Scholastic announced an update to its Book Fairs policy, after separating out books with BIPOC and queer characters and creators from elementary school fairs in a purported effort to protect teachers and librarians who are dealing with legislation that bans such titles. Scholastic apologized and reversed course in October, announcing that they would discontinue the share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice a la carte collection but without additional details about the future of the program. “From our experience in the fall, we have learned that separating out titles or highlighting titles that might make teachers and librarians vulnerable to serious […]
Children's
Scholastic Creates Separate Diverse Books Collection For Elementary School Book Fairs
Following Reddit reports from librarians in September, the Mary Sue recently asserted that to comply with country-wide book bans Scholastic Book Fairs has grouped diverse titles into a separate, optional or excludable a la carte case. On Friday, Scholastic released a statement claiming, “The biggest misconception is that Scholastic Book Fairs is putting all diverse titles into one optional case. This is not true, in any school, in any location we serve.” The company notes the legislation “enacted or pending” in more than 30 states restricting books predominantly about LGBTQ+ and BIPOC experiences in schools. “Because Scholastic Book Fairs are […]
Russian IBBY Award President Resigns Amid Criticism
Hans Christian Andersen Award jury president Anastasia Arkhipova has resigned from the 2024 award committee. Reuters reports that Arkhipova, a Russian illustrator, is on the board of the Moscow Branch of Artists Association of Russia (MOCX), which last year ran a contest for artists to create Russian war propaganda. After Arkhipova was elected to the award committee in September, several IBBY member countries protested and withdrew from participation in the award, which has been called the Nobel Prize of children’s literature, reports Danish broadcaster DR. The queen of Denmark, Queen Margrethe II, withdrew her patronage of the award, and the […]
M&A: Sterling Acquires Boxer Books
Sterling Publishing completed a deal to acquire London-based children’s book publisher Boxer Books. The acquisition includes all of Boxer’s backlist and frontlist titles. The imprint will keep its name under Union Square & Co., which previously distributed Boxer Books in the US. Boxer publisher David Bennett will continue to manage the imprint, reporting to Union Square cco and publisher Emily Meehan. “We are proud to be providing a new home for Boxer Books and publisher David Bennett. I’ve long admired his curated approach to children’s book publishing,” Meehan said in a release. “His titles explore imaginative ideas and concepts, all […]
Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair Postponed
The China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) has been moved to July 22-24, due to Shanghai’s COVID regulations. The fair had been planned for March 20-22, overlapping with the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. In 2023, the CCBF is planning to return to its schedule of hosting the fair in the fall.
The Best of the Best Children’s Books of 2021
Once again, we are able to include children’s literature in our annual process of tabulating the consensus Best of the Best Books of the year. Drawing on a slightly smaller group of 18 selective sources in all, this year the data yielded more middle grade picks than in the past (including a nonfiction book, Gary Paulsen’s memoir), with a natural group of top titles there and in young adult, and with a long roster of picture books appearing on the same number of lists: Top Middle Grade Books of the Year The Legend of Aunti Po, Shing Yin Khor Starfish, […]