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The SLJ reviews editors began thinking about which of our almost 500 starred books should rise to the level of 'best' in April, but really hunkered down and started deliberating [...]

Raise your voice. Tell your story. There is power in the written word. Be true to yourself. These are themes that emerged and resonated with us throughout our Best Books [...]

* REYNOLDS, Jason. Lu. 224p. (Track: Bk. 4). Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Bks. Oct. 2018. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781481450249. POP Gr 5-8--Following on the heels of Ghost, Patina, and Sunny comes the [...]

FIFTY YEARS AGO, in the December 1966 issue of School Library Journal, the review editors--then led by the legendary Lillian N. Gerhardt, whose career would span over 30 years at [...]

THERE ARE FEWER THINGS MORE EXCITING AS A KID THAN GETTING I a piece of mail. For many adults of a certain age, checking the mailbox each month for Highlights [...]

Harrowing battles between what is real and what is unreal, temptations that take the shape of everything from giant whispering wasps to dissatisfied spirits to leather-clad bad boys, the dreadful [...]

THE ROAD TO BEST BOOKS began over a year ago with the team of SLJ review editors meeting twice monthly to select starred books for each issue. Reviewer nominations, close [...]

WEIN, Elizabeth. The Enigma Game. 432p. Little, Brown. May 2020. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781368012584. Gr 7 Up--In the same vein as Wein's Code Name Verity, this World War II novel [...]

* COOPER, Elisha. River, illus. by Elisha Cooper. 48p. Scholastic/Orchard. Oct. 2019. Tr $ 18.99. ISBN 9781338312263. PreS-Gr 3--Cooper loves to take children on experiential journeys, which he did so [...]

The breakdown of this year's list reflects the realities of the publishing world--YA continues to dominate in terms of output and sheer heft, but there was a noticeable uptick in [...]

We are pleased to present this year's 65 choices for the Best Books of 2011, chosen from the more than 6000 books reviewed this year. Novels were a standout, particularly [...]

SLJ's EDITORS HAVE CHOSEN THE 62 BOOKS ANNOTATED BELOW AS THE BEST OF the year. While novels include some historical settings and contemporary concerns, it is fantasy that continues to [...]

ON NOVEMBER 19, IN THE POSH CIPRIANI WALL STREET BALLROOM IN LOWER MANHATTAN, WRITERS, publishers, editors, and media gathered to announce and celebrate the winners of the 2014 National Book [...]

JUST WHEN YOU THINK EVERY TOPIC HAS BEEN COVERED TO THE FULLEST, somehow, talented writers, creative artists, and forward-thinking editors come up with new takes and fresh angles. This is [...]

* TAN, Shaun. Tales from the Inner City, illus. by Shaun Tan. 224p. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Bks. Sept. 2018. Tr $24.99. ISBN 9781338298406. Gr 7 Up-As with most of Tan's [...]

OF THE MORE THAN 5000 BOOKS REVIEWED IN SLFs PAGES IN 2008, the 67 books listed below stood out as having distinctive voices, singular vision, and/or innovative approaches. They include [...]

School Library Journal's editors selected these 63 books from the 4,500 titles reviewed in our pages this year. In looking over the list, we realized that 2007 saw some of [...]

"WHAT IS A SUMMIT?" asked Brian Kenney, SLJ's editor-in-chief, as the magazine's second summit, "Learning in the 21st Century: The Role of the Library Media Program," got underway. "It's a […]

In 2005, SLJ set a record for the number of books reviewed--more than 4700. From them, the editors have selected these 62 titles as the best of the year. Subjects, [...]

SLJ'S BOOK REVIEW EDITORS HAVE SELECTED THE 58 BOOKS ANNOTATED BELOW AS the most outstanding of the year. You will find a wide range of topics, themes, and artistic styles [...]

From the more than 4500 books reviewed in SLJ's pages in 2003, the editors have selected the 60 titles below as the best of the bunch. Many of the selections [...]

THE PRODUCTION OF BOARD BOOKS HAS TAKEN OFF IN RECENT YEARS with increased attention to early childhood development and multiple literacies. They come in all shapes and sizes and are [...]

From the more than 4400 books reviewed in SLJ's pages in 2002, the editors have selected the following 60 titles as those that represent the best of the year's picture [...]

From the more than 4000 titles reviewed in SLJ in 2001, the editors have selected the 53 books annotated below as the year's most outstanding. Each year's list varies tremendously [...]

* SUMA, Nova Ren. A Room Away from the Wolves. 336p. Algonquin. Sept. 2018. Tr $18.95. ISBN 9781616203733. Gr 9 Up-A gorgeously written and evocative ghost tale set in a [...]

* NA, An. The Place Between Breaths. 192p. S. & S./Atheneum. Mar. 2018. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781481422253. Gr 9 Up--Grace King is a resilient and talented high school senior, who [...]

STEAD, Philip C. All the Animals Where I Live. illus. by Philip C. Stead. 48p. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter Bks. Mar. 2018. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781626726567. K-Gr 3--Like Stead's Ideas Are [...]

* SNYDER, Laurel. Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy. illus. by Emily Hughes. 48p. Chronicle. Oct. 2017. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9781452137483. K-Gr 2--Those adorable moptop siblings Charlie and Mouse are back, [...]

CLINTON, Hillary Rodham. It Takes a Village, illus. by Marla Frazee. 40p. S. & S. Sept. 2017. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781481430876. PreS-Gr 2--In this warmhearted appeal to our better angels, [...]

MARCUS, Leonard S. Helen Oxenbury: A Life in Illustration. illus. by Helen Oxenbury. 256p. Candlewick. Apr. 2019. Tr $40. ISBN 9780763692582. Picture book lovers will delight in this elegant, entertaining, [...]

IN THE CHILDREN'S AND YA BOOK WORLD, award season, capped by the American Library Association Youth Media Awards (YMAs), is a whirlwind of activity, celebrating literature and recognizing the best [...]

* BENJAMIN, Ali. The Next Great Paulie Fink. 368p. Little, Brown. Apr. 2019. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780316380881.Gr 5-8--Caitlyn has spent her sixth grade year learning the rules of middle school [...]

Following on the heels of her Sibert Honor-winning Neighborhood Sharks, Katherine Roy offers a dynamic informational picture book, How to Be an Elephant: Growing Up in the African Wild (Roaring [...]

* MARKEL, Michelle. Balderdash!: John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books. illus. by Nancy Carpenter. 44p. bibliog. further reading. Chronicle. Apr. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780811879224. K-Gr 2--This [...]

* FUCILE, Tony. Poor Louie. illus. by Tony Fucile. 40p. Candlewick. Apr. 2017. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780763658281. PreS-Gr 1--Louie is a cute and cuddly Chihuahua in crisis. He speaks directly [...]

ROBERTSON, Drue. Mitford at the Hollywood Zoo. illus. by Donald Robertson. 40p. Viking. Jan. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780451475428. K-Gr 2--The cool-headed, long-necked protagonist of Mitford at the Fashion Zoo [...]