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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 Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book 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.

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National Book Foundation, Presenter of the National Book Awards

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The Foundation's mission is to celebrate the best literature in America, expand its audience, and ensure that books have a prominent place in American culture.

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School Library Journal Best Books of 2023

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School Library Journal Best Books of 2023

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School Library Journal has selected 169 titles as the Best Books of 2023. See what poetry, transitional, picture books, YA, middle grade, graphic novels, and nonfiction books we’ve honored this year.

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Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year

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Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year

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Children's Book Committee

The Children's Book Committee strives to guide librarians, educators, parents, grandparents, and other interested adults to the best books for children published each year. The list includes more than 600 titles chosen by reviewers for literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers. Other criteria include credibility of characterization and plot, authenticity of time and place, age suitability, positive treatment of ethnic and religious differences, and the absence of stereotypes.

Diversity Statement

In evaluating books for their literary merit, the Bank Street Children's Book Committee (CBC) recognizes the importance of diversity in children's literature and acknowledges and celebrates the voices and cultures of all of our readers. Diversity encompasses the varied and unique identities, experiences, perspectives, and cultural communities of a book's main and supporting characters, whose attributes include (but are not limited to) race, ethnicity, gender, abilities, sexuality, class, religion, and family structure. All children benefit from seeing themselves reflected in what they read, and from seeing characters with different identities, depicted accurately and without stereotypes in texts and/or illustrations. The CBC values representations of characters who are change agents and advocates for social justice, inclusivity, and equity.

Nonfiction Statement

In accordance with the Committee's goal of modeling proper sourcing of nonfiction writing, all listed information books for children nine and older must contain supporting references including, at a minimum, sources, quote attributions, and photo credits. Book annotations may also include the term "back matter" to indicate that there is additional reference material provided.

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Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education

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Skip to content Children's Book Committee The Children's Book Committee strives to guide librarians, educators, parents, grandparents, and other interested adults to the best books for children published each year. The list includes more than 600 titles chosen by reviewers for literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers.

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Young Reader's Choice Award History
Since 1940 young readers in the Pacific Northwest have been participating in the Young Reader's Choice Award (YRCA). The award was established in 1940 by Harry Hartman, a Seattle bookseller, who believed every student should have an opportunity to select a book that gives him or her pleasure. The Young Reader's Choice Award is sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Library Association and continues to be the longest-running children's choice book award. It is also the only international award with young readers in both the United States and Canada participating in the program.
YRCA State and Provincial Representatives:

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Young Reader's Choice Award History Since 1940 young readers in the Pacific Northwest have been participating in the Young Reader's Choice Award (YRCA). The award was established in 1940 by Harry Hartman, a Seattle bookseller, who believed every student should have an opportunity to select a book that gives him or her pleasure.

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The Alaskana award was established in the early 1994 to honor outstanding adult fiction and nonfiction works about Alaska published in any format. Works that make a significant contribution to the understanding of Alaska, that exhibit originality, depth of research and knowledge of Alaska, and are published in the calendar year preceding the AkLA conference at which the award will be presented will be considered. The author is not required to be an Alaskan resident.

The Alaskana award is handled by the Ad Hoc Alaskana Working Group made up of librarians statewide specializing in Alaskana.
Procedure and Calendar December (early)
Chair of Working Group sends notice to all Alaska library staff on the AkLA listserv asking for nominations. Included in the notice are:

1. Criteria as described above.

2. Information to include in the nomination:

1. Author, title, place of publication, publisher, and date of publication,

2. Full description of the work being nominated,

3. Statement of the overall impact of the publication,

4. Supporting documentation for this nomination should include critical testimony, such as published reviews or specially written letters that evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the nomination which will aid the review process.

3. Deadline for nominations to be received and to whom they should be sent. Usually give three to four weeks for the nominations to be submitted.

January/February
In late January/early February the chair or designee sends all nominations to the Alaskana
Working Group members for their vote. Alaskana Working Group members are also encouraged to make nominations. If no nominations are received from the general membership, the Working Group members will nominate. If the Working Group feels there were no outstanding Alaskana works that year the award will not be given.

In mid-February, after selection of the award title, the Chair notifies the AkLA Past President of the name, and contact address of the author.

The AkLA Past President will draft a letter for the AkLA President's signature notifying the award recipient and issuing an invitation to come to conference to accept the award.
AkLA does not provide travel expenses for this award.

The AkLA Past President will have the award certificate made up and framed. A copy of the certificate should be sent to the Chair of the Ad Hoc Alaskana Working Group for inclusion in the AkLA Archives.

Text of the certificate should read:

The award is presented at the AkLA Conference at an appropriate time determined by the conference planners.

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The Alaskana award was established in the early 1994 to honor outstanding adult fiction and nonfiction works about Alaska published in any format. Works that make a significant contribution to the understanding of Alaska, that exhibit originality, depth of research and knowledge of Alaska, and are published in the calendar year preceding the AkLA conference at which the award will be presented will be considered.

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The AAAS / Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books

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The AAAS / Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books

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Here are the October 2018 books by some of our members. They may all be found at your local Independent Bookstore. Visit this link to find a store near you: http://www.indiebound.org/

Mary Angela, A Very Merry Murder, Camel Press
Donna Andrews, Lark! The Herald Angels Sing, Minotaur
Mike Befeler, Unstuff Your Stuff, Encircle Publications
Lou Berney, November Road, William Morrow
Sara Blaedel, The Midnight Witness, Grand Central
Mary Burton, Cut and Run, Amazon - Montlake
Ellen Byron, Mardi Gras Murder, Crooked Lane
L.A. Chandlar, The Gold Pawn, Kensington
Laura Childs & Terrie Farley Moran, Glitter Bomb, Berkley
Bruce Robert Coffin, Beyond the Truth, HarperCollins - Witness Impulse
Allie Condie & Brendan Reichs, The Darkdeep, Bloomsbury Children's Books
Michael Connelly, Dark Sacred Night, Little, Brown
Steven Cooper, Dig Your Grave, Seventh Street
Kaitlin Dunnett, Overkilt, Kensington
Kathleen Ernst, The Lacemaker's Secret, Midnight Ink
Matthew Farrell, What Have You Done, Thomas & Mercer
Felix Francis, Crisis, G.P. Putnam's Sons
Tana French, The Witch Elm, Viking
Patricia Reilly Giff, Island War, Holiday House
David Hagberg, Face Off, Forge
Bradley Harper, A Knife in the Fog, Seventh Street Books
Karen Harper, Silent Scream, MIRA
Charlaine Harris, An Easy Death, Simon & Schuster - Saga Press
Anna Lee Huber, Treacherous is the Night, Kensington
Julie Hyzy, Virtual Sabotage, Calexia Press
Joe Ide, Wrecked, Mulholland
Ausma Zehanat Khan, The Black Khan, Harper Voyager
Stephen King, Elevation, Simon & Schuster - Scribner
Leslie S. Klinger, Classic American Crime Fiction of the 1920s, Pegasus
Chris Knopf, Four Thousand Rounds, Permanent Press
Cynthia Kuhn, The Spirit in Question, Henery Press
Mark Edward Langley, Navajo Wind, Blackstone Audio
Carole Lawrence, Edinburgh Dusk, Thomas & Mercer
Laura Levine, Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge, Kensington
Martin Limón, The Line, Soho Crime
Ed Lin, 99 Ways to Die, Soho Crime
Ann Lineberger, Sunday Best
Laura Lippman, Liza Jane & the Dragon, Black Sheep
Laurie Loewenstein, Death of a Rainmaker, Akashic
Catriona McPherson, Got to My Grave, Minotaur
Nancy Naigle, Dear Santa, St. Martin's Griffin
Shelley Noble, Ask Me No Questions, Forge
Karen E. Olson, Vanished, Severn House
Sara Paretsky, Shell Game, William Morrow
James Patterson & James O. Born, Ambush, Little, Brown
Ralph Pezzullo & Michael McGowan, Ghost, St. Martin's Press
Gary Phillips & Christa Faust, The Killing Joke, Titan
Candace Robb, A Murdered Peace, Pegasus
Leonard Rosen, The Kortelisy Escape, Permanent Press
Robert Rotstein, We, the Jury, Blackstone
Marcia Talley, Mile High Murder, Severn House
Jane Turzillo, The Wicked Women of Ohio, The History Press
Lisa Unger, Under My Skin, Harlequin - Park Row
Lea Wait, Thread Herrings, Kensington
Eileen Watkins, Feral Attraction, Kensington
C.M. Wendelboe, Hunting the Saturday Night Strangler, Midnight Ink
Stuart Woods, Desperate Measures, G.P. Putnam's Sons
Erica Wright, The Blue Kingfisher, Polis

