Finding Good Books

by Amber Miller

January 16, 2025

Keeping up with children's literature can be a job unto itself! New and wonderful books are always being published, and there are always new students with individual tastes and interests. One of my goals is to give you reviews and recommendations of great books to read, but here are some other ways to stay current with children's literature:

• Look out for the American Library Association Youth Media Awards. each January

• Follow the Nerdy Book Club

• Colby Sharp is a fifth-grade teacher and book-lover with many great book recommendations. You can subscribe to his newsletter here or check out his podcast with Travis Jonker - The Yarn.

• Find authors you love and follow them on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Threads! Look for podcasts that feature your favorite authors and illustrators. I highly recommend Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor's Adventures in Learning Adventures in Learning podcast, which features interviews with a range of authors and illustrators, including Grace Lin, Jason Chin, Candace Fleming, Deborah Freedman, Carole Boston Weatherford, Alicia D. Williams, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, James Ponti, and Beth Ferry.

• Read book reviews! Here are a few places you can find them:

  • Booklist

  • The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

  • The Horn Book Magazine

  • Kirkus

  • School Library Journal

  • Publishers Weekly

I also highly recommend We Need Diverse books as a resource. Understanding the current state of books and libraries as we move and grow in this ever-changing world is also worthwhile. The State of America's Libraries 2024, a reading from the American Library Association, helps us consider the context of the future of books and libraries as they evolve with the changing world of book formats and user needs.

Throughout my experiences as a teacher, researcher, parent, library volunteer, and student, I have come to understand the importance of reviewing books to make informed selections for book collections, the nature of the awards and lists that generate so much excitement in this field, and the significance of children's growing knowledge of the authors and illustrators who create the books that we hope will feature so prominently throughout their lives. My greatest desire is to inspire a passion for reading and a hunger for knowledge in all students so they are informed, enlightened, engaged, and entertained.