One of my favorite parts of summer reading is seeing all the children check out their books, excited to start logging their minutes reading! Seeing what children are checking out also helps me to get to know them. Did they check out The Wild Robot? They like an adventure! Diary of a Wimpy Kid? This kid has a funny bone! Seeing all the books checked out this summer has made me reminiscent of the books that I loved as a child. In this post, I will share some of my favorite children’s chapter books from my childhood and from my time as a librarian.
Category: Collection Development
Notable Children’s Books – July 2026 Discussion
Each year the ALSC Notable Children’s Books Committee identifies the best of the best in children’s books. According to the Notables Criteria, “notable” is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children’s books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children’s interests in exemplary ways.
Hi, I’m New Here
New kid. Outsider. For young people who may feel like they have a foot in two worlds, such familiar social emotional themes touch on experiences that resonate with all kind of youth. That’s why they continue to be popular! With July 4 on the horizon, summer is a great time to honor the many kinds of journeys families take to the United States. Sharing stories opens doors!
Notable Children’s Books – June 2026 Discussion
Each year the ALSC Notable Children’s Books Committee identifies the best of the best in children’s books. According to the Notables Criteria, “notable” is defined as: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children’s books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children’s interests in exemplary ways.
Prepping for Pride Month with Critical Multicultural Analysis
With Pride Month just over the rainbow,* Critical Multicultural Analysis (CMA) is a helpful tool for putting together your library’s 2026 “Pride Collection.” The Stonewall Book Awards List, Rainbow Book List, and Diverse BookFinder offer a veritable parade of choices. CMA helps ensure our collection and displays (which I guess are the parade floats in this metaphor?) represent a spectrum of LGBTQIA+ experiences.
My Favorite Picture Books for Class Visits!
As the school year starts to wrap up, my library has had back-to-back classes visit us. When I have younger classes visit (grades Pre-K to Second Grade), we provide a storytime, craft, and a tour of the children’s department. The children find the storytime to be engaging and it gets them excited to check out their own books. In this post, I will highlight some of my favorite picture books for class visits!
Make Tonies® and Yoto Players Work for Your Library
Tonies® and Yotos are everywhere! These screen-free audio players are a hit with young readers and caregivers alike. If you don’t already offer them, you’ve likely heard library families abuzz with hopes of the library lending them. My library added these players and their figures and cards to our collection in 2024. Finding the right way to circulate these items has relied on community feedback and a gracious staff. Want to add them to your collection? Learn from my years of trial and error!
Evaluating Books About Youth with Disabilities
Did you know that December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities? This observance was prompted by the United Nations beginning in 1992 to highlight and promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. As librarians, it is essential to highlight individuals with disabilities in our programs and our collections. However, it is also necessary to critically evaluate titles that are in your collection or that you are considering adding to the collection to ensure that they portray people with disabilities in an appropriate manner. Below, is a list of some ideas for evaluation from several different sources and further resources for deeper research.