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Publishers in the children's book industry are expanding their offerings in the STEM/STEAM category, which focuses on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. These books aim to engage, inform, and entertain readers by presenting STEM/STEAM topics from unique angles and incorporating them into fiction, nonfiction, and picture books. Publishers are also emphasizing diversity and representation in STEM/STEAM books, with a focus on books featuring people of color and diverse experiences. The demand for STEM/STEAM books remains strong, and publishers are optimistic about the future of this category. [Extracted from the article]

Project LIT Community is a grassroots literacy movement that started as a classroom project in East Nashville, Tennessee. It has grown into a national initiative that aims to increase book access in communities and eliminate book deserts. The movement began with a book drive and the creation of Project LIT libraries, but later shifted to the Project LIT Book Club, which celebrates high-quality, culturally relevant books. It has expanded to include 2,000 chapters across all 50 states, with positive outcomes for student literacy, attendance, and behavior. The founders hope to see Project LIT become more formally organized and integrated into existing literacy organizations. B Is for Books is a free children's bookstore located in Homestead, Pennsylvania. The store offers a wide range of new and gently used books for children and young adults, and visitors can select up to three books to take home and keep. The bookstore also hosts events and provides resources for early childhood educators and community organizations. B Is for Books is part of the Reading Ready Pittsburgh organization, which aims to promote early literacy and provide access to books for children in under-resourced communities. [Extracted from the article]

Publishers are increasingly focusing on creating series of STEM/STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) books for young readers. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers has launched the Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers series, while Candlewick's MIT Kids and MITeen imprints are expanding existing series and launching new ones. Other publishers, such as Dial Books for Young Readers, Bloomsbury, Putnam, Blue Dot Kids Press, Charlesbridge, and Greystone Kids, are also developing and expanding their STEM/STEAM offerings for children of various age groups. These series aim to provide engaging and visually appealing content that combines scientific information with imaginative storytelling. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the evolving strategies of publishers in marketing STEM/STEAM-themed books. Publishers are focusing on direct-to-teacher marketing, creating activity kits, posters, and educator guides, and developing full STEAM programs to engage students. They are also grouping books by broader topics to target educators, using social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok for promotion, and organizing in-person presentations and events. Additionally, publishers are producing teacher's guides and tip cards to assist educators in incorporating the books into their curriculum. The article emphasizes the importance of author engagement and the value of back matter in enhancing the learning experience. [Extracted from the article]

Operation Literacy and Writers and Artists Across the Country are two literacy organizations that are dedicated to making books accessible to young readers. Operation Literacy, formerly known as Writers Cubed, was founded by a group of writers in Utah who wanted to support aspiring teen writers. They started the Teen Author Boot Camp, which has grown in size each year and now draws around 1,000 teen writers. Operation Literacy also offers TABC Classroom, a database of curated videos and lesson plans for educators. They have recently launched Book Drop, which brings major authors to underprivileged schools to provide free books and author visits. Writers and Artists Across the Country is a consortium of children's book industry professionals that facilitates author and artist visits in underserved schools. They prioritize schools with the greatest barriers to entry and provide a book for each child who attends a visit. The organization has reached students in 40 cities across 17 states and aims to reach 10,000 students in 2024. Both organizations rely on donations and partnerships to fund their programs. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the influence of Taylor Swift and the numerous books and projects that have been inspired by her. It highlights the success of Taylor Swift-themed books, such as "Taylor Swift: A Little Golden Book Biography," and the upcoming releases of new titles, including a YA anthology and a picture book. The article also mentions the popularity of Taylor Swift biographies for children and the efforts made by publishers to differentiate their books from competitors. Overall, the article emphasizes Taylor Swift's impact on popular culture and the enthusiasm of her fans. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the recent three-year study "SLIDE: The School Librarian Investigation—Decline or Evolution?" funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Topics discussed include the impact of changing administrators and priorities on adding or cutting school librarian positions, the evolving role of school librarians beyond traditional stereotypes, and the challenges faced by administrators in recognizing the value of school librarianship.

The article focuses on the challenges facing the middle-grade book market, including shifts in readership demographics and discoverability issues. Topics include the continued success of authors like Aaron Blabey, Jeff Kinney, and Dav Pilkey, as well as the rising popularity of three genres within middle-grade literature: heists, horror, and illustrated humor.

The article discusses the ongoing debate on teaching children to read, focusing on the science of reading. Topics include declining reading scores; persistence of traditional methods and rise of the science of reading movement; and its urgency in addressing learning loss and disparities. It explored the history of reading instruction methods, contrasting the whole language approach with explicit phonics teaching and highlights the movement's progress and future directions.

The article discusses Julie VanLier's shift from a 22-year-long balanced literacy approach in her kindergarten classroom to a more structured reading instruction after facing challenges in a high-poverty school. Topics include her teaching evolution, the impact of socioeconomic factors on literacy and her transformative professional development journey leading to improved practices.

The article provides information on the increase in book challenges and bans targeting children's and YA materials in school and public libraries. It highlights the highest-ever number of demands to censor library materials recorded by the American Library Association and the growing number of book bans affecting various titles across multiple states.

