Press Room
Traditional Nonfiction Hotlist
Traditional nonfiction is made up of survey/”all-about” nonfiction books. They provide a general overview of a topic, are often part of a larger series, and use clean, straightforward language. They are best for an introduction to a topic, and often used early in the research process to build understanding. Keep reading for a list of our best-selling traditional nonfiction titles! View →
No Way, They Were Gay?: An Interview with Author Lee Wind
History has often ignored men who loved men, women who loved women, and people who lived outside gender boundaries. In No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves, author Lee Wind examines primary source letters, poems, and more to rethink the lives and loves of historical figures. Today Lee joins us to give readers insight into the inspiration and purpose of this fascinating YA nonfiction! View →
Happy Book Birthday: New Picture Books, Graphic Novels, and Nonfiction
Check out April new releases from Lerner Publishing Group! View →
The Design of Natural Satellites
f you ever wonder if a designer really looks at every single aspect of a book when designing….yes. Yes we do. For this post I asked designer Lindsey Owens to give us some insight on choices behind the design elements in our new Twenty-First Century Books title Natural Satellites: The Book of Moons by Ron Miller — here’s the scoop: View →
Spring Sesame Street® Roundup
Sesame Street® has always been a place of friendship and love. As we round out a full year of pandemic living, give young readers encouragement and self-care advice with everlasting friends like Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster. This spring’s Sesame Street title lists include new activities, healthy habits, and good character practices. Read on to find out more! View →
Expository Literature Nonfiction Hotlist
Expository literature is a form of nonfiction that uses a strong voice and rich, engaging language to creatively share information about a focused topic. It usually demonstrates carefully chosen text and an innovative presentation. Here’s an overview of expository literature, and a look at some of our best-selling expository literature titles! View →
Social and Emotional Learning Roundup
With Spring rolling in and the weather warming up, we better start discussing social and emotional learning before the kids (safely, of course) fill the playgrounds back up! How can we, as adults, show the youth around us the importance of friendship, kindness, and acceptance? These themes are fundamental to our daily interactions and it’s up to us to make sure that the children in our lives understand how to navigate the nuances of human interaction. View →
Exploring North American Biomes
Cones from a spruce tree crunch under your boots. You pause to rest on a rock covered in green moss and colorful lichens. From a nearby treetop, you hear the high-pitched song of a magnolia warbler. To an experienced explorer, the signs are obvious. You’re in a boreal forest! View →
Celebrating Asian Heritage and Asian American Stories
During this difficult time, it’s more important than ever to listen to and learn from diverse stories. Empathy, joy, and education are powerful forces we can use to stand up to hate. Celebrate stories of Asian and Asian American experiences with these picture books, young adult fiction, and graphic novels.
Read on to find titles that raise Asian and Asian American voices and support their work. Nonfiction titles about racial violence and inequality are also listed below to help begin crucial conversations. View →
The Story Behind When Dogs Heal
Through powerful images and compelling narratives, explore extraordinary stories of ordinary people overcoming stigma and grief and the unwavering bond between humans and canine companions. Written by Christina Garofalo, award-winning dog photographer Jesse Freidin, adolescent HIV+ specialist Dr. Robert Garofalo, and LGBTQ advocate and journalist Zach Stafford, When Dogs Heal shows how the best medicine isn’t always found at a pharmacy or in a doctor’s office. Sometimes it comes in the form of a four-legged friend. View →
Into the Fire with Hothouse Earth
Climate change is not simply a problem for future generations. Hothouse Earth examines how science, politics, and social justice must all be part of the equation to counteract climate change. View →
Spring Fun With Crayola®!
