Selection Toolkit

"ALAN Picks is a regular book review column compiled and edited by Dr. Bryan Gillis of Kennesaw State University. It features the newest YA titles, reviewed by teachers and librarians. A complete archive of all ALAN picks is available on this page."

"Under the Radar (UTR) is a regular review column on the ALAN website that highlights the publications of smaller presses. The mission of Under the Radar has been to feature publications of interest to adolescent and young adult readers from small publishers that may fly under the radar in the book world. While previous columns have each focused on a single publisher, this series of columns will embrace books from multiple small publishers that focus on different populations of adolescents most targeted by bullying, weight discrimination, adolescent Latinos and Native Americans, and a special focus on the autism spectrum."

"School Library Journal is the premiere publication for librarians and information specialists who work with children and teens. A source of quality journalism and reviews for more than 60 years, SLJ produces award-winning features and news coverage on: literacy, best practices, technology, education policy and other issues of interest to the school library and greater educator community. We evaluate a broad range of resources, from books and digital content to databases, in 6000+ reviews published annually."

"How do librarians acquire, share, and promote diverse books for children and teens? School Library Journal fielded a nationwide survey of public and K–12 librarians, the SLJ Diverse Books Survey (#sljdiversebooks). Here’s what we found."

"Teen Librarian Toolbox (TLT) is a professional development website for teen librarians, created by Karen Jensen and collecting the experience of four MLS librarians and over 50 collective years of library work. Our mission is to to help libraries serving teens (and anyone who cares about teens) and to foster a community of professional development and resource sharing by providing quality information, discussions, book reviews and more."

"Booklist Online: The best book reviews for public libraries and school libraries, and the best books to read for your book club, brought to you by the ALA"

"Launched in September 2014, The Booklist Reader provides a single home for the respected and well-established blogs Likely Stories, Book Group Buzz, Bookends, Audiobooker, and Shelf Renewal, all brought to you by Booklist Publications, a part of the American Library Association. The Booklist Reader is not only a great resource for working librarians but appeals to fellow book lovers and recreational readers as well."

"Kids want to know about current events, but adult news shows and sites can sometimes be scary, overwhelming, or even boring for a young audience. The websites and apps on this list offer stories of interest to kids and make serious events more digestible."

"The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction were established in 2012 to recognize the best fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. the previous year."

"Each year the American Library Association honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the prestigious, Coretta Scott King Book, Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz Awards, guide parents, educators, librarians, and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in the field of children’s and young adult literature and media."

"AbeBooks supports a future where younger generations can pick up a book and see themselves on the page - where they learn that they can be the heroes of their own stories, especially those with happy endings. We've put together a list of 30 YA books featuring LGBT+ characters or themes, one for each day of June - don't worry, we don't expect you to finish them all before the month is out! We also promise that you don't need to be a teen to enjoy the fantastic prose, compelling characters, and diverse perspectives in store."

"We Need Diverse Books™ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and a grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry. Our aim is to help produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people."

"Browse and select e-book collections a for School Libraries. School Library e-book collections contain high-quality fiction and non-fiction titles across a diverse range of subject and topic areas."

"Find the resources you need to integrate the best children's literature with your everyday teaching plans while inspiring a lifelong love of reading in your students."

"News about children's books, picture books, young adult books, kids' and YA authors, and kids' book events and trade shows, plus the Children's Bookshelf Newsletter."

"This is a collection of reviews of great books for kids, ideas of ways to use them in the classroom and collections of books and activities about particular subjects, curriculum areas, themes and professional topics."

Banned and/or challenged books from the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels.

"This database provides access to all of YALSA's annual selected book and media lists, awards, and honorees. These resources are developed by library staff and educators to support the collection development and readers' advisory work of library staff."

"The ICDL Foundation's goal is to build a collection of books that represents outstanding historical and contemporary books from throughout the world. Ultimately, the Foundation aspires to have every culture and language represented so that every child can know and appreciate the riches of children's literature from the world community."