The article evaluates the Beanstack, an ed tech platform from an online tracking tool provider, startup Zoobean, which features a more digital approach to modernizing summer reading programs for public libraries.

The article focuses on the Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint headed by author Rick Riordan's editor Stephanie Owens Lurie devoted to publishing middle grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage. It mentions views of Sophia Jimenez, associate editor at Atheneum on how Riordan's role in expanding the space for fantasies rooted in mythology.

The article discusses about several authors of children's and youth adult literature which includes Zoulfa Katouh; author-illustrator Liza Ferneyhough; and the author, Skyler Schrempp. It mentions that Katouh as the debut author of the acclaimed novel, "As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow." It discusses that Ferneyhough as the debut author of the middle grade novel, "Three Strike Summer."

In this article, children's editors highlight successes and trends in the STEM/STEAM education. It mentions that Mallory Loehr, publisher for Random House Books for Young Readers observes that nonfiction picture and board books that work as both fun read alouds and as teaching tools are solid performers. It also mentions views of National Geographic Kids' senior editor Katharine Moore, on paleontology, mapmaking, and geology that gives kids a view of where their favorite dinosaurs roamed.

The article offers information on move to cut back on buying middle grade fiction books by the Barnes & Noble. Topics include views of Fiona Kenshole, senior agent at Transatlantic Literary Agency; views of Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel, agent and cofounder of Full Circle Literary; and views of Alyssa Eisner Henkin, founder of Birch Path Literary.

The article discusses that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists gun violence and firearm-related injuries as the leading cause of death for children ages one to 19. It mentions that teachers unified to end gun violence in the schools of U.S. It discusses the stories of gun violence in schools and communities in order to influence policies and Americans at large to make us safer.

The article discusses difficulties faced by librarians and educators during 2021–2022 school year. Topics discussed include opening of schools and fluctuating Covid spikes causing difficult staffing challenges, new workload that involves librarians taking additional sanitization measures and enforcing their district's masking policies, and educators made to provide remote learning for their students when schools were closed and its affect on their everyday work.

This article explores the growing popularity of audiobooks in the digital publishing industry. It traces the history of audiobooks, from their early days on cassette tapes to the current digital formats. The article also discusses the impact of popular series like Harry Potter on the audiobook market and the shift towards digital downloads. It concludes by examining the future of audiobooks, including the potential for computer-generated narration and other forms of AI. The article specifically highlights the success of the Harry Potter audiobook series, narrated by Jim Dale and released by Listening Library, which has received widespread acclaim and recognition. Overall, this article provides valuable information for library patrons interested in the Harry Potter series or audiobooks in general. [Extracted from the article]

Like a number of her middle grade author compatriots, Medina has adopted strategies to navigate a range of ever- shifting writing roadblocks. Author Sharon Draper (Out of My Heart) calls middle graders "the sweet spot." - Meg Medina Kyle Lukoff Saadia Faruqi For Johnson, the biggest challenge was letting go of the idea of writing a middle grade story that applies to every reader in the age range. Marjorie Liu Varian Johnson Lukoff echoes many of his fellow authors in noting that exploring the inner lives of middle grade readers holds much of the appeal for writing in the category. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on challenges and solutions related to COVID-19 pandemic discussed by school and library marketing directors. Topics discussed include the lack of in-person interaction on all levels, and censorship, disruptions in the supply chain due to the pandemic, and digital fatigue as being top of mind.

The article focuses on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (Al)-enabled audiobook narration on the industry. It mentions proponents of AI audiobook narration tout its much lower production costs as a way to improve profitability of audiobooks as well as allowing publishers to publish more audiobooks that have limited audiences. It also mentions views of Nicole Morano, publicity director at Pushkin Industries, on the significance of archival audio.

The article informs that according to the study "SLIDE: The School Librarian Investigation-Decline or Evolution?" by Debra Kachel of Antioch University Seattle, the number of school librarians in the U.S. continues to decline. It mentions that SLIDE revealed that three out of 10 districts had no librarians in any of their schools, students in high poverty district had no librarians, and students in majority-nonwhite districts were without school librarians.

The article discusses trends within book with STEM and STEAM concepts. It mentions the books "Engines! With 25 Science Projects for Kids" by Donna McKinney, "The Great Stink" by Colleen Paeff, and "Brain Book: How It Works and All Its Quirks" and "Psychology for Kids: The Science of Mind and Behavior" by Leanne Boucher Gill.

The article focuses on Homeless Children's Education Fund's innovative project, Winnie's Wagon. Topics discussed include the organization's history of supporting homeless children, the challenges they faced during the pandemic, and the successful fundraising efforts that led to the creation of Winnie's Wagon, a mobile classroom providing educational resources and support for homeless youth.

The article presents an interview with children's book author Sheryl Haft who discusses her book "Mazie's Amazing Machines" which focuses on creative problem-solving skills. She shares her views on Mazie's mission, her passion for encouraging kids to explore how things work, and Let's Engineer Program. She discusses how the book can be useful in the classroom or at home.

