edmond school board voted unanimously Tuesday to file the lawsuit, an action Grunewald said the district did not take lightly. In a letter to Edmond district families, she said the lawsuit was filed in response to correspondence the Edmond school district received last month regarding the two books in the high school libraries. In the letter, she said, the state Education Department “ordered the district to remove those books from our libraries, which is not something within their authority to do.”

More: Ryan Walters asked for tips on 'inappropriate' materials in schools. He got the 'Bee Movie' script

She said that if the district chose not to remove the books, the state Education Department threatened to downgrade the district’s accreditation and would order the district to defend its decision during Thursday’s board meeting.

“By law, our district must be accredited, so you can see why accreditation is a critical asset worth fighting to protect,” Grunewald said.

She noted the district, since 1997, “has had a clear policy for the review of books in our school library, a policy we have followed consistently for over 25 years” and that district board members “firmly believe in local control for school boards in Oklahoma and standing up for the laws passed by the state Legislature that guarantee that control.”

Quite emphatically on Tuesday, Grunewald said, “We do not have pornography in our classrooms and our libraries at Edmond Public Schools.”

'It's absurd': North Fort Myers teacher resigns after school removes in-class library

latest books for school library

Over Mike Andoscia’s eight years as a social studies teacher at North Fort Myers High School, he’d grown his classroom library to more than 600 books.

When he came into school on Jan. 16, they were gone. 

The next day, so was he.

Andoscia resigned after the school boxed up his library, placed the books in “administrative lockup” and told him to take them home, Andoscia said in an interview.

“[Principal Debbie Diggs] asked me why I just didn’t keep the books covered, and I said it’s absurd and it’s fascism and I’m just not going to participate in that,” he said.

Andoscia’s resignation is the latest flare-up over HB 1069 – a state law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year, that requires school districts to restrict books that are deemed age-inappropriate or describe “sexual conduct."

Proponents of the bill say the law is intended to protect parental rights, not broadly ban books. But in practice, districts across the state have pre-emptively removed thousands of books to avoid potential criminal liability.

The Lee County School District declined to comment for this story.

More: How do Collier and Lee schools decide which books to ban? Here's what we know

For years, Andoscia had allowed his high school students to check out books from his library without complaint. The collection consisted of history, social studies, philosophy and fiction, and he would typically lend out 20-30 books per school year, he said. – though that number had fallen in recent years.

But in May of last year, Lee County told teachers they would have to enter all materials in classroom libraries into a digital database so that media specialists could review them. Andoscia spent 12 hours scanning his collection into the system, he said.

“What we were told was that by the time school started in August, all of the books would have been vetted and we would know what books to put on our shelves and what not to put in our shelves,” Andoscia said.

But that didn’t happen. By the time of the school’s annual parent open house, all his books remained in administrative limbo. Administrators told him to cover up the books, so he hung red project paper over the shelves before parents arrived.

“It looked absolutely ridiculous,” Andoscia said. “I put a snarky sign up on my books that said these books have not yet been vetted by the state.”

The News-Press requested data last week on classroom library reviews from the Lee County School District. That request has not yet been answered.

Andoscia, who had been teaching for 30 years, was already thinking about retirement. He knew it would be a “long year,” he said, but his daughter was a senior and he resolved to stick it out until she graduated.

He was not, however, willing to censor the library for his students, who were primarily upperclassmen taking advanced classes in sociology, economics and philosophy.

“I did not want to communicate to the kids that this is OK,” Andoscia said. “That it’s perfectly reasonable to cover books up.”

So he took the project paper down before school started – a move that the administration tolerated until last month. Just one student checked out a book this year, he said – the George Orwell classic “Animal Farm.”

Andoscia said he asked why the vetting process was taking so long, and was told that the reviewers were backlogged and hoped to catch up by the end of the year.

But by January, less than 10 percent of his library had been reviewed, he said. A few books were rejected, including “As I Lay Dying” by William Faulkner and Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” But Andoscia said he appealed the rejections through the online system and they were then marked “approved pending review,” so he put them back on the shelves.

When he arrived in class on Jan. 16 to find his shelves empty it was the final straw, Andoscia said. The next day he drafted a resignation letter and handed it to Diggs while she was in a meeting.