Scott Adlerberg, "The Stolen Arm," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Doug Allyn, "Defender of the Dead," EQMM
Michael A. Black, "Tommy the Turtle and the Tuba," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Michael Bracken, "Backlit," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Don Bruns, "An Orchestral Caper," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Austin Camacho, "One for the Books," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Jessie Chandler, "The Secret Adversary," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Reed Farrel Coleman, "The Shoe Track," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Peter DiChellis, "Treasure Cave," Mystery Weekly Magazine
Brendan DuBois, "The Wildest One," AHMM
Libby Fischer Hellmann, "Undeliverable," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Richard Helms, "The Man with Two Grins," EQMM
David Housewright, "Seven Fiancees," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
William Kent Krueger, "Just Another Cold Case," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
John Lantigua, "The Cuban Prisoner," EQMM
Janice Law, "Good Girl," AHMM
R.T. Lawton, "The Chinese Box," AHMM
Robert S. Levinson, "For the Memoir," EQMM
Jess Lourey, "The Adventure of the First Problem," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
G.M. Malliet, "Maui: The Road to Hana," EQMM
Michael Allan Mallory, "Message from a Dead Man," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Lou Manfredo, "Rizzo's Gun Moll," EQMM
Terrance McCauley, "Malta," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Jenny Milchman, "The Truck Stop," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Rick Ollerman, "Tide Kings," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Nick Petrie, "At the Laundromat," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Twist Phelan, "Game," EQMM
Gary Phillips, "The Funkafied Man," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Lissa Marie Redmond, "The Dead Man Blues," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
S.J. Rozan, "Chin Yong-Yun Helps a Fool," EQMM
Scott Loring Sanders, "Window to the Soul," EQMM
Tom Savage, "Rats," AHMM
Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins, "The Big Run," EQMM
Michael Stanley, "The Case of the Missing Tuba," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Duane Swierczynski, "Lush," Blood Work, Down & Out Books
Mark Thielman, "Buried Past," AHMM
Marilyn Todd, "First Dates are Always the Tricky Ones," EQMM
James Lincoln Warren, "Casting Call," AHMM

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Crime doesn't pay... enough. | Mystery Writers of America

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Here are the October 2018 books by some of our members. They may all be found at your local Independent Bookstore. Visit this link to find a store near you: http://www.indiebound.org/ Mary Angela, A Very Merry Murder, Camel Press Donna Andrews, Lark!

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The winner of the 2022 Newbery Medal is THE LAST CUENTISTA by Donna Barba Higuera! Share your reactions to this and other Youth Media Awards that were just announced this morning.

Nearly 150 readers participated in the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Reader's Poll. Check out the full results here.

There were more than 400 attendees at Heavy Medal's live Zoom Mock Newbery webcast where STARFISH won the Heavy Medal Mock Award and AMBER and CLAY claimed an honor.

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Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog - A School Library Journal Blog

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Recent Posts The winner of the 2022 Newbery Medal is THE LAST CUENTISTA by Donna Barba Higuera! Share your reactions to this and other Youth Media Awards that were just announced this morning. Nearly 150 readers participated in the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Reader's Poll. Check out the full results here.

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Capitol Choices: New & Noteworthy Books for Kids & Teens

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Capitol Choices: New & Noteworthy Books for Kids & Teens

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Welcome to Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens.
Members: Please visit the "About" page for updated 2020 meeting dates.
For Members' quick reference, the Agenda for the upcoming meetingas well as the Nominations Form are available here. Additional information about the Agendas, and instructions about how to view a specific reading group's titles, can be found in the post above entitled " In Progress List." Nomination guidelines are under the " Policies & Procedures " tab.
From the Board
Thank you for visiting Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens. Since 1996, we have been meeting, discussing, and selecting recommended books for young people through the high school years. Since 1998, our online presence has offered a worldwide audience access to each year's list of recommended books. We offer a way for you to keep up with the Capitol Choices discussion, either in person or via our social networks; see the Join Us page for details.
Our History
The first edition of Capitol Choices published in 1996 built on the work of the late Peggy Coughlan at the Children's Literature Center of the Library of Congress, who, for many years, edited an annual list entitled "Books for Children." The founding members of the Capitol Choices group who worked on these lists appreciated the opportunity to hone their critical skills during those years and wished to carry forward the work of that committee.

Since its inception, Capitol Choices has included librarians, teachers, booksellers, children's literature specialists, reviewers, and magazine editors who work in cities, suburbs, and rural areas in and around Washington, D.C. Most of us work directly with young people, and all of us share a passion for books and a commitment to pairing children with books.
Join Us
We welcome you in person at our monthly meetings. Capitol Choices members are also available to present workshops on the best titles of the year, how to evaluate literature for young people, and other topics related to our passion for books and audiobooks for young readers. Please email us to schedule a workshop or find out more about joining our group. For meeting dates, visit the About page of this website.
Support Us
Capitol Choices is now a tax-exempt public charity! We operate thanks to the generous contributions of our members and those who appreciate the lists we provide. We welcome your contributions via PayPal (to CapitolChoicesOrg@Gmail.com) or check. Feel free to contact us for additional information. Thank you for your support of this organization's work!

Editorial Board, Capitol Choices

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Welcome to Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children and Teens. Members: Please visit the "About" page for updated 2020 meeting dates. For Members' quick reference, the Agenda for the upcoming meeting as well as the Nominations Form are available here.

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CCBC's latest Diversity Statistics show increasing number of diverse books for children and teens

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The Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) has updated its annual Diversity Statistics to include data on the 3,450 books for children and teens received by the CCBC that were published in 2022.

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A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, WNDB aims to create a world where every reader can find themselves in the pages of a book. To reach this goal, we've created programs to mentor diverse writers and illustrators, support diverse publishing professionals, and provide books to classrooms nationwide.

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ALA Annual 2018 - ALSC Charlemae Rollins President's Program: Considering All Children

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American Indians in Children's Literature

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American Indians in Children's Literature

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American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)

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Designed to help readers develop a critical eye about representations of American Indians in children's and young adult books

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On Saturday afternoon, June 23, 2018, the board of directors of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) voted to change the name of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. The change took place immediately. It is now the Children's Literature Legacy Award.

Update on July 21, 2018 re board of directors: when I uploaded this post on June 26 I used "executive board" by mistake. Jamie Naidoo wrote to me about that error; I subsequently corrected it but didn't note the initial error. Whenever you see errors in my posts, please let me know! I'm happy to change them.

Today, I was over at Roger Sutton's post on the name change, and saw that Julie Corsaro had submitted a comment about the use of executive board. She didn't say who had made that error. If she was talking about my post, she could have written to me directly. In a second comment about it, Corsaro wrote

"I'm glad to see that the error was corrected regarding the ALSC Board of Directors as the primary decision maker; regrettably, the change was not acknowledged in context as scholarship demands. As a result, this error has been replicated by others not understanding that it is incorrect nor taking the time to understand the structure of the association.

Today's update addresses her concern that the error was "not acknowledged in context as scholarship demands." I first came across Corsaro in 2015, when, Edi Campbell organized a group of us to work on what we call the We're the People summer reading booklists. We shared the list on social media. In a comment to one of the places where we shared the list, Corsaro suggested that its emphasis discriminated against White people. I wondered, then, who she was and learned that she served as ALSC's president in 2010-2011. She was also on the 2017 Wilder committee that selected Nikki Grimes to receive what is now the Legacy Award.

I am including her comment about the list because it illustrates the status of children's literature. Lot of people think it is a land of warm fuzzies, but it is fraught with politics. It is always interesting to see where and how people with power and influence weigh in, and what they choose to weigh in on. That goes for me, too! There is no such thing as neutrality, and those who suggest there is are, knowingly or not, advocating for a status quo that misrepresents and marginalizes those of us who have made gains in recent years.

The vote took place at the American Library Association's 2018 Annual Conference, held in New Orleans.