The article describes the trends in middle grade category of children's books according to the literary agents who serve as intermediaries between authors and publishers. Topics discussed include the shift in the quantity of new voices in her query queue noticed by Regina Brooks, president of the Serendipity Literacy Agency and the emergence of a lot of fantasy and magical realism on non-Western mythologies according to Laura Rennert, executive agent at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

The article offers suggestions from social media bookseller Kathy Ellen Davis to promote bookstores and engage with readers through social media including Instagram and TikTok. Topics include follow other active bookstore accounts, and tag publishers, authors, and illustrators while posting and share stories.

The article focuses on publishers, educational technology firm and libraries are addressing learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and offering educational programs to engage students during the pandemic. Topics Scholastic is offering Home Base summer reading program offered to provide book access, and Mackin book firm is providing low-income families with books to read over the summer.

The article relates the kinds of middle grade projects that editors are seeing and shares their insights on any shifts they perceive in the category. Topics discussed include the more underrepresented characters and stories in middle grade especially with LGBTQIA+ characters, more nuanced and thoughtful representation, and more LGBTQ characters in novels.

The article focuses on authors' reactions to winning the Newbery, Caldecott and Printz awards. Topics include that Dave Eggers expressing his surreal experience of winning the Newbery for "The Eyes and the Impossible;" Vashti Harrison making history as the first Black woman to win the Caldecott for "Big;" A.S. King's surprise at winning the Printz for "The Collectors: Stories;" and emphasizing the historical significance of win & the hope to bring short stories into more educational settings.

The article focuses on the First Book, the Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit that provides books and other resources to classrooms and programs serving children in need, celebrates its 30th anniversary. It mentions views of Kyle Zimmer, president of First Book, on it. It also mentions survey of First Book's educator network about its members' spending priorities for federal American Rescue Plan funding allocated for support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The article offers information on the evolution of virtual author school visits in the ongoing crisis of COVID-19 pandemic. It mentions that author Kate Messner had been on tour for her middle grade novel "Chirp" and saw her slate of spring visits canceled or switched to a virtual format. It also mentions that Jarrett J. Krosoczka reformed his professional routine and fine-tuning a new approach to school visits.

The article offers information on role of educators to address racism and social justice with students. Topics discussed include suggestion to check emotional well-being of African American students and offer positivity; information on Project Ready, a collaborative and free diversity and equity professional development curriculum to create action plans and to be advocates for social change; and need to focus on LGBTQ issues.

The article offers information on successes and challenges faced by school librarians in the U.S. during COVID-19 pandemic. Topics include concern about health and safety issues regarding if or when students will return to the classroom or library amid pandemic; role of Pennsylvania State Education Association, to pass HB 13 55 and SB 7 52, which would ensure equitable library services for Pennsylvania's K-12 students; and focus to build better political literacy skills for library leaders.

The article focuses on the changes in the role of school librarians during the Covid-19 pandemic. It mentions that Craig Seasholes, teacher librarian at Dearborn Park International Elementary School, has been hosting two weekly Book Chat sessions during which he invites students and staff to share what they have been reading via "60-second lightning book talks." It also mentions that American Association of School Librarians has been staying in touch with its membership through surveys.

The article examines how publishers and education companies are providing resources for educators, students, and families doing schoolwork at home during the Covid-19 pandemic. It mentions that Britten Follett, executive vice president of Follett School Solutions, has worked with its publisher partners to expand its collection of free and discounted e-books; and mentions that Mackin VIA platform by Mackin Educational Resources allows students and educators to access e-books and audiobooks.

The article discusses plans of educational companies and publishers of providing digital resources for educators and families to handle the Covid-19 pandemic. Topics discussed include views of Britten Follett, executive vice-president (EVP) of software company Follett School Solutions, on Destiny library management system, the Follett eLearning Resource page and launch of Distance Learning Essentials web page by Mackin Educational Resources.

An interview with Matthew King, Jhenelle Robinson and Bianca Spurlock, members of the American Association of School Librarians (ASSL). Topics discussed include pulling books for Black History Month and books for Women's History Month; introducing a toolkit for librarians; and focusing on Equity Diversity and Inclusion.

The article informs on the American Association of School Librarians' 19th National Conference that was held in November 14 to 16 in Louisville, Kentucky. Topics include slate of educational programming keenly focused on the organization's National School Library Standards; critical need in school libraries for children's books and materials; and role played by microaggressions in affecting students' behavior and academic achievement.

Sarah Barley, editorial director of young adult publishing at Flatiron Books, was sold on the project immediately. Though its use isn't universal, most in the book business will recognize it as a label that some librarians, educators, and publishers are using to indicate YA books considered more suitable for younger or more sensitive readers because they are lighter on sexual or violent content and typically do not contain profanity. Books receive numerical ratings in each of four areas - language, romance/sensuality, violence, and drugs/alcohol/ smoking - and the combined score is used as the basis for designating a book as suitable for 12 and up, for 13 and up, or "for the mature young adult audience." Friedman is among those who would like to acquire more such books, as "there is definitely an appetite in the market, and certainly Scholastic's book clubs and book fairs see success with these types of books", she says. [Extracted from the article]