Andoscia, who last year was named a teacher of distinction in the Foundation for Lee Public School's Golden Apple teaching awards, said that Diggs asked him not to resign in a phone call that afternoon. But his mind was made up.

To complicate matters, after Andoscia resigned he got a call from the district saying that he was under investigation. And in a letter sent that evening, Lee Schools Professional Standards Director Fernando Vazquez warned Andoscia that his resignation could have financial consequences.

“There is a possibility that you may not be entitled to your sick time/personal time if you resign in the midst of an investigation,” Vazquez wrote.

Andoscia said the district did not tell him what he was being investigated for.

You have exceeded your limit for simultaneous device logins.

Your current subscription allows you to be actively logged in on up to three (3) devices simultaneously. click on continue below to log out of other sessions and log in on this device., best transitional books 2023 | slj best books.

latest books for school library

In these 16 early readers and chapter books, children who are learning to read will see themselves reflected on the pages and feel a sense of accomplishment as they embark on their reading journeys.

latest books for school library

TRANSITIONAL BOOKS

Bailey, Jenn. Henry, Like Always . illus. by Mika Song. Chronicle. ISBN 9781797213897. Gr 1-4 –Bailey and Song have created a goes-his-own-way hero in Henry, resistant to conventional paths to learning and participating, possibly neurodivergent, and perfectly creative in his own right. Classroom scenes and spare writing give emerging readers a glimpse of inclusion that truly makes room for everyone.

Cordell, Matthew . Evergreen . Feiwel & Friends. ISBN 9781250317179. K-Gr 2–In a remarkable chapter book that teaches problem-solving skills, a kind squirrel faces her fears. Cordell’s art is detailed, emotional, and action-packed; the heroine is brave; and the storytelling is outstanding. Delightful.

David, Arihhonni. Who Will Win? Holiday House. ISBN 9780823449484. PreS-Gr 1 –A story based on a Native American tale about a bear and a turtle racing across a stretch of ice. Written and illustrated by David (Mohawk), this should find a place in all collections, especially given the lack of Indigenous voices and representation in early readers.

Fang, Vicky.   A Pie for Us!: An Acorn Book . illus. by Luisa Leal. Scholastic. ISBN 9781338865585. PreS-Gr 1 –A dog and cat explore their world with laugh-out-loud results. Text is simple, following a pattern; beginning readers will confidently read high-frequency words and learn new vocabulary. Cartoon illustrations vibrantly showcase the story. This engaging early reader stands out for all the right reasons.

latest books for school library

Faruqi, Saadia. Ali the Great and the Market Mishap . illus. by Debby Rahmalia. Capstone/Picture Window. ISBN 9781484681138. Gr 1-3 –This delightful early chapter book features Pakistani American second grader Ali Tahir and his family. Ali, his Dada, and little brother head to the market, where mishaps ensue. The sweet family dynamic, pitch-perfect text, and appealing illustrations will resonate with those not yet ready for longer chapter books.

Greenwald, Tommy & Charlie Greenwald. The Rescues Finding Home . illus. by Shiho Pate. Red Comet. ISBN 9781636550763. K-Gr 2– This heartwarming transitional book follows Moose, who has one eye, and Bear, who has three legs, two shelter dogs who befriend each other while waiting for a new home. With cozy illustrations, this tale will charm readers and show them all about acceptance and seeing differences as strengths.

Hale, Shannon & Dean Hale. The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink . illus. by Leuyen Pham. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536209785. Gr 2-4 –Princess Magnolia/The Princess in Black is back, and this time she’s aided by the mysterious Prince in Pink/Prince Valerian in saving their party from a rampant giant emu. As ever, the series’ signature themes of identity, friendship, and teamwork ring true. Candy-colored art makes this irresistible to burgeoning readers.

Lerner, Jarrett. Nat the Cat Takes a Bath . S. & S./Spotlight. ISBN 9781665918930. K-Gr 2 –Nat the Cat doesn’t like baths and will do whatever it takes to delay them. Straightforward, repetitive phrases enhance confidence as children begin reading on their own. This funny, heartwarming, accessible book will encourage and entertain fledgling readers as they improve their independent reading skills.

latest books for school library

LaRochelle, David.   See the Ghost: Three Stories About Things You Cannot See . illus. by Mike Wohnoutka. Candlewick. ISBN 9781536219821. PreS-Gr 3–With spare text, ample white space, speech bubbles, and simple illustrations that put emphasis on the words, these three humorous stories about a ghost, the wind, and a fairy are reminiscent of Mo Willems’s “Elephant and Piggie” titles. This collection also works as a fun read-aloud.

