Love, Family, and Mental Health, a guest post by Rajani LaRocca
I hope this story helps young readers recognize that anxiety and depression are not weaknesses or flaws, but a part of life—and something that can be treated.
Recent Posts
New Reports Show a Decline in YA Book Sales and I Have Some Thoughts as to Why That Might be Happening
Teen librarian Karen Jensen shares her thoughts on recent reports of the decline in YA book sales
Don’t Ban Them. Don’t Silence Them. The Importance of Writing About the “Tough Stuff” in Teen Fiction, a guest post by Lila Riesen
To some readers—mostly adults, who are under some fallacy that teenagers will remain innocent so long as we shelter them from difficult themes—my book will be one giant red flag.
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Book Reviews
Book Review: Different for Boys by Patrick Ness with illustrations by Tea Bendix
This raw, emotional, experimental story is a powerful read. In turns melancholy, brutal, and funny, this is an innovative look at loneliness and sexuality.
Book Review: The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent by Ann Jacobus
An extremely thoughtful and moving examination of death that focuses on the honor of being with someone when they die. A complex read that isn't easy but is worth it.
Book Review: For Lamb by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Back matter, as well as a nod in the publisher's description, explains that often female victims of white supremacy and lynching are overlooked in history. Here, they take center stage, and the stories of Lamb, Marion, and their family will stick with me for a long time. A brutal but [...]
More Recent Posts
Programming with Constructive Destruction, a guest post by Austin Ferraro
I decided to try something ridiculous. If the teens were going to come in like chaotic whirlwinds and leave destruction in their path no matter what we did…why not just encourage it?
The Necessity of Writing Queerness Without Romance, a guest post by Maria Ingrande Mora
The nature of Brynn and Skylar’s relationship doesn’t make Brynn or the book less queer. Giving Brynn a meaningful relationship that was neither romantic nor sexual was a very intentional move on my part.
Crafting Villains and Antiheroines in YA, a guest post by Rachel Menard
Once we let go of the concept that characters can only be inherently good or inherently bad, we can start creating complex book characters who are both and neither.
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Cindy Crushes Programming: Teen Services Showcase
Teen librarian Cindy Shutts shares her recent Teen Services Showcase
Writing in the Time of Covid, a guest post by Dana Alison Levy
We need scientists, and we need diversity in science, and we need books for kids, and we need citizen science projects, but most of all…we need hope.
Book Review: Different for Boys by Patrick Ness with illustrations by Tea Bendix
This raw, emotional, experimental story is a powerful read. In turns melancholy, brutal, and funny, this is an innovative look at loneliness and sexuality.
Centering Central America in Children’s Fiction: A journey home, a guest post by María José Fitzgerald
I grew up knowing that books could take us places. Outer space. California. Narnia. What if I wrote a book that could take readers to my home, Honduras?
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