As I write, I am in the New Orleans airport and reflecting on what I believe to be one of the most significant moments in children's literature. When I have more time, I will write more about why it is significant. If you have not read the books since your own childhood days, please do. Most adults I work with do not remember these pages from the book:

Those two pages were in a talk I delivered for the President's Panel on Monday afternoon. I also talked about books written today in which characters imagine themselves to be captured by Indians. I will turn my talk into a blog post as soon as I have some time to do that. I was live tweeting from the ALSC meeting when the vote took place. In news articles you will likely see some of my remarks.

As is often the case with some of the posts here at American Indians in Children's Literature, I will keep a log of items specific to the topic at hand. I advocated for the name change and support ALSC's decision.

To learn more about the name change:

Start with ALSC's website. There you will find an announcement about the change, a link to the report from the Task Force charged with taking a close look at the merits of a change. They solicited input from ALSC membership. The report is thorough. Please read it.

Here's the ALSC page: Welcome to the Children's Literature Legacy Award home page.

News outlets have done several news articles. I am also going to link to some individuals (like Melissa Gilbert, who played the part of Laura on the tv show) who have spoken up about the change. I will be adding to this list over the next few days. If you see articles that I did not list, please let me know in a comment (and let me know if any of what I've written doesn't make sense, or if there are typos). Adding a quick note: the curated list includes a wide range of responses, including some from conservative sources and people who disagree with ALSC's decision. Thanks!

American Indians in Children's Literature: Big News! A Possible change to the name of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award!

ALSC Awards Program Review Task Force Recommendation: Laura Ingalls Wilder Award

Saturday, June 23, 2018
ALSC Blog: Children's Literature Legacy Award #alaac18

Sunday, June 24, 2018

Video of Jacqueline Woodson, recipient of the 2018 Children's Literature Legacy Award (video played at 2018 Newbery, Caldecott, Legacy Award Banquet):

In my research for the musical and another Laura project I'm working on I've found it's true. Caroline and many others were prejudiced against native Americans and people of color because they didn't know or experience time around them. They were also very afraid of them. The native Americans particularly because they fought brutally.

But let's face it. We invaded their country, slaughtered thousands of them and stole their land. They fought back.

It's time for us to own that.

In my opinion we need to have open discussions about historical atrocities to ensure they aren't repeated.

Especially in the current climate where a despotic dictator holds sway over so many people in our country. He feeds on people's fears and hatred so wherever possible it's incumbent on us to show people who we were and who we don't ever want to be again.

It's unfortunate that it's come to this but it's a teachable moment.

A note from Debbie: I sure wish media would name ALSC rather than say 'book group'!

Another note: Overnight, the NYT changed the article title. I don't know why, or if that happens a lot, but this morning (June 27) it has a new title "Prestigious Laura Ingalls Wilder Award Renamed Over Racial Insensitivity." Here's a screen cap showing the first one, and the new one:

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A #ChangeTheName Moment: the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award is now the Children's Literature Legacy Award

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On Saturday afternoon, June 23, 2018, the board of directors of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) voted to change the name of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. The change took place immediately. It is now the Children's Literature Legacy Award.

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In a talk that ranged from her Mississippi roots to her personal influences, including a certain young reader who inspires her today, author Angie Thomas delivered a forceful keynote at School Library Journal's Day of Dialog.

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Diverse Reads: Celebrating Stories from Every Corner of the World

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Dive into a world of stories that celebrate diversity and inclusivity. At Diverse Reads, we curate books from various cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. Open your world, challenge your thoughts, and embrace the richness of our global community. Your next favorite book awaits!

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Diverse BookFinder | Identify & Explore Multicultural Picture Books

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Are you looking for multicultural children’s books? We’ve got you covered! You can search our circulating collection of picture books (2002-present), explore our quick lists, then borrow our books from your own library through interlibrary loan. We believe that too many children are left out of main…

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The Horn Book Magazine and The Horn Book Guide are the most distinguished journals in the field of children’s and young adult literature and the core of our company. Founded in 1924 by Bertha Mahony to herald the best in children’s literature, more than eighty-five years later, we are still following her lead.

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Explore reading basics as well as the key role of background knowledge and motivation in becoming a lifelong reader and learner. Watch our PBS Launching Young Readers series and try our self-paced Reading 101 course to deepen your understanding.

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Book Riot celebrates all things books! Find the best books for your next read or book club, including new books in all genres. Get more books in your face.

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These are not professional reviews, but can still be a useful in gathering more information about a title.

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Find and read more books you'll love, and keep track of the books you want to read. Be part of the world's largest community of book lovers on Goodreads.

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Fables and Trickster Tales Around the World

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Fables and Trickster Tales Around the World

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Fables and Trickster Tales Around the World

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The following lesson introduces children to folk tales through a literary approach that emphasizes genre categories and definitions. In this unit, students will become familiar with fables and trickster tales from different cultural traditions and will see how stories change when transferred orally between generations and cultures.

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Come Dance With Me | Jingle Dress/Side Step | CBC Kids

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Rich in Color - Reading & Reviewing Diverse YA Books

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blackgirlmagic #Common Core #groupdiscussion #WeNeedDiverseBooks Anthology asian ya author interview authors banned books week blacklivesmatter black love book lists book reviews contemporary debut author diverse worlds diversity evaluating literature fantasy group discussion horror julie kagawa lgbtq lgbtqia new releases ownvoices queer comics queer ya racism recommendation: borrow it someday recommendation: get it now recommendation: get it soon recommendation: just skip it recruiting retelling retellings reviews romance summer reads superhero tu books Women's History Month year in review Zetta Elliott Zettasbooks

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About the Brown Bookshelf - The Brown Bookshelf

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The Brown Bookshelf is designed to push awareness of the myriad Black voices writing for young readers. Our flagship initiative is 28 Days Later, a month-long showcase of the best in Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult novels written and illustrated by Black creators. You can read more abou…

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Expanding Perspectives on Africa Book by Book

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Click on the covers below or enter the title of the book into the SEARCH FUNCTION. You are invited to: Add your comments and ratings for a book.

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I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the hell do I read?

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I'm Here. I'm Queer. What the hell do I read?

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Multicultural and Social Justice Books - Social Justice Books

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Curated Booklists Carefully selected multicultural and social justice books for children, young adults, and educators on 90+ topics. Reviews of Children's Literature Critical reviews of children's and young adult books from a variety of vetted sources, consolidated here for easy access. Articles & News Articles about selecting children's literature and news about Kid Lit.

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Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books

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Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books

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Based on "Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Racism and Sexism." Updated in 2013.*
Children's books continue to be an invaluable source of information and values. They reflect the attitudes in our society about diversity, power relationships among different groups of people, and various social identities (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, economic class, sexual orientation, and disability). The visual and verbal messages young children absorb from books (and other media) heavily influence their ideas about themselves and others. Depending on the quality of the book, they can reinforce (or undermine) children's affirmative self-concept, teach accurate (or misleading) information about people of various identities, and foster positive (or negative) attitudes about diversity. Children's books teach children about who is important, who matters, who is even visible. Consequently, carefully choosing quality children's books is an indispensable educational and child-rearing task.

It is important to offer young children a range of books about people like them and their family - as well as about people who are different from them and their family. All of the books should be accurate and appealing to young children. Fortunately, there are some good anti-bias children's books, which are available as a result of the ongoing activism of many individuals and groups over many years. However, while choices have improved over past decades, the lack of quality multicultural kid's books currently being published has frustrated many communities. The number of children of color in the United States continues to rise, but the number of books published by or about people of color stays the same or even decreases.

Check the Illustrations

Look for Stereotypes: A stereotype is an oversimplified generalization about a particular identity group (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, ability/disability), which usually carries derogatory, inaccurate messages and applies them to ALL people in the group. Stereotypes dehumanize people. So, too, does misinformation. ( See Box 1 below for a list of common, harmful stereotypes).

Unfortunately, all of us absorb socially prevailing stereotypes about a range of people, even if we do not consciously subscribe to them. To alert you to stereotypes in children's books, as well as other media, it is useful to list all the stereotypes you know about various groups of people as precondition for critically reviewing children's books. The books you choose should depict people compassionately and as real human beings. Also consider if images depict all people as genuine individuals with distinctive (rather than stereotypical) features. Books containing stereotypes require you to engage children in critical thinking, but should probably be eliminated from your collection.