Medina, Juana. Elena Rides . Candlewick. ISBN 9781536216356. PreS-Gr 1–Elena the elephant is riding a bike, but her confidence falters after some falls. Still, she won’t give up. Elena’s persistence offers an important message in spare, engaging prose to anyone attempting to master a new skill—including learning to read.

Mora, Julissa. Baking with Mi Abuelita . Random. ISBN 9780593651971. Gr 1-3–For Papi’s birthday, a girl is excited to help Abuelita make his favorite tres leches cake. It’s fun to spend time with family, continuing traditions. The English narrative contains Spanish words. A fabulous example of Rudine Sims Bishop’s mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors metaphor, this sweet work has bright art and digestible text.

Platt, Christine. Frankie and Friends: Breaking News . illus. by Alea Marley. Candlewick/Walker. ISBN 9781536222098. Gr 1-5– Frankie is a young reporter inspired by her journalist mom. While her mother is away chasing a story, Frankie makes her own news crew and reconnects with her sister. This adorable series debut has STEM elements and a wonderful depiction of family relationships. Fun illustrations add to its charm.

latest books for school library

Quigley, Dawn. Jo Jo Makoons: Snow Day .   illus. by Tara Audibert. HarperCollins/Heartdrum. ISBN 9780063015432. K-Gr 3 –Lovable, guileless Jo Jo returns in this snow day adventure that centers kindness and community. Jo Jo and friends create winter Olympics on her Ojibwe reservation. This chapter book includes engaging material about Ojibwe culture, delightful illustrations, and a spunky heroine kids will embrace.

Ransom, Candice. Graduation Day! illus. by Ashley Evans. Random. ISBN 9780593643655. PreS-K –A young brown boy attends his last day of kindergarten—graduation day. Kids beginning to read will feel the excitement in this rhyming, easy-to-read book that features a diverse classroom. Whether at home or the library, this tale will resonate with emerging readers.

Rubinstein, Elana.   The Royal Recipe: A Purim Story . illus. by Jennifer Naalchigar. Apples & Honey. ISBN 9781681156071. Gr 3-6 –Saralee, a 10-year-old with a “super-nose,” uses her gift to save her family from biblical villain Haman, whom she has accidentally conjured up from the ancient past. The theme of Purim will enhance multicultural literature collections of early reader chapter books.

Trinh, Linda. The Mystery of the Painted Fan . ­ illus. by Clayton Nguyen. Annick. ISBN 9781773217710. Gr 1-4 –Jacob wants to have a pink hockey helmet, join the girls’ fan dance, and paint his nails, but he is teased and discouraged. With family support and Grandma’s fan, Jay is embraced for who he is. This book deftly depicts resisting gender norms and the richness of Vietnamese culture.

Get Print. Get Digital. Get Both!

Libraries are always evolving. Stay ahead. Log In.

Add Comment :-

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:

  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know . Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

First Name should not be empty !!!

Last Name should not be empty !!!

email should not be empty !!!

Comment should not be empty !!!

You should check the checkbox.

Please check the reCaptcha

latest books for school library

Ethan Smith

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

Posted 6 hours ago REPLY

Jane Fitgzgerald

Posted 6 hours ago

Michael Woodward

Continue reading.

latest books for school library

Added To Cart

Related , celebrate tell a fairy tale day on february 26 with these new transitional readers, 3 picture books about holidays in history | spotlight, 3 early readers to enjoy this valentine's day, bcala releases 2023 best of the best books list, 20 picture books to celebrate black artists this black history month and year round, 3 february holiday books featuring brothers and sisters, "what is this" design thinking from an lis student.

 alt=

The job outlook in 2030: Librarians will be in demand

L J image

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, --> Log In

You did not sign in correctly or your account is temporarily disabled

L J image

REGISTER FREE to keep reading

If you are already a member, please log in.

