School Library Journal

6 days ago | slj.com | Jennifer Costa |Amanda MacGregor |Erin Entrada

. May 2025. 400p. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780374311865. COPY ISBN Gr 7 Up–Scholar and antiracist activist Kendi brings the life and learning of Malcolm X directly to young readers in this compelling, propulsive biography. Malcolm Little, born 1925 in Omaha, NE, faced trauma and hardship from early on due to racism and white supremacy. By the time he was in eighth grade, he was hungry and angry which made him reckless and desperate.

6 days ago | slj.com | Margaret Bush |Amanda MacGregor |Erin Entrada

by (text) & illus. by Becky Cameron . May 2025. 224p. Tr $21.99. ISBN 9781444980141. Gr 3-5 COPY ISBN Gr 3-5–Pixies, fairies, gnomes, and ghosts, along with hedgehogs, wagtails, celandines, and many other animals and plants, appear frequently in this poetic collection of tributes to each of the four seasons.

1 week ago | slj.com | Amanda MacGregor

Who doesn’t love a happily ever after? Here are 16 YA romances that celebrate love and everything summer, from camp and vacation drama to jobs and sports and teens honing their writing skills while off from school. So grab your towel, sunscreen, and snacks, and head out in the sunshine to enjoy these summertime stories. For teens who want that camp feeling, because of nostalgia or to live vicariously. Baldwin, Erin. Wish You Weren’t Here. Viking. 2024. ISBN 9780593622698.

1 week ago | slj.com | Amanda MacGregor |Karen Jensen

As a children’s book author, I love a good mystery. Which is why, last month, after a Virginia elementary school principal abruptly cancelled my visit by email, with no explanation or interest in rescheduling or paying me, I decided to investigate. It didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what had happened: a parent had complained because of a social media video I had made celebrating Pride month.

1 week ago | slj.com | Amanda MacGregor

In this Q&A series, SLJ poses five questions and a request for a book recommendation to a debut YA author. Mina Ikemoto Ghosh shares about Hyo the Hellmaker in this latest installment. 1. Congrats on your YA debut! How would you describe your book to readers? Thank you very much, it’s nice to have something to celebrate! I’d describe Hyo as a Japanese fantasy murder mystery, where the detective is cursebound to investigate murders and sell vengeance to those left behind.