BOX 1: Common Harmful/Undermining Stereotypes

Strong, independent girls and women are "manlike"

Book-loving or nonathletic boys and men are "effeminate"

Latino men talk funny, are lazy, gang members, or wear oversize sombreros

Latina women are earth mothers or subservient

African American men are gang members, oversexed, or underemployed

African American women are too independent, oversexed, or "welfare moms"

Arab and/or Muslim men are terrorists

Arab and/or Muslim women are voiceless and passive

All Muslims are Arab / All Arabs are Muslim

American Indians live in teepees, carry bows and arrows, or are half-naked in winter

American Indians were only significant in the past (read)

Disabled people are not independent or are to be pitied

Disabled people must "overcome" their disabilities rather than just live with their disabilities

LGBTQ+ people are invisible

Poor people are invisible

Poor people are depicted as passively needing help from others

AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islanders) are depicted as the "model minority"

AAPI are exotic or their food is exotic/abnormal

All AAPI know martial arts or are meek and compliant

AAPI are portrayed with slanted eyes or just lines to represent eyes

Jewish people are all Zionists (read)

Jewish people are wealthy and yield undue influence in the financial and political world

Look for Tokenism: This is the "one only" message. Regularly seeing only "one" person of any group in a book teaches young children about who is more or less important. Examples of tokenism include books with only one African American child among many white children or having only one book about children with disabilities among many other books. Tokenism also becomes stereotypical. It only allows children to see one view of a group of people, rather than the diversity that exists among all groups.

Look for Invisibility: What children do not see in their books also teaches them about who matters and who doesn't in our society. Invisibility in their storybooks - as well as in textbooks as they get older - undermines children's affirmative sense of themselves and reinforces prejudiced ideas about people who are not seen (See Box 2 for examples of groups who tend to be invisible). The booklists on this website include a great variety of books with groups who are often excluded. (The titles are vetted by Teaching for Change.)

BOX 2: Examples of Groups of People Who Are Often Invisible in Children's Books or Mainstream Media

Families who live in rural areas

Blue-collar workers

Musicians, artists, and writers

Families with two dads or two moms

Single mothers or fathers

Homeless families

Families with an incarcerated parent

People of Middle Eastern descent

Families who practice Islam

Transgender adults and children

Check the Story Line and the Relationships Between People

Even if a book shows visual diversity, the story line may carry biases related to how it handles power relationships among people of various identities. Are whites or male characters the central figures with people of color or female characters in essentially supporting roles? To gain acceptance and/or approval does a child of color, a girl, or child with a disability have to exhibit extraordinary qualities or be the one to understand, forgive, or change? Are the achievements of girls and women based on their own initiative and intelligence, or are they due to their looks or relationship with boys/men?

Are people of color, women, low-income families, or people with disabilities depicted as needing help or in passive roles, while whites, men, and "able-bodied" people are in leadership and action roles? How are problems presented, conceived, and resolved? Who typically causes a problem and who resolves it? Your book collection needs a balance of different people in "doer" roles.

Look at Messages About Different Lifestyles

Do the lives of people of color or people living in poverty in the story contrast unfavorably with the norm of white, middle-class suburban life? Are negative value judgments implied about ways of life that differ from the dominant culture or economic class (e.g., people are to be pitied, or the story is about one person who "gets out" of the less desirable way of life)? Do images and information go beyond oversimplification and offer genuine insights into the lifestyle of the characters in the story? Does the setting reflect current life - or past assumptions about life? Does your book collection depict diversity among people within a specific racial/ethnic group, such as a range of family structures, living environments, socioeconomic conditions and types of work, and male/female roles within the family? (Remember that every racial/ethnic group has diversity, including people who self-identify as white).

Consider the Effects on Children's Self and Social Identities

In addition to specific books, also examine your book collection. Do your books reinforce or counteract messages that teach children to feel inferior or superior because of their skin color, gender, family income, able-bodiedness, or type of family structure? At school, will all of the children you serve see themselves and their family's way of life reflected in your book collection? Will all children of color, including those with mixed heritage, girls, and children from the many types of family structures, children living in poverty, and children with disabilities see one or more characters with whom they can readily and positively identify? If they are visible in your book collection, are the illustrations and information accurate and respectful? Does your overall collection balance the backgrounds of all the children in your program? Does it also show diversity within the social indentity groups to which the children belong (e.g., a range of ways to be female and male, families reflecting different kinds of jobs within a racial/ethnic group). Does your book collection also include a balance between diversity within your classroom and beyond your classroom?

At home, does your book collection reflect diversity among the groups to which your family belongs? Does it have stories about people like you who have contributed to creating a more just world? Does it also include a range of books showing diversity beyond your family and neighborhood?

Look for Books About Children and Adults Engaging in Actions for Change

To fully develop a strong sense of self and a disposition toward cooperation and fairness, children need to know how to stand up for themselves and others when faced with unfairness. They also need to know about people from all social identity groups who have - and are currently - working for justice for all. In addition to previous criteria, here are more items to consider: The story line should be about children and adults working together, rather than perpetrating the myth that change happens because of special, individual people who do it by themselves. Does your book collection include a balance of people who have made important and honored contributions to American life as well as the world community - and not just the traditional white, male "heroes?" Do some of your books about important people include struggles for justice? Do they show people who were/are poor or from racial/ethnic groups of color? Are people with disabilities engaged in these struggles for justice?

Consider the Author's or Illustrator's Background and Perspective

All authors write from a cultural as well as from a personal context. In the past, most children's books were by authors and illustrators who were white and members of the middle class. As a result, a single cultural and class perspective dominated children's literature. There are now excellent books by people of color from a range of backgrounds - although not nearly enough. Consider the biographical material on the jacket flap or back of the book. What qualifies the author or illustrator to deal with the subject? If the book is not about people or events similar to the author or illustrator's background, what specifically recommends them as creators of the book? What is the author's attitude toward her/his story characters? Are the images accurate and do the illustrators respectfully render the people in the story? Do you have books reflecting a balanced range of author and illustrator identities and experiences?

Watch for Loaded Words

A word is loaded when it in any way demeans or makes people invisible because of any of their identities. One example is the generic use of the word "man" to stand for women as well as men (although the opposite never occurs). This traditional terminology is now questioned by many because of its sexist implications. Here are some examples of ways to avoid sexist language: community instead of brotherhood; firefighters inserted of firemen; human family instead of family of man; ancestors instead of forefathers; chairperson instead of chairman. Examples of adjectives applied to people of color that carry racist messages include: "savage," "primitive," "superstitious," "backward," "inscrutable" and "treacherous." Always consider the context in which a word is used and to whom it applies.

Look at the Copyright Date

Copyright dates indicate the publication year, not the time of its writing, which might be two to three years before the copyright date. Although a recent copyright date is no guarantee of a book's relevance or sensitivity, copyright dates are useful information. More children's books began to reflect the reality of a pluralistic society and nonsexist and non-ableist perspectives in the 1970s. Since then, the range of accurate, respectful, and caring books reflecting diversity has increased significantly (unfortunately the diversity of books published in the United States still does not accurately reflect the actual diversity of the people living here). When considering new books for your collection, begin with most recently published ones and then continue with descending copyright dates.

Assess the Appeal of the Story and Illustrations to Young Children

Although these guidelines focus on the messages about diversity and equality reflected in children's books, it is also important to take quality into account. Be sure the book is a "good read." If children find the story or illustrations boring, a book will not hold their attention, even if the book adds a specific kind of diversity you need. Check for active, interesting story lines where different kinds of people are integral to the people in the story, not the main topic. For example, in A Chair for My Mother, a young child tries to save money to get a comfortable chair for her waitress mother. Although the book shows a single parent, working-class family, and a resourceful girl, it is not didactic. Also look for illustrations that are colorful and recognizable to young children. Although they enjoy a range of styles, illustrations that are too subdued or abstract may not hold their attention.

Check for age appropriateness. Most booksellers list any picture book as appropriate for early childhood even if the story line is really for primary grade children. Sometimes a book for older children will work if you simplify the story or "tell" the story rather than read it. In some cases, this is the only way to get books that present specific groups of children (e.g., stories with Cambodian children or children with learning disabilities). Some additional issues to consider:

Many children's books use animal characters instead of people and there are some excellent books that explore diversity with animal characters (e.g., And Tango Makes Three or A Coyote Solstice Tale). Children enjoy these. However, such books are not a substitute for exploring issues of diversity and anti-bias fairness with people as the main characters.

Some early childhood teachers wonder if it is necessary for every book in their collection to show diversity. Every book needs to be accurate, caring, and respectful. However, you will want individual books about specific kinds of people (e.g., a biracial family or a family with adopted children). Diversity becomes essential in the balance of your book collection, where you want to avoid invisibility or tokenism of any group.