Passwords must include at least 8 characters.

Your password must include at least three of these elements: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, or special characters.

The email you entered already exists. Please reset your password to gain access to your account.

Create an account password and save time in the future. Get immediate access to:

News, opinion, features, and breaking stories

Exclusive video library and multimedia content

Full, searchable archives of more than 300,000 reviews and thousands of articles

Research reports, data analysis, white papers, and expert opinion

Passwords must include at least 8 characters. Please try your entry again.

Your password must include at least three of these elements: lower case letters, upper case letters, numbers, or special characters. Please try your entry again.

Thank you for registering. To have the latest stories delivered to your inbox, select as many free newsletters as you like below.

No thanks. return to article, already a subscriber log in.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

Thank you for visiting.

We’ve noticed you are using a private browser. To continue, please log in or create an account.

Hard paywall image

CREATE AN ACCOUNT

SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS

Already a subscriber log in.

Most SLJ reviews are exclusive to subscribers.

As a subscriber, you'll receive unlimited access to all reviews dating back to 2010.

To access other site content, visit our homepage .

  • Skip to main content
  • Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

NPR's Book of the Day

  • LISTEN & FOLLOW
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Google Podcasts
  • Amazon Music

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

A secret shelf of banned books thrives in a Texas school, under the nose of censors

Neda Ulaby - Square

A high school teacher in Houston has a library in her classroom of books she's not supposed to have, per state legislation. Students say she's helping them survive. ( Story aired on ATC on 1/29/24 .)

A secret shelf of banned books thrives in a Texas school, under the nose of censors

Op-Comic: 3,362 book bans? What year is this, anyway?

  • Show more sharing options
  • Copy Link URL Copied!

My dad taught high school English for 42 years. Now that he's gone, I'm left with boxes of books from his classroom.

Bryn Durgin, a writer in Florida, is the director of programming at Bookstore1Sarasota and leads its Banned Book Club . Navied Mahdavian, a cartoonist and writer in Utah, is the author of the graphic memoir “ This Country : Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America.”

A cure for the common opinion

Get thought-provoking perspectives with our weekly newsletter.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles, CA - November 10: Actress Leslie-Anne Huff, right and her husband Reggie Panaligan, standing inside their 380-square-foot ADU, designed by architect Lisa Little, of Vertebrae, in the Larchmont neighborhood of Los Angeles, photographed, Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. The studio is an example of how to reimagine a neglected carport as smart, multigenerational housing. The ADU is used for grandparents to come on extended stays, since the couple has a young child. It is also a full-time work-from-home office, guest house, and extension of the family living space by integrating the pool and yard into the larger programmatic space of the home and site. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Goodbye carport, hello ADU: A tiny parking spot is reborn as a stunning live-work studio

Feb. 20, 2024

File photo

How bequeathing property before you die gives your kids a tax headache

Feb. 18, 2024

Close-up of two people holding hands over a coffee, one black and one white, at a wooden kitchen table

Should you care about your partner’s credit score?

Feb. 17, 2024

latest books for school library

How Rodrigo Prieto jumped seamlessly (and immediately) from shooting ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ to ‘Barbie’

Feb. 15, 2024

Carroll County Times | 6 more books banned in Carroll public school…

Share this:.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

latest books for school library

  • Anne Arundel County
  • Baltimore City
  • Baltimore County
  • Carroll County
  • Harford County
  • Howard County
  • Sun Investigates
  • Environment

Carroll County Times

Subscriber only, carroll county times | 6 more books banned in carroll public school libraries, bringing total to 9.

Denise Johnson, retired Carroll County Public Schools teacher, left, waits in line to get a chance to attend the Board of Education meeting in September 2023 to support librarians against the removal of books.

Decisions have been made about 25 of the 58 books that Superintendent Cynthia McCabe ordered removed from Carroll County public schools’ library shelves last September amid challenges from the Carroll County chapter of Moms for Liberty.

As of this week, nine books have been permanently removed from shelves, nine have been retained and will once again be available to students, and six titles will now require parental permission for a student to check out.

One book, “Slaughterhouse Five” by Kurt Vonnegut, will be retained in high schools but removed from middle school shelves.