Spring is on its way and so are all the Crayola® colors! The refreshing green of budding leaves and the joyful yellow of daffodils can all be reflected on your bookshelf with the latest titles from Crayola®! View →
On Artist Shortlists and The Floating Field
Making a list of possible artists for picture books is standard procedure here. We make shortlist through searching for style, through thought, through discussion, through sharing top picks with the author, through Ooohs and Aaaahs and “Wouldn’t it be great if (insert famous illustrator name) could work on this book?” We — in this case designer Viet, editor Carol, and Art Director me — spend time carefully finding and talking through the many possibilities and narrow to shortlist of artists, whom I then start reaching out to with the illustration proposal. View →
Earth-Shaking News: Ten Years After the Fukushima Disaster
Today marks the tenth anniversary of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima, Japan. Dr. Fred Bortz, author of Meltdown: The Nuclear Disaster in Japan and Our Energy Future, returns to share his thoughts regarding the event’s impact on sustainable energy resources. To learn more about the disaster and subsequent clean up, find resources and articles at the end of the post! View →
Active Nonfiction Hotlist
Active nonfiction teaches skills that readers can use to engage in an activity. Craft books, cookbooks, books of scientific experiments all fall into this category. Here’s an overview of Active Nonfiction and a look at some of our best-selling active nonfiction titles! View →
Librarian Prep Post for April
We’ve put together our reader’s advisory and booklists for April! Again focused on bringing you as many solutions as possible to the dilemma of providing online book displays for your children, we hope that you can find something that inspires you to inspire them! View →
Resource Roundup: The Secret Life of Kitty Granger
Make your own invisible ink or learn Morse code! Read on to find amazing free resources for the classroom, and your students can become super spies just like Kitty Granger! View →
Classified: an Interview with Author Traci Sorell
In Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer, Cherokee author Traci Sorell and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan trace Ross’s journey from being the only girl in a high school math class to becoming a teacher. Ross continued onward to earn an engineering degree, join the top-secret Skunk Works division of Lockheed, and become a mentor for Native Americans and young women interested in engineering. Find out how Ross’s passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work. View →
Rissy No Kissies: An Interview with Author Katey Howes
A lovebird who doesn’t like kisses? Rissy’s friends and family wonder if she’s sick, confused, or rude. But kisses make Rissy uncomfortable. Can one little lovebird show everyone that there’s no one right way to show you care? View →
HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY: NEW PICTURE BOOKS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, YA, AND NONFICTION
Check out March new releases from Lerner Publishing Group! View →
Narrative Nonfiction Hotlist
Narrative nonfiction reads like a novel, but the stories are true. It’s a great way for kids to learn about the world, and appeals to to lovers of fiction and whatever topic a given book covers. Here’s an overview of Narrative Nonfiction and a look at some of our best-selling narrative nonfiction titles! View →
Wait…Pigeons were Spies? Enter the Secret World of Spying
You’re moving through a dense crowd as counterintelligence agents follow you. If you cannot escape, you will be arrested. So what do you do?
In Lerner’s new nonfiction series Spy Secrets, readers will get a glimpse into the world of spying, uncovering true fascinating stories of spies, the people they worked for, and the methods they used to complete their missions. View →
The Secret Life of Kitty Granger: An Interview with Author G. D. Falksen
The Secret Life of Kitty Granger is a suspenseful thriller and a nuanced portrayal of neurodivergence set in 1967 London. Sixteen-year-old Kitty Granger hates noise and crowds, tends to fixate on patterns, and often feels acutely aware of her surroundings even as she struggles to interpret the behavior of people around her. When Kitty’s keen observation and quick thinking help her survive a dangerous encounter, two secret agents working for Her Majesty’s government offer her a job in their espionage operation. On her very first mission, she must foil a fascist plot and save the country! Today author G.D. Falksen discusses his writing process, research strategies, and creative life. View →
Creating the Perfect Reading Nook for Kids
Editor’s Note: We shared some tips from How to Do It Now Because It’s Not Going Away about how to create great reading spaces with Redfin, the real estate website. They’ve allowed us to republish the post on our site, and we hope you’ll share these great ideas with your patrons! View →