Folk and fairy tales have long been a mainstay of children's literature. In the cultures from which they come, folk and fairy tales were used to teach important lessons and values related to their culture of origin. Children love them in their original versions - not their commercially sanitized adaptations. However, folk and fairy tales also carry messages that convey sexism, classism, and racism and must be used thoughtfully as part of introducing young children to diversity and anti-bias values of quality and fairness.

Overuse of folk tales to "teach" about a specific ethnic/cultural group leads to misinformation and confusion. They are about animals and occasionally people from a mythical past and are designed to teach core values and beliefs in their culture of origin. They are not about how people actually live in contemporary society - and that is what young children need to understand. Information and images about how people really live now is what enables young children to build connections to people who are from different cultures while countering stereotypes that children have already absorbed (e.g., how American Indians really live).

Finally there is the somewhat sensitive issue of what to do about "classic" or "well-beloved" children's books. Many of these are wonderful as children's literature, but unfortunately they often convey values of sexism, racism, ableism, or even colonialism. People who love the books that pose this dilemma argue that it is OK to use them because they "reflect their times," which they imply somehow excuses their biased messages. For example, I adored the Babar series of books as a young child and was unpleasantly shocked to realize as an adult how much the images and story lines reflected messages of European colonialism in Africa. I chose not to use them with my own children, wanting them to learn accurate information about how people in Africa really live. Not sharing childhood favorites may sadden some, but it is far better than the harm caused by reinforcing messages of racism and colonialism.
In a nutshell - as you choose books or critically examine your current book selection, always keep in mind the power of books - their words and their images - to nurture or, conversely, to undermine a child's sense of self, positive attitude toward others, and motivation to act for fairness.
Additional Resources

Louise Derman-Sparks is an internationally respected anti-bias educator and author (along with Julie Olsen Edwards) of Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. She has co-authored several additional books with Dr. Carol Brunson Day (Teaching/Learning Anti-Racism), the ABC Task Force ( Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children), Dr. Patricia Ramsey (What If All the Kids Are White?), and Dr. John Nimmo and Debbie Leekeenan ( Leading Anti-Bias Early Childhood Programs: A Guide for Change). She speaks throughout the United States and abroad, and served on the NAEYC Governing Board from 1998 to 2001. Louise has a lifelong commitment to building a more just society for all people. Her children Douglass and Holly, now grown, were her inspiration. A Pacific Oaks College faculty member for 33 years - when its mission and pedagogy reflected anti-bias education principles - Louise is now retired.
*In 1980, the Council on Interracial Books for Children published the book Guidelines for Selecting Bias-Free Textbooks and Storybooks. A shorter version of the book in pamphlet form, "Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Racism and Sexism," followed. One of the first guides written for teachers and families, it became an invaluable tool for hundreds of thousands of people. Both the book and pamphlet have been out of print for several years. Rethinking Schools published their adaptation of the original Guidelines in 1994.

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Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books - Social Justice Books

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By Louise Derman-Sparks Based on "Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children's Books for Racism and Sexism." Updated in 2013.* Children's books continue to be an invaluable source of information and values. They reflect the attitudes in our society about diversity, power relationships among different groups of people, and various social identities (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, [...]

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Native American Literature in Your Classroom

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Native American Literature in Your Classroom

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Native Americans are represented in a wide variety of ways in children's literature. Regardless of intention, these depictions often reinforce inaccuracies and stereotypes and fail to include the diversity of Native peoples who have lived on this continent for millennia. Too often, particularly with older books, Native Americans are presented in the past tense as a generic group of people rather than as thriving communities with sovereign political status, self-governance, histories, languages, and stories. American Indian cultures have always been dynamic and changing. As educators, we should select books and other materials that feature accurate and tribally specific portrayals of Native people, both past and present.

To help educators and parents choose high-quality materials, NMAI developed a rubric that outlines five criteria groups (Authority, Accurate Representation, Tribal Specificity, Language, and Contemporary Life) to consider when selecting texts. The goal of this rubric is to promote deeper and more critical thinking about Native American literature. The rubric is structured with questions that fall under each criteria group. Some questions have a clear answer, while others are more difficult to determine. You and your students may need to do further research on questions you were unable to answer. Tribal websites and our suggested resources are a good starting point. If too many boxes are left blank or elicit a 'no' answer, you may decide not to use the book at all, or you may want to use it for conversations about stereotypes and misrepresentation. The Dialogue Toolkit, provided under suggested books and resources, can support you in these discussions.

To counteract the belief that Native Americans are only historical, use books set in the present day. As you and your students analyze texts, keep in mind the power of visual representation. Look for Native American characters engaged in everyday activities, like playing videogames or lacrosse, or spending time with grandparents and pets. There are many Native authors that speak to the diversity and breadth of Native life, so check out our suggested books and resources, and bring new books into your classroom or library!

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Native Knowledge 360°-Native American Literature in Your Classroom

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NK360° Use the Helpful Handout Native American Literature in your Classroom to choose high-quality materials to promote deeper and more critical thinking about Native American representation in literature. #NK360

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Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit

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Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit

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Every library - academic, public, and school (public, private, charter, independent, and international) - should have a comprehensive written policy that guides the selection, deselection or weeding, and reconsideration of library resources. The most valuable selection policy is current; it is reviewed and revised on a regular basis; and it is familiar to all members of a library's staff. The policy should be approved by the library's governing board or other policy-making body and disseminated widely for understanding by all stakeholders.

The policy:

Ensures that the selection of materials reflects the institution's philosophy, mission, guiding principles, or other foundational documents

Provides a framework for the consistent selection and acquisition of library resources in all formats using a standard set of criteria

Avoids haphazard patterns of acquisition that will result in waste or overlap of content

States who is responsible for selection and the parameters under which the individual(s) work, but allows for professional judgment

Ensures a diversity of viewpoints on all topics, including those that may be considered controversial

Identifies cooperative collection development arrangements such as resource sharing including interlibrary loans, agreements to purchase or lease e-content, and resource retention commitments (for example, archival materials, government documents, local author materials)

Provides standards for collection maintenance and the removal of library resources that are out-of-date, inaccurate or no longer reflect the consensus of the field, in poor condition, rarely used, in an obsolete format, no longer fit the needs of library patrons, or have excess copies

Supplies guidelines for consideration of gifts and donations

Establishes a process by which individuals may share their concerns about library resources in a discussion with a librarian or, if their concerns are unresolved, invoke a formal reconsideration process

Affirms the importance of intellectual freedom, referencing key documents such as the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the Library Bill of Rights, and the Freedom to Read Statement

Home | Introduction

Why Do I Need a Policy? | Politics and Timing of Policy Creation | Selection Policies for Non-Public Institutions

Basic Components of a Selection Policy

Library Mission | Support for Intellectual Freedom | Objectives | Responsibility for Selection | Selection Criteria | Acquisitions Procedures | Special Collections | Selecting Controversial Materials | Gifts and Donations | Collection Maintenance and Weeding | Policy Revision | Reconsideration

Reconsideration Procedure

Guiding Principles | Statement of Policy | Informal Complaints | Request for Formal Reconsideration | Sample Reconsideration Form | Sample Letter to Complainant | Reconsideration Committees

Appendix

Intellectual Freedom Core Documents | Challenge Support and Reporting Censorship | Bibliography of Additional Selection and Reconsideration Policy Resources

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Every library - academic, public, and school (public, private, charter, independent, and international) - should have a comprehensive written policy that guides the selection, deselection or weeding, and reconsideration of library resources. The most valuable selection policy is current; it is reviewed and revised on a regular basis; and it is familiar to all members of a library's staff.

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Sarah suffers from chronic sarcasm, and an unhealthy aversion to noise. She loves to read, and would like to do nothing else, but stupid real life makes her go to work. She lives in the middle of a cornfield and shares a house with two spoiled dogs and a ton of books.
View All posts by Sarah Ullery
Like a gardener, librarians must also weed. Our crabgrass might be forgotten celebrity biographies; sow thistle could be out-dated technology manuals; purslane, books that haven't been checked out in three years; poison ivy, the multiple copies of a single book that had its 15 minutes of fame; prickly lettuce might be old books that have been treated like classics (don't get mad, I have an argument!). If a gardener does not pluck out an invasive weed, their entire garden could be smothered.