Removed books include: “Doing It,” by Hannah Wilton; “Red Hood,” by Elana Arnold; “November 9: A Novel,” and “It Ends With Us,” by Colleen Hoover; and “A Court of Mist and Fury,” and “A Court of Wings and Ruin,” by Sarah J. Maas, all of which were banned in the most recent rounds of decisions.

“Man O’ War,” by Cory McCarthy; “Nineteen Minutes,” by Jodi Picoult; “People Kill People,” by Ellen Hopkins; and “Blankets,” by Craig Thompson were retained in the most recent rounds of decisions.

The Carroll County Public Schools Reconsideration Committee’s decision to ban “A Court of Wings and Ruin,” “Red Hood” and “It Ends With Us” was made after the Board of Education unanimously voted Jan. 10 to update Policy IIAA, banning all library books and instructional materials that include “sexually explicit” content from public schools. The updated policy defines sexually explicit content as “unambiguously describing, depicting, showing, or writing about sex or sex acts in a detailed or graphic manner.”

The book reconsideration process remains otherwise the same, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction Nicholas Shockney said on Jan. 10.

The decision to retain “Shine,” by Lauren Myracle, made in the third round of decisions, was appealed to the superintendent. It was decided that the book will remain on shelves but will now require parental permission to borrow.

Requests to remove “Milk and Honey,” by Rupi Kaur; “Deal With It,” by Esther Drill; and “A Court of Silver Flames,” by Sarah J. Maas, received on June 7, were not addressed by the Reconsideration Committee as these titles were already discontinued from school system bookshelves, according to Director of Curriculum and Instruction Steve Wernick.

“Deal With It” has not circulated in media centers for several years, according to Wernick, and will not be purchased moving forward.

“Milk and Honey” and “A Court of Silver Flames” were removed using the system’s annual deselection process and will not be purchased by any library in the future, Wernick said. Materials are deselected by each school’s library/media specialist based on a number of factors, including poor physical condition, reading/comprehension level appropriateness, low circulation, lack of curricular relevance, problematic language and inaccurate content, according to Wernick.

“Deselecting is an integral and important part of collection development in school libraries,” Wernick said in an email. “It is essential that libraries evaluate the quality and content of all materials and delete worn, unsuitable, dated, or unnecessary materials. Continued attention to the quality of the collection and related maintenance of the collection helps to ensure a highly effective and quality collection.”

Including the challenged titles that were removed as part of the deselection process, a total of 61 Carroll County Public Schools library books have been challenged since last summer, according to Wernick.

Kit Hart, chair of Carroll County Moms for Liberty, said all book removal requests came from members of her group, due to each challenged book containing, “graphic sex or rape.” Moms for Liberty is a conservative group that advocates for parental rights in schools.

Since the requests were made, some parents and librarians opposed to the removals have shown up at school board meetings opposing them.

Donna Mignardi, president of the Maryland Association of School Librarians, said the group is working to stem book bans in Carroll County, which she said amounts to censorship.

“Book challenges and attempts at censorship have become more frequent in the past two years. These challenges are not isolated to Carroll County,” Mignardi said in September.

The school system’s Reconsideration Committee is tasked with making book removal decisions. It includes nonvoting chair Bruce Lesh, supervisor of elementary education for Carroll County Public Schools, as well as two school media specialists, two school-based administrators, one teacher and three parents. Three high school students are also included when the committee reviews books previously deemed appropriate for high schoolers. All members are appointed by the superintendent.

The committee meets every three to five weeks, public schools communications coordinator Brenda Bowers said, and it is not known how long it will take for the current list of book removal requests to be reviewed. In the past, about two books per year were directed to the Reconsideration Committee for review.

Books banned or retained by the reconsideration process may not be re-evaluated for school use for three years after the initial request for reconsideration, according to Carroll County Public Schools policy. Any decision to remove a book is final, but a decision to retain a book may be appealed to the superintendent within 10 days of receiving a decision. The appeal window has passed for each retained book.

Shockney acted as McCabe’s designee when reviewing books that were appealed to the superintendent. Shockney said he read each book for which the committee’s decision was appealed and rendered his decisions in accordance with school system’s Policy IIAA, which governs the selection, evaluation and adoption of instructional materials, including supplemental instructional materials like library books.

