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3 weeks ago | 
slj.com | Brigid Alverson |Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell |Ariana Sani Hussain
Cassi and the House of Memories (Stuart) ©2025 by Dean Stuart “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”What writer Leo Tolstoy failed to take into account in his famous quote is that many families exist somewhere between happy and unhappy, bound together by ties that are stronger than the challenges of divorce, prejudice, or even illness and death.
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1 month ago | 
slj.com | Amanda MacGregor |Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell |Ariana Sani Hussain
Vacation season is on its way, which for many young people means road trips, theme parks, and cruises galore. But it can also mean sharing vulnerability, processing grief, repairing family relationships, and navigating blossoming romance. These three novels explore the fun, freedom, and complications of life on vacation for tweens. Cartaya, Pablo. A Hero’s Guide to Summer Vacation. 288p. Penguin/Kokila. May 2025. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780451479754.
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1 month ago | 
slj.com | Amanda MacGregor |Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell |Ariana Sani Hussain
This diverse list of titles includes prose novels, novels in verse, and graphic novels. It has solid middle grade books as well as selections more suited for upper middle grade or younger YA tastes. This diverse list of titles includes prose novels, novels in verse, and graphic novels. It has solid middle grade books as well as selections more suited for upper middle grade or younger YA tastes. Share this list for Pride Month and throughout the year. Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer. Putnam.
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1 month ago | 
slj.com | Brigid Alverson |Kathy Ishizuka |Amy Lilien-Harper |Sam Bloom
History Comics: Ellis Island: Immigration and the American Dream (Feggo) ©2025 by Tait Howard. Immigration is a lived experience for millions of Americans and their family members.
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Jun 5, 2024 | 
slj.com | Karen Jensen |Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell |Ariana Sani Hussain
Image Source/Getty Images When you imagine a childhood summer, you may envision summer camp, fireside chats, s’mores, and ice cream. For middle grade kids, there’s lots of fiction about summer at camp, with adventures alternately scary, funny, and pulling on your heartstrings. For YA readers, many books set in summertime portray teens in rural settings going to the local lake or working at the nearby country club. But millions of tweens and teens spend summer in the city.
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Jun 3, 2024 | 
slj.com | Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell |Ariana Sani Hussain |Sujei Lugo
We rode the elevator with Mo Willems* to learn more about the Mo Willems Workshop YouTube channel and the staying power of some of kid lit's favorite characters. *An actual elevator ride with Mo Willems did not take place. Florence Simmons: Give us the 30-second elevator pitch for the Mo Willems Workshop YouTube channel. Mo Willems: First of all, which floor are you going to? I’m happy to press the button for you.
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May 20, 2024 | 
slj.com | Terry Hong |Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell |Ariana Sani Hussain
In her latest adventure, Uni the Unicorn is about to dance in her first recital. And, the newest “Afro Unicorn” story follows the friends as they lead a parade. Rosenthal, Amy Krause & Candice Ransom. Uni’s First Recital.illus. by Brigette Barrager & Alan Batson. 32p. (Step into Reading). Random. May 2024. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780593652039; pap. $5.99. ISBN 9780593651995. PreS-Gr 2–Uni the Unicorn is back for another relatable adventure.
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May 8, 2024 | 
slj.com | Amanda MacGregor |Travis Jonker |Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell
This is a busy time for science, technology, engineering, and math. NASA is preparing to send astronauts to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years. Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence have organizations pondering how best to harness AI’s power—while preventing its misuse. And, last December, negotiators from nearly 200 countries recognized for the first time the need to transition away from fossil fuels during a U.N. climate change convention.
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May 8, 2024 | 
slj.com | Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell |Ariana Sani Hussain |Sujei Lugo
The 1947 Partition of India led to one of the largest migrations in human history, radically changing Southeast Asia’s landscape. The area that was India under nearly 90 years of British rule was divided into two. The division that came with independence from Britain created a new Muslim-majority state of Pakistan and a Hindu-majority state in India.
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May 7, 2024 | 
slj.com | Sam Bloom |Edith Campbell |Ariana Sani Hussain |Sujei Lugo
Manga’s recent boom in popularity has ushered in new opportunities for libraries to connect with communities. Whether you are an avid manga enthusiast or a newcomer eager to explore this beloved medium, we invite you to join us for a manga-focused “PowerPoint Party” tailored specifically for libraries. In this free event, we’ve assembled a panel of seasoned librarians to share their expertise, strategies, and passion for manga collection development.