The same goes for a library. If a librarian is not diligent about weeding their shelves, books no one wants to read could smother the library. Clutter on a library shelf is off-putting, especially in the children's section. If the shelves are too tight to easily pull out a book, it's time to weed. As librarians it is our job to cultivate our collection. To stay up-to-date on what's relevant and what's not. There is an art to librarianship; to knowing your patrons; to knowing your collection. It is the librarian's job to make sure that the library maintains an updated, relevant collection of books that suits the needs of all its community members.

How often?

Our library weeds books that haven't circulated in three years. Some departments weed more often. Our outreach department has limited space, so they weed books that haven't circulated in two years. I work in a very small branch extension of the main library, and when I first started working there, the shelves hadn't been weeded in years. There was no space, and things weren't circulating. Over the past year, we've weeded every section of the library, created more space for displays, and started updating our collection with more current titles. We also have something called a "grubby list." These are books that circulate often (think: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Harry Potter, Captain Underpants), and we use that list to determine if a book needs to be replaced with a new copy.

Classics vs old books

I have weeded pseudo-classics. Classics were books we read in school like: , Wuthering Heights, Catcher in the Rye, To Kill a Mockingbird. No, I have not weeded To Kill a Mockingbird from its place on the library's shelf. But I might weed The Rifleman of the Ohio (ever heard of it?) if it comes up on my list. Why would I desecrate my shelves by weeding these moldy oldies? Our library is too small to hold them all. They're shelved in the children's section. We're in a consortium with larger libraries, so if a patron is really dying to read The Rifleman of the Ohio, I can just request it for them and they'll get it in less than a week. We don't have space on the shelves to keep them all, and I'd rather fill the shelves with an array of new and diverse books. Remember: just because it smells moldy does not mean it's a classic!

Quick tip #1: to get the classics circulating, update the editions that are on the shelves. We did this, and it really helped make the classics more appealing to our young patrons.

Quick tip #2: we donate most of our withdrawn books to the local public schools, and the teachers are always very excited to receive them!

What to Buy?

Diversify those shelves! There's no better time to update your library's collection. More and more books are being published by diverse voices, and it would be a great time to evaluate what's in your collection: how many authors of color are represented? How many books in translation? How many LGBTQ authors or books with LGBTQ characters? I tried to make a Women in Translation Month display, and I could only find one book by a female author that had been translated. We have too few books by authors with diverse voices, a problem I intend to remedy.

Some ideas:

Book Riot's In Translation and Poetry page has some great articles, and lists of books that could be added to a library collection

PEN America has a list of publishers who publish books in translation. Some of my favorites are: Deep Vellum, Copper Canyon Press, Counterpoint, Tin House, Wave Books, Akashic Books, Coffee House Press, Dzanc Books, Europa Editions, Grove Atlantic, House of Anasi, Melville House, New Directions, Open Letter Books, and Riverhead Books.

Classics are important, but make sure the classics on your bookshelves are diverse. Here are 100 Must-Read Classics by People of Color, an article written by Book Riot's Teresa Preston.

Diversification

"But I work in a small, white, conservative, Christian community, and all people want to read are inspirational romance!" I said when I started my job, but since then I've put my reader's advisory skills into high gear. I've created displays, we have staff picks scattered throughout the stacks, and I've been paying attention to people's interests and trying to recommend a more varied selection of books within each genre.

What Your Collection Says About Your Community

What I'm saying is this: as librarians we have a responsibility to our community. If we continue to keep the same kind of books on the shelves, and make assumptions about what people will and won't read, we are responsible for the ignorance we have allowed to fester within our community. If we assume LGBTQ books will offend people, so we don't buy them, recommend them, or display them, we have become the problem. We are librarians for ALL members of our community, not just the majority. It is our responsibility to buy books from different genres and by authors of different backgrounds so we can reach patrons we have neglected because we've been stuck doing and buying the same things for so many years.

Librarians, remember: cultivate your bookshelves, weed when necessary, and buy diverse books! Your community is depending on you!

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Librarians Must Weed Their Book Collection

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It is a librarian's job to make sure that the library maintains an updated, relevant collection of books that suits the needs of all its community members.

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AASL's Position Statement on Labeling Practices

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AASL's Position Statement on Labeling Practices

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School Library Collection Development Resources

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School Library Collection Development Resources

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Collection development in school libraries including policies, and evaluation

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Libraries / Controversial Concerns Requests

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Alaska State School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing

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Talking Points: Conversations Between Principals and Librarians

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Article 1. Inspection and Copying of Public Records. Chapter 25. Public Record Disclosures. Sec. 40.25.100. Disposition of tax information. (a) [See delayed amendment note.] Information in the possession of the Department of Revenue that discloses the particulars of the business or affairs of a taxpayer or other person, including information under AS 38.05.020(b)(11) that is subject to a confidentiality agreement under AS 38.05.020(b)(12), is not a matter of public record, except as provided in AS 43.05.230(i) — (m) or for purposes of investigation and law enforcement. The information shall be kept confidential except when its production is required in an official investigation, administrative adjudication under AS 43.05.405 — 43.05.499, or court proceeding. These restrictions do not prohibit the publication of statistics presented in a manner that prevents the identification of particular reports and items, prohibit the publication of tax lists showing the names of taxpayers who are delinquent and relevant information that may assist in the collection of delinquent taxes, or prohibit the publication of records, proceedings, and decisions under AS 43.05.405 — 43.05.499.

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This page is no longer used please use www.akleg.gov

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Distribution of Indecent Material to Minors

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Distribution of Indecent Material to Minors

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18 U.S.C. § 1460- Possession with intent to sell, and sale, of obscene matter on Federal property
18 U.S.C. § 1461- Mailing obscene or crime-inciting matter
18 U.S.C. § 1462- Importation or transportation of obscene matters
18 U.S.C. § 1463- Mailing indecent matter on wrappers or envelopes
18 U.S.C. § 1464- Broadcasting obscene language
18 U.S.C. § 1465- Transportation of obscene matters for sale or distribution
18 U.S.C. § 1466- Engaging in the business of selling or transferring obscene matter
18 U.S.C. § 1466A- Obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children
18 U.S.C. § 1467- Criminal forfeiture
18 U.S.C. § 1468- Distributing obscene material by cable or subscription television
18 U.S.C. § 1469- Presumptions
18 U.S.C. § 1470- Transfer of obscene material to minors
18 U.S.C. § 2252B Misleading domain names on the Internet
18 U.S.C. § 2252C Misleading words or digital images on the Internet

The U.S. Supreme Court established the test that judges and juries use to determine whether matter is obscene in three major cases: Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15, 24-25 (1973); Smith v. United States, 431 U.S. 291, 300-02, 309 (1977); and Pope v. Illinois, 481 U.S. 497, 500-01 (1987). The three-pronged Miller test is as follows:

1. Whether the average person, applying contemporary adult community standards, finds that the matter, taken as a whole, appeals to prurient interests (i.e., an erotic, lascivious, abnormal, unhealthy, degrading, shameful, or morbid interest in nudity, sex, or excretion);

2. Whether the average person, applying contemporary adult community standards, finds that the matter depicts or describes sexual conduct in a patently offensive way (i.e., ultimate sexual acts, normal or perverted, actual or simulated, masturbation, excretory functions, lewd exhibition of the genitals, or sado-masochistic sexual abuse); and

3. Whether a reasonable person finds that the matter, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

Any material that satisfies this three-pronged test may be found obscene.

Federal law prohibits the possession with intent to sell or distribute obscenity, to send, ship, or receive obscenity, to import obscenity, and to transport obscenity across state borders for purposes of distribution. Although the law does not criminalize the private possession of obscene matter, the act of receiving such matter could violate the statutes prohibiting the use of the U.S. Mails, common carriers, or interactive computer services for the purpose of transportation (See 18 U.S.C. § 1460; 18 U.S.C. § 1461; 18 U.S.C. § 1462; 18 U.S.C. § 1463). Convicted offenders face fines and imprisonment. It is also illegal to aid or abet in the commission of these crimes, and individuals who commit such acts are also punishable under federal obscenity laws.

In addition, federal law prohibits both the production of obscene matter with intent to sell or distribute, and engaging in a business of selling or transferring obscene matter using or affecting means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce, including the use of interactive computer services. (See 18 U.S.C. § 1465; 18 U.S.C. § 1466). For example, it is illegal to sell and distribute obscene material on the Internet. Convicted offenders face fines and up to 5 years in prison.