More in Carroll County Times

Nations join alliances for a variety of reasons, but mostly for economic benefits and security. There is, as they say, safety in numbers.

CCT Opinion | Tom Zirpoli: Alliances benefit America’s economy and security | COMMENTARY

Benson Sommerfeldt's 17-point 15-rebound double-double made the difference for South Carroll as the Cavs spoiled Winters Mill's title hopes.

CCT High School Sports | South Carroll boys basketball denies Winters Mill county title share with 65-44 win

Here is a roundup of high school varsity action on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

High School Sports | High school sports roundup (Feb. 20)

We name our Carroll County Times Team of the Week, list the week's five-star players and run down the top performances of the week.

CCT High School Sports | Carroll County high school sports week in review: A look at the top players and performances (Feb. 12-18)

IMAGES

  1. Grant will help purchase new books for library at local school

    latest books for school library

  2. Library book display. "They're #1." Each book is the first in a series

    latest books for school library

  3. First Book In A Series

    latest books for school library

  4. These books BLUE us away.

    latest books for school library

  5. New books display

    latest books for school library

  6. Looney Tunes Speedy Gonzales 550 Dash Womens T-Shirt

    latest books for school library

COMMENTS

  1. Best Books 2022

    YA Nonfiction Poetry Graphic Novels Interview with Guojing The SLJ reviews editors and 22 educator committee members have selected 155 titles for this year's Best Books lists. We hope that you find a lot to cherish in these.

  2. Best Books 2023

    Nov 20, 2023 | Filed in Reviews+ School Library Journal has selected 169 titles as the Best Books of 2023. See what poetry, transitional, picture books, YA, middle grade, graphic novels, and nonfiction books we've honored this year. Be the first reader to comment.

  3. School Library Books, Materials & Hands-On Learning

    ASPEN TITLEWAVE DESTINY DISCOVER Library Products Share Ensure your school community has access to the newest, most sought-after titles by using Titlewave ®. With the collection analysis features, you can acquire the exact materials you need to fill gaps and strengthen the classroom-library connection.

  4. Best Books 2021

    Our belief in the importance of literature is paramount as we present our Best Books list. After months of deliberation, the editors and our insigh tful reviewer committee members have selected 139 titles addressing topics—such as climate change, racism, and history—that are more relevant than ever. They also include a balance of fantasy ...

  5. Best Middle Grade Books 2022

    Drew Leclair Gets a Clue. Clarion. ISBN 9780358639602. Gr 5 Up -Drew is a seventh-grade wannabe criminal profiler who takes notes from her hero, profiler Lita Miyamoto, to solve cases at her middle school. Her toughest case yet is uncovering the identity of a cyberbully who's exposing classmates' most sensitive secrets, including hers.

  6. How School Libraries Buy Books, Struggle for Funds, and Confront Book

    Hundreds of titles—including literary works like Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer, the graphic novel Maus, and, more recently, hundreds of picture books with LGBTQ...

  7. New Back-to-School Books for 2022

    This is a School by John Schu; illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison, 2022. This book is the perfect beginning-of-school read aloud! Simple text paired with bold bright illustrations featuring a diverse group of students and staff remind readers that school is a place to ask questions, learn new things, and make connections.

  8. Exploring SLJ's 2023 Starred Books

    In this overview of SLJ's 2023 starred titles to date, grief, intergenerational bonds, and other key topics are trending topics. The themes that have long marked books for children and teens continue to loom large in 2023, focusing heavily on identity, relationships, emotions, connections, and community. Current trends in SLJ 's starred ...

  9. 13 Questions to Ask When Choosing New Books for Classroom Libraries

    The first step in giving students a choice in what they read is providing enough books. Booksource recommends 300-600+ books per classroom and at least seven books per child. No matter how large or small a classroom library is, there is always a new story worth sharing. 2.

  10. Best Books for Teens 2023

    Additional Information. Explore this year's Best Books! About Best Books: Every year the librarians and staff on our Best Books committees read thousands of titles to select noteworthy new books for readers of all ages.Find out more, discover which titles are available in accessible formats, and check out the highlights of previous years!

  11. Setting Up Libraries to Be the Best Space in School

    By Paige Tutt August 8, 2023 On any given day, more than 500 students visit the library at Campbell High School in Smyrna, Georgia—often before the school day even begins or during their lunch period.

