Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
Ariana Hussain Elected 2025-2026 ALSC Vice-President/President-Elect
Ariana Hussain, Teacher Librarian, The Blake School, Hopkins, Minnesota, has been elected vice president/president-elect of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). She will begin her...
Zuckerman named recipient of ALSC’s 2025 Distinguished Service Award
Judy Zuckerman is the 2025 recipient of the Association for Library Service to Children’s (ALSC) Distinguished Service Award. This prestigious award honors an individual who has made significant contributions to library service to children and to ALSC.
ALSC Opens Applications to Host the 2026 Children’s Literature Lecture
This annual event will feature author Cynthia Leitich Smith
Let’s Play! Engaging Programs for Babies Beyond Storytime
Expand your programming repertoire with out-of-the-box, easy to implement play programs!
Teach, Not Celebrate
Teach, but don't celebrate is the theme of religious literacy in our libraries. We will discuss how kids want to see themselves in our storytimes and give tips for including holidays in our programs without selling them or catering to the dominant culture of our society.
Turning the Page on Trauma: Libraries as Safe Havens for Children and Caregivers
This webinar aims to shed light on the essential resources and successful programs available within libraries to support those affected by trauma. By providing access to recommended read-alouds, apps, materials, professional resources, and establishing partnerships with community services, libraries will continue the work to be safe spaces where children and caregivers find the support and strength they need to overcome trauma.
Cynthia Leitich Smith to deliver 2026 Children’s Literature Lecture
Author Cynthia Leitich Smith will deliver the 2026 Children’s Literature Lecture.
Aryssa Damron receives 2025 Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and the Professional Recognition and Scholarships Committee have awarded the 2025 Louise Seaman Bechtel Fellowship to Aryssa Damron.
Background on the Evolution of Children and Libraries
The 2023-24 ALSC Board of Directors charged the Children and Libraries (CAL) Editorial Advisory committee with generating a list of recommendations to make the journal a revenue-generating or break-even operation. As part of its task, the committee investigated potential cost savings of reducing or eliminating print production. The committee presented its findings and recommendations to the ALSC Board at the 2024 ALA Annual Conference. One of the committee recommendations was to reduce the number of print issues produced a year and/or replace some of the print issues with digital-only issues...
American Library Association announces 2025 Youth Media Award winners
The American Library Association (ALA) today announced the top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults – including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards – at its LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held January 24-27 in Phoenix.
Erin Entrada Kelly, Rebecca Lee Kunz win Newbery, Caldecott Medals
Erin Entrada Kelly, author of “The First State of Being,” and Rebecca Lee Kunz, illustrator of “Chooch Helped,” are the 2025 recipients of the John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott Medals, the most prestigious awards in children’s literature.
Ame Dyckman, Mark Teague Win 2025 Geisel Award for ‘Vacation’
Author Ame Dyckman and illustrator Mark Teagueare the 2025 recipients of the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for “Vacation” published by Beach Lane Books, an imprint of Simon & Shuster Children’s Publishing Division.
Fuzzytown Productions and Spiffy Pictures wins Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award for ‘Carl the Collector’
Producer Fuzzytown Productions and Spiffy Pictures is the 2025 recipient of the Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award for “Carl the Collector.”
Lynn Brunelle, Jason Chin win 2025 Sibert Medal
Lynn Brunelle and Jason Chin, author and illustrator of “Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall,” were named the winners of the 2025 Robert F. Sibert Medal for the most distinguished informational book for children published in 2024.
2025 Batchelder Award honors Yonder for ‘John the Skeleton’
Yonder, an imprint of Restless Books for Young Readers, is the winner of the 2025 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for “John the Skeleton.” The award was announced today by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), during the ALA’s LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience held January 24 – 27 in Phoenix.
Marcelo Verdad, Karla Arenas Valenti y Carolina Ixta ganan premios Pura Belpré
Marcelo Verdad, ilustrador de “The Dream Catcher”; Karla Arenas Valenti, autora de “Lola”; y Carolina Ixta, autora de “Shut Up, This Is Serious”, fueron seleccionados como los ganadores de la edición 2025 del Premio Pura Belpré de Ilustración; al Autor de Libros Infantiles; y al Autor de Libros para Jóvenes Adultos, respectivamente, que rinden homenaje a los escritores e ilustradores hispanos cuyas obras constituyan el mejor reflejo, afirmación y celebración de la experiencia cultural hispana en la literatura infantil.
Carole Boston Weatherford wins 2025 Children’s Literature Legacy Award
Carole Boston Weatherford is the winner of the 2025 Children's Literature Legacy Award honoring an author or illustrator, published in the United States, whose books have made a significant and lasting contribution to literature for children. Her numerous works include "Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre" (Carolrhoda Books, 2021) and "BOX: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom" (Candlewick, 2020).
Marcelo Verdad, Karla Arenas Valenti, and Carolina Ixta win Pura Belpré Awards
Marcelo Verdad, illustrator of “The Dream Catcher,” Karla Arenas Valenti, author of "Lola,” and Carolina Ixta, author of “Shut Up, This Is Serious,” are the 2025 recipients of the Pura Belpré Youth Illustrator Award, Children’s Author Award, and Young Adult Author Award, honoring Latino authors and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in children’s books.
2025 Odyssey Awards for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Children and Young Adults announced
Dreamscape Audio, producer of the audiobook "A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen,” has won the 2025 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Children. HarperAudio, producer of the audiobook "How the Boogeyman Became a Poet,” has won the 2025 Odyssey Award for Excellence in Audiobook Production for Young Adults.