Moreover, Sections 1464 and 1468 of Title 18, United States Code, specifically prohibit the broadcast or distribution of obscene matter by radio communication or by cable or subscription television respectively. Convicted offenders under these statutes face fines and up to 2 years in prison.
Obscenity Involving Minors
Federal statutes specifically prohibit obscenity involving minors, and convicted offenders generally face harsher statutory penalties than if the offense involved only adults.

Section 1470 of Title 18, United States Code, prohibits any individual from knowingly transferring or attempting to transfer obscene matter using the U.S. mail or any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce to a minor under 16 years of age. Convicted offenders face fines and imprisonment for up to 10 years.

In addition, Section 1466A of Title 18, United State Code, makes it illegal for any person to knowingly produce, distribute, receive, or possess with intent to transfer or distribute visual representations, such as drawings, cartoons, or paintings that appear to depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and are deemed obscene. This statute offers an alternative 2-pronged test for obscenity with a lower threshold than the Miller test. The matter involving minors can be deemed obscene if it (i) depicts an image that is, or appears to be a minor engaged in graphic bestiality, sadistic or masochistic abuse, or sexual intercourse and (ii) if the image lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. A first time offender convicted under this statute faces fines and at least 5 years to a maximum of 20 years in prison.

There are also laws to protect children from obscene or harmful material on the Internet. For one, federal law prohibits the use of misleading domain names, words, or digital images on the Internet with intent to deceive a minor into viewing harmful or obscene material (See 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252B, 2252C). It is illegal for an individual to knowingly use interactive computer services to display obscenity in a manner that makes it available to a minor less than 18 years of age (See 47 U.S.C. § 223(d) -Communications Decency Act of 1996, as amended by the PROTECT Act of 2003). It is also illegal to knowingly make a commercial communication via the Internet that includes obscenity and is available to any minor less than 17 years of age (See 47 U.S.C. § 231 -Child Online Protection Act of 1998).

The standard of what is harmful to minors may differ from the standard applied to adults. Harmful materials for minors include any communication consisting of nudity, sex or excretion that (i) appeals to the prurient interest of minors, (ii) is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community with respect to what is suitable material for minors, (iii) and lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

In addition to facing imprisonment and fines, convicted offenders of federal obscenity laws involving minors may also be required to register as sex offenders. Furthermore, in some circumstances, obscenity violations involving minors may also be subject to prosecution under federal child pornography laws, which yield severe statutory penalties (For more information, see Citizen´s Guide to U.S. Federal Child Pornography Laws).

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Citizen's Guide To U.S. Federal Law On Obscenity

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18 U.S.C. § 1460- Possession with intent to sell, and sale, of obscene matter on Federal property 18 U.S.C. § 1461- Mailing obscene or crime-inciting matter 18 U.S.C. § 1462- Importation or transportation of obscene matters 18 U.S.C. § 1463- Mailing indecent matter on wrappers or envelopes 18 U.S.C.

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The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom provides confidential support during censorship challenges to library materials, services, and programs. Anyone can report censorship, even if they do not require assistance. Report censorship by filling out this online form, or contacting OIF via email: oif@ala.org.

As stated in Article III of the Library Bill of Rights,"Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment."

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.

Censorship is a change in the access status of material, based on the content of the work and made by a governing authority or its representatives. Such changes include exclusion, restriction, removal, or age/grade level changes.

Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored.

Personal Support during a Reconsideration Process

Anytime. If there are whispers of concern and you want to make sure you're on solid footing and get encouragement from a friendly voice, you can contact the Office for Intellectual Freedom. If you have a question about your current operations and want to make sure they align with best practices, you can contact us. If you witness authorities subverting the policy, you can contact us. If you want to strengthen your defense of the material and support of its inclusion in your collection and need resources, you can contact us. If a concerned adult posted a complaint on social media and you need guidance, you can contact us. If you get a call from a local reporter out of the blue and don't know how to respond, you can contact us. If your committee evaluated the material and recommended to retain it in the collection and you want to celebrate, you can contact us. If everyone in your life is tired of hearing you talk about this book challenge or you feel you have no one you can confidentially share with, you can contact us.

We get calls and emails every day and it is our priority to be available to you. Don't hesitate to email, call or fill out an online reporting form.

With such a wide spectrum of ideas and information available, it's inevitable that people will occasionally encounter resources they believe to be offensive or inappropriate. They may complain and request that such resources be removed. This page provides step-by step suggestions about how to respond.

What is your institution's policy and procedure?

​Locate your policy. Is it online? In a binder at your service desk? In your director's office? Many libraries have their policies located both within the physical building or accessible through their website. The reconsideration policy may be part of the collection development policy or instructional materials policy. If your library is part of a branch system or school district, this policy may be located at the central headquarters.

If the library receives a completed reconsideration form, the person or group designated in library policy to handle challenges should follow these guidelines from receipt to decision.

Under the best professional standards, reconsideration policies ask those charged with reviewing a challenged book to set aside their personal beliefs and evaluate the work in light of the objective standards outlined in the library's materials selection policy. Listed are some best practices for Reconsideration Committee members.

If a challenge rises to the level of an appeal, your library's reconsideration process may call for a public hearing by your governing board as part of the appeal process. If it does, the following tips may be helpful.

When appropriate, as the challenge becomes public, library and school district administrators may seek the support of local media. Informing local civic organizations of the facts and enlisting their support may counter negative, one-sided media coverage with moderate, tempered discussion.​ These tips will keep you calm and collected while you address the media about the challenge

When the reconsideration process is subverted or undermined

Sometimes the principal or library director does not follow policy and removes the challenged resource or cancels the event. If the administration refuses to follow the reconsideration process, even after discussing the legal and ethical reasons for doing so, how far should library workers go to defend the challenged resource?

This is a personal, ethical decision, and library workers must weigh all factors. If the director or principal is adamant, library workers may be forced to evaluate the risk of retaliation from their supervisor or losing a job against the merits of continuing to oppose the censorship attempt. After considering the situation carefully, they may come to acknowledge that they have done all that is possible at this time, or they may decide that taking a principled stand is worth the risk.

The reconsideration process can also be compromised if the concerned individual or group goes around the policy structure to speak directly to a higher authority such as an elected official, school superintendent, or board members. Although this does not always occur, optimally, higher authorities should be redirected to the reconsideration process and reminded of relevant policies.

Guiding Documents to Safeguard Intellectual Freedom and Prepare your Library, School or College Against Censorship

As with any public service, libraries receive complaints. One of our responsibilities is to listen in a respectful and fair manner. The complaints that library workers often worry about most are those dealing with library materials, privacy and the internet. The key to successfully handling these complaints is to be sure the library staff and the governing authorities are all knowledgeable about the complaint procedures and their implementation.

Although the Articles of the Library Bill of Rights are unambiguous statements of basic principles that should govern the service of all libraries, questions do arise concerning application of these principles to specific library practices. The interpretations are designed by the Intellectual Freedom Committee to clarify the implications and applications of the original six articles. These documents are policies of the American Library Association, having been adopted by the ALA Council.

Written by Martin Garnar and Trina Magi. Tenth Edition. Chicago: ALA Editions. 2021

If your library serves youth, you may find that you need to respond to a concerned adult such as a parent, guardian or board member about resources and services in your collection. This document is designed to help you explain how and why your library selects the resources it provides. It can also help you respond to questions and challenges about material that adults may consider inappropriate.

Updated 2022

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The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom provides confidential support during censorship challenges to library materials, services, and programs. Anyone can report censorship, even if they do not require assistance. Report censorship by filling out this online form, or contacting OIF via email: oif@ala.org.

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The Matanuska Susitna Borourgh School District (MSBSD) has proposed banning over 50 books in school libraries.

Board Votes on Committee Recommendations

Last summer, the MSBSD board commissioned a Library Cititzens Advisory Committee to review 56 titles that had been removed by the district from school library shelves. As of February 2024, the committee had reviewed 19 of the titles and made recommendations to the board. On February 21st, the board voted 6-1 to take the following actions.

Retain 12 titles in its public school libraries that the committee concluded "do not meet the elements of criminal obscentity under Alaska Law" and directed the district administration determine the age appropriateness of each title; which libraries will shelve each of these five titles, and whether to impose any restrictions. The 12 titles are Slaughterhouse Five, Persepolis, Persepolis-the Story of a Childhood, Kite Runner, Drama, Crank, Freedom Writers Diary, Nineteen Minutes, This One Summer, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Sold, The Handmaids Tale, and The Lovely Bones.

