ALA 2022 Conference Resource Center

We’re so excited to see our librarian friends on June 23-28 in Washington D.C.!

What’s inside our ALA Resource Center:
  • Make the most of your ALA experience + meet your favorite authors & illustrators!
    Check our ALA schedule for a full list of in-person author programs and book signings.
  • We’ve collected our digital resources for you in this handy resource center!
    Download our digital catalogs, request digital preview copies, and fill out our checklist survey for your chance to win a collection of free books for your library!
  • Not attending ALA?
    You can still download digital resources, request preview copies, and more!
Visit the ALA Resource Center here →

RSVP for our Fall 2022 School & Library Virtual Preview!

RSVP for our Fall Preview

Want to learn even more about our new fall books?
RSVP for our Fall 2022 Preview, featuring special guests Carole Boston Weatherford and Rob Sanders (A Song for the Unsung: Bayard Rustin, the Man Behind the 1963 March on Washington), Dan Gemeinhart (The Midnight Children), Jas Hammonds (We Deserve Monuments), Tae Keller (Mihi Ever After), and Aiden Thomas (The Sunbearer Trials)

Wednesday, July 13th
2pm ET / 11am PT

Jake Burt Teacher’s Guides

Download the teacher’s guides for these must-read sci-fi adventure books by Jake Burt,
perfect for your classroom library!

Jake Burt is the author of the middle-grade novels Greetings from Witness Protection!, an Indie Next selection, The Right Hook of Devin Velma, a Junior Library Guild selection, and The Tornado, which School Library Journal called “one of the best stories about bullying for middle grades,” in a starred review. His novel Cleo Porter and the Body Electric was praised as a “thrilling sci-fi adventure” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz. Jake Burt teaches fifth grade, and lives in Hamden, CT, with his wife and their daughter.

Download teacher’s guides here →

Stories to share with your community on Juneteenth and beyond

On June 19, 1865 in Galveston, TX, enslaved African Americans were finally informed of their freedom, despite the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation two years prior. Juneteenth is also referred to as “Freedom Day”, “Emancipation Day”, and “Juneteenth Independence Day.” The first celebrations of Juneteenth were about honoring former enslaved people. Today celebrations of Juneteenth consist of gathering with family, BBQs, parades, festivals, beauty contests, and other celebratory events to remember the lives of their enslaved ancestors.

For those who would like to learn more, we recommend reading “Juneteenth: The Growth of an African-American Holiday” and “So You Want to Learn About Juneteenth?”

Learn more about these books →

MacKids Spotlight: Jas Hammonds

Jas Hammond’s stunning YA debut We Deserve Monuments is a swoon-worthy romance and a slow-burn mystery set in a smalltown full of secrets. This layered and powerful coming-of-age story is a love letter to queer Black teenagers. It celebrates the beauty of community and friendship, while also exploring generational trauma and how racial violence can ripple down through history.

Read on to learn more about Jas’s inspiration for their must-read debut + request a digital review copy of We Deserve Monuments on NetGalley!

Read our Q&A with Jas Hammonds here →

Activity Kit: Listen Up, Louella by Ashley Belote

Listen Up, Louella by Ashley Belote
Ages 4-7
On Sale June 21, 2022
An overly excited elephant learns to listen with a little help from her new friends in Listen Up, Louella, an adorably humorous new picture book from Ashley Belote, the illustrator of Frankenslime.

Louella is VERY excited to be at Roar Scout Camp. There’s so many fun things for her to do! But Louella is so busy having fun that she doesn’t stop to listen to anyone else… Or to realize that maybe her new friends aren’t having quite as much fun as she is.

When Louella misses an important invitation, it’s up to Tarantula and the rest of their friends to help Louella learn to listen and play together.

Download an activity kit for Listen Up, Louella!

Learn more about LISTEN UP, LOUELLA →

DISCUSSION GUIDE: Treasure Tracks by S.A. Rodriguez

Treasure Tracks by S.A. Rodriguez
Ages 10 – 12
On June 28, 2022!

A debut middle-grade adventure about a young teen who goes on a treasure hunt for undersea riches to help his ailing abuelo.

Twelve-year-old Fernando “Fin” joins his grandfather on a secret quest to find a long-lost treasure swept to sea. But when their first mission takes a near-deadly turn, leaving his abuelo weak and unable to speak, Fin’s left to navigate the hunt alone. Well, not exactly alone—his boring, totally unadventurous dad agrees to help out. With danger lurking at every turn, Fin dives into the mission in order to save Abuelo’s life. But between Dad’s constant worrying, unwanted diving babysitters, and harrowing encounters in the deep sea, the boy finds himself in a race against time to locate the treasure. If he can’t succeed? He fears he might lose Abuelo for good.

Treasure Tracks is a fast-paced story filled with heart and humor about the bonds of family, the meaning of a legacy, and most of all, the discovery of true treasure.

Download the Treasure Tracks discussion guide!

Praise for Treasure Tracks:

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
“Rodriguez packs a ton of local historical know-how and genuine humor into a seaworthy debut adventure. Lighthearted yet solid prose and quirky, delightful characters round out this swell tale of plucky fun under (and above) the sea. Here be treasure indeed.” —Kirkus Reviews