  12. Edmond Schools challenges OSDE rules on library books

    Edmond Public Schools officials are asking for the Oklahoma State Supreme Court to rule on whether or not the Oklahoma State Department of Education has the authority to decide which books public s…

  13. How Florida's New School Librarian Training Defines Off-Limits Materials

    How Florida's New School Librarian Training Defines Off-Limits Materials. By Eesha Pendharkar — January 19, 2023 3 min read. Books line shelves in a high school library in Brownsville, Texas ...

  14. School Library List (188 books)

    Books which are suitable for a school library. flag. All Votes Add Books To This List. 1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7) by. J.K. Rowling. 4.62 avg rating — 3,669,741 ratings. score: 817 , and 9 people voted.

  15. Home

    Thursday, February 15th The New School Libraries provides access to collections, services and spaces sufficient in quality, depth, diversity, format and currency to support the research and teaching missions of The New School.

  16. Texas Legislature moves to regulate school library content

    Texas Legislature 2023 Texas lawmakers OK bill that aims to keep sexually explicit material out of school libraries Approved by both chambers, the bill is now on its way to the governor. Unless...

  17. Best Books 2023

    School Library Journal has selected 169 titles as the Best Books of 2023. See what poetry, transitional, picture books, YA, middle grade, graphic novels, and nonfiction books we've honored this year.

  18. Must have books for High School Libraries (142 books)

    Join Goodreads Listopia Must have books for High School Libraries A list designed to help high school library media specialists develop the best collection for their students. flag All Votes Add Books To This List ← Previous 1 2 Next → 142 books · 43 voters · list created April 4th, 2013 by Jan Badovinac (votes) .

  19. In a Maryland school library, empty shelves are about to get emptier

    A few years ago, the school had to remove a large number of books as part of a weeding process that is required by the state to make sure old and damaged books don't remain on the shelves.

  20. Best Picture Books 2022

    PICTURE BOOKS. Behar, Ruth. Tía Fortuna's New Home: A Jewish Cuban Journey. illus. by Devon Holzwarth. Knopf. ISBN ‎9780593172414. K-Gr 3 -This powerful intergenerational story about heritage and hope is enhanced by stunning art; a must for all libraries, and remarkable in every way. Blackall, Sophie.

  21. Edmond schools ask Oklahoma Supreme Court to rule on library dispute

    Edmond Public Schools asked the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday to decide whether the Oklahoma State Board of Education or a local elected school board has the authority to establish policies concerning books in the district's libraries.. District Superintendent Angela Grunewald said the lawsuit was filed after the Oklahoma State Department of Education threatened to have the state board ...

  22. Florida high school teacher resigns after in-class library removed

    Over Mike Andoscia's eight years as a social studies teacher at North Fort Myers High School, he'd grown his classroom library to more than 600 books. When he came into school on Jan. 16, they ...

  23. Best Transitional Books 2023

    TRANSITIONAL BOOKS. Bailey, Jenn. Henry, Like Always. illus. by Mika Song. Chronicle. ISBN 9781797213897. Gr 1-4 -Bailey and Song have created a goes-his-own-way hero in Henry, resistant to conventional paths to learning and participating, possibly neurodivergent, and perfectly creative in his own right.

  24. Book removed by parent challenge back on LR5 shelves

    A children's book has survived the latest challenge from a parent in a Midlands school district. Lexington-Richland 5 will return "The Curse of King Tut's Tomb" to school library shelves ...

  25. A secret shelf of banned books thrives in a Texas school, under the

    A high school teacher in Houston has a library in her classroom of books she's not supposed to have, per state legislation. Students say she's helping them survive. (Story aired on ATC on 1/29/24.)

  26. Op-Comic: 3,362 book bans? What year is this, anyway?

    Bryn Durgin, a writer in Florida, is the director of programming at Bookstore1Sarasota and leads its Banned Book Club. Navied Mahdavian, a cartoonist and writer in Utah, is the author of the ...

  27. 6 more books banned in Carroll public school libraries, bringing total

    Decisions have been made about 25 of the 58 books that Superintendent Cynthia McCabe ordered removed from Carroll County public schools' library shelves last September amid challenges from the ...