Remove 1 title from circulation that the committee concluded "meets the elements of criminal obscenity under Alaska Law". The title is It Ends With Us.

Remand 5 titles that the committee concluded "might meet the elements of criminal obscenity under Alaska Laws" to the district adminstration to make a final decision regarding whether it is obscene and/or wether to restrict access to the title. The 5 titles are Breathless, Forever, Flamer, Its Perfectly Normal, and The Bluest Eye.

It should be noted that only courts can decide what materials constitute criminal obscenity; not district administrations, school boards, or citizen committees. The lawsuit filed against the district for removing the 56 titles is scheduled for oral arguments in federal court in Anchorage on April 1st at 3pm.

Recent Updates & Additional Resources

Here are some recent updates and additional resources about the challenges happening in the public school libraries in the MatSu. Read More

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The Matanuska Susitna Borourgh School District (MSBSD) has proposed banning over 50 books in school libraries. Last summer, the MSBSD board commissioned a Library Cititzens Advisory Committee to review 56 titles that had been removed by the district from school library shelves.

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Trend 1: Censorship of Sexual Violence
Case District: West Ada School District, Idaho Takeaway: The book banning movement explicitly targets books featuring scenes or themes of sexual violence by weaponizing the concept of "obscenity." Aided by websites like Book Looks, activists seek to ban books about rape and sexual assault. In doing so, they cut off a vital lifeline for students and target books that disproportionately impact women and nonbinary authors.
For example, the trustees of the West Ada School District in Idaho voted to remove from shelves The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed in November 2023. centers three teenage girls who create a group to "resist the sexist culture at their school" after learning about another girl who was run out of town for accusing boys at school of gang rape. to the trustees in West Ada, The Nowhere Girls is a "vulgar and obscene" book that teaches teen girls to think revenge is an appropriate response to rape.

The Nowhere Girls was banned alongside at least ten other titles, including books by Sara Gruen and Sarah J. Maas. Also banned was A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard, a detailing her kidnapping, sexual abuse, and survival, as well as two books of Rupi Kaur's , which similarly deal with rape and sexual violence. Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale , a feminist dystopian novel about rape and forced birth, was also banned. When reviewing the books, the district excerpts from a website called Book Looks, which is frequently used by those who challenge books.

Like in West Ada, many have attempted to add a legal justification for their bans by characterizing specific works in schools and libraries as "obscene," a category of speech that is not protected under the First Amendment. These claims are not supported. The legal threshold for obscenity was decided by the Supreme Court in , 413 U.S. 15 (1973), which created a three-pronged test for obscenity: the so-called Miller test . To satisfy the test, a work must be "taken as a whole" and found to lack " serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value." However, to circumvent these actual legal requirements, states and districts have increasingly introduced new terms or manipulated other existing statutes instead.

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Banned in the USA utilizes snapshots to illustrate the hateful rhetoric driving book bans and the damage this movement has done to students.

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Black Caucus American Library Association

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black caucus american library association new york new york

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black caucus american library association new york

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black caucus american library association new york ny

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black caucus american library association ny

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black caucus american library association

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Black Caucus American Library Association offers opportunities to members to improve professions, libraries, and library services. Call us for more info.

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International Board on Books for Young People

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International Board on Books for Young People

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The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together. > more

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The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is a non-profit organization which represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together. > more

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Association for Library Service to Children

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Association for Library Service to Children

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Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

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Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

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AILA - American Indian Library Association

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AILA: Improving library and information services for American Indians

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"My twin sister and I were the only Muslims in our school," said author Sarah Mughal Rana.

"My daughter was told that you can't be Black and Muslim at the same time," said author Khadijah VanBrakle.

"I come from an Iraqi Shia background," said author Huda Al-Marashi. "Even in a nonfiction textbook, the only definition of us was as the radical group of Muslims."

Muslims are one of the most racially diverse religious groups in the US, but their stories are often underrepresented, misrepresented, censored, or silenced. A multiethnic panel of Muslim authors and educators gathered Sunday, June 30, at the American Library Association 2024 Annual Conference and Exhibition in San Diego for "Multitudes: The Power of Authentic & Diverse Representation in Muslim Stories," moderated by Helaire Hamilton Mitchell, youth services librarian at Redondo Beach (Ca.) Public Library.

Many of the authors in attendance said that their reason for writing was to create the works they wished they'd had as children or for their own children. "We're responding in one of two ways," said Al-Mirashi, co-author of Grounded (Harry N. Abrams, 2023). "Either we're writing directly to [current] events and the way they're impacting us, or we are trying to reclaim and assert our right to joy and to write in ways where our characters are allowed to just happen to be Muslim."

Author Rhonda Roumani feels as though she's been asked to explain things about other global Muslims since childhood, including the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, 9/11, the Iraq war, and now the war in Gaza. In recent months, she and her friends have had author talks canceled. Her book Tagging Freedom (Union Square Kids, 2023) explains the origins of the current civil war in Syria and centers on protest and revolution. "As authors, many of our organizations have not stood up for us the way they have for Ukraine and other topics and other groups in the past," she noted, adding that less than 1% of kid lit contains Arab representation or is by an Arab author. "When there is conflict, the easiest thing to do is to silence the weakest group in the room."

However, "no one has canceled any of my talks about this happy little Chinese girl in a Chinese dance costume," said Diana Ma, author of The Unbeatable Lily Hong (Clarion Books, 2024), whose main character, like Ma, is a member of the Chinese Muslim group known as the Hui. "There are some books that are being censored before they are published," she said. "There are a lot of books that we're not getting because of current events."

There's much that librarians can do to support the Muslim community and diversify their collections and personal knowledge. Don't limit Muslim stories to "diversity" units, suggested M.O. Yuksel, author of One Wish (HarperCollins, 2022), a picture book about Fatima Al-Fihri, the woman who founded the world's oldest university, which is still operating in Fez, Morocco. Including Muslim women in Women's History Month observations, for example. is particularly important to counter harmful stereotypes.

"As Muslims, we don't all speak the same language or share the same culture or even eat the same foods," said Yuksel. "We're required to be global citizens because what we don't understand, we fear, and what we fear turns into online bullying and harassment and other dehumanizing acts."

VanBrakle recalled being asked, "Is your book for Muslim teenagers?" "No," she replied. "My book is about a Muslim teenager. ... It's for all teenagers." She's found librarians who've included her book Fatima Tate Takes the Cake (Holiday House, 2023) in reading lists and programs about baking and the holidays-and thanked each one. "Of course, I have to start with 'Thank you' because they think I'm calling to complain about the list!"

Mughal Rana spoke about how her mother used food to connect with her local, majority-white community soon after 9/11, at a time when sentiment about Pakistani people was particularly charged in the US. Food helped humanize her family, a theme she wove into her book, Hope Ablaze (Wednesday Books, 2024). "I love reading books when I'm hungry because it inspires me," she said. "And I've had many readers be like, 'Oh my god, I had to Google the nearest Pakistani restaurant and order that even though it's like two hours away.' Good! Support them!"

"As a mother, all I want for my children is for them to see themselves in a joyful way," said author Natasha Khan Kazi. "My kid, like every kid, is obsessed with Santa Claus and Christmas. And I wanted him to be excited about our own heritage and culture." When her five-year-old said "I need a better book" about why we celebrate Ramadan, she took it upon herself to create that book, which became Moon's Ramadan (Versify, 2023).

"I never want a kid to come in and and not feel like they have a place," says Hamilton Mitchell. "These books help make sure that I'm able to make a place for these kids that come into my library and show them that I may not understand everything you're going through or know all of your background. But I do try to learn, and here's the place where you can even learn more about yourself and your culture."

The panelists provided a list of recently published Muslim children's and young adult books.

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Muslim Voices in Children's Literature | American Libraries Magazine

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Muslim children's authors share the stories behind their books and discuss the current publishing atmosphere at ALA Annual 2024.

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Asian Pacific American Librarians Association

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Asian Pacific American Librarians Association

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APALA - Asian Pacific American Librarians Association

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APALA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing leadership opportunities through informed dialogue that addresses the needs of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander library workers and those who serve these communities.

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The American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services awarded 2023 Spectrum Scholarships to 70 exceptional students pursuing graduate degrees in library and information studies.

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Encouraging and supporting free & equitable access to all information