Tag: Nonfiction

Stories to share with your community on Juneteenth and beyond

On June 19, 1865 in Galveston, TX, African American slaves 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 was 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 African American slave 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?”

Tune in to The Juneteenth Book Festival, created by author L.L. McKinney and co-organized by Saraciea Fennell, and featuring authors Angie Thomas, Jason Reynolds, Nic Stone, Tiffany D. Jackson, Dhonielle Clayton, Alicia D. Williams, Mikki Kendall, Lamar Giles, Leah Johnson, Jay Coles, Kwame Mbalia, Justin A. Reynolds, Bethany C. Morrow, Ashley Woodfolk, Julian Winters, Tracey Deonn, Rebekah Weatherspoon, Kaylnn Bayron, Karama Horne, Karen Strong, Alyssa Cole, Eboni J. Dunbar, Patrice Caldwell, L.D. Lewis, Brent Lambert, Nivia Evans, Nichole Perkins, Farrah Rochon, Beverly Jenkins, Danny Lore, DaVaun Sanders, Roya Marsh, Zakiya Jamal, Claire Kann, and Candice Iloh.

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Author Interview with Dita Kraus, the Librarian of Auschwitz, and more books for Holocaust Remembrance Day

Dita Kraus grew up in Prague in an intellectual, middle-class Jewish family. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, fourteen-year-old Dita was one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. There, she met Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch, who put Dita in charge of protecting eight precious volumes that prisoners managed to sneak past the guards. And so, Dita became known as the Librarian of Auschwitz.

Dita shares her remarkable life story in her breathtaking new memoir for teens and adults, A DELAYED LIFE. Dita’s incredible story was also fictionalized in the outstanding young adult novel, THE LIBRARIAN OF AUSCHWITZ.

Read an interview with Dita Kraus and find more books to share with young readers for Holocaust Remembrance Day here.

Read an interview with Dita Kraus + find more books for Holocaust Remembrance Day here →

Book Round-up: Talking to Kids About Current Events

Not sure how to talk to kids about tough topics like how germs spread or why everyone seems so worried and saddened by the news? These books provide an accessible way to talk to kids about those big topics, what lessons we can learn from history, and how small acts of kindness can help their community. Plus, watch author Sarah Lynne Reul read aloud from her picture book, THE BREAKING NEWS.

Learn more about these books here →

Listen: A Conversation with the 2020 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalists

Join School Library Journal for a lively conversation featuring the 2020 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award finalists, including Deborah Heiligman, author of Torpedoed. Learn a bit about the inspiration behind these fantastic titles; hear from the authors about their research and storytelling processes; and take away some insights into how publishers select engaging and relevant nonfiction titles for teens.