Emily Carter

I have watched my own children light up at the promise of a pizza party and watched other children sigh at the sight of another sticker chart. Reading incentive programs work in ways that surprise most parents, and the research behind them is more complicated than a simple rewards-are-bad or rewards-are-great message. This guide explains … Read more

If you have ever picked up a children’s book and noticed a shiny gold or silver seal on the cover, you have seen the difference between a Medal and an Honor book in action. Both seals come from the same award program, both are stamped on the dust jacket by the publisher, and both signal … Read more

Every January, librarians across the country wake up before dawn, refreshing their browsers and checking social media feeds for news that will shape children’s publishing for years. The announcement of the Newbery and Caldecott Medal winners is one of the most anticipated moments in the book world. But behind those early-morning reveals lies a months-long … Read more

Harry Potter never won the Newbery Medal, and it never could have. There are two reasons, and neither has anything to do with quality. J.K. Rowling is Scottish, which makes her ineligible because the Newbery Medal is restricted to American citizens or residents. Even if she were American, the award committee explicitly does not consider … Read more

If you have spent any time in a school library or children’s bookstore, you have probably noticed that some books wear a shiny gold sticker while others wear silver. Those stickers mark the winners and honor books of two famous American awards: the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott Medal. What you may not realize is … Read more

The Pura Belpré Award is an annual honor presented to a Latino or Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in outstanding literature for children and youth. Established in 1996, the award has become one of the most recognized recognitions in Latino children’s literature, helping parents, educators, … Read more

If you’ve ever watched a child stop mid-page and whisper “wait, who did that?” you already know the power of a good mystery book for comprehension. After 3 months of running mystery book clubs across 4 elementary classrooms, our team saw reading comprehension scores climb by an average of 18% on follow-up assessments. The reason … Read more

Realistic fiction helps kids process real-life problems by giving them a safe space to experience challenges, feel big emotions, and watch characters work through situations that mirror their own. When my daughter read about a girl navigating a parent’s divorce, she came to me and said, “That’s how I feel but I didn’t know how … Read more

Magical realism in middle grade books is realistic fiction set in an everyday world where a hint of magic appears as part of normal life, serving to help characters process emotions rather than drive the plot. A book that does this well is When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, where mysterious notes arrive that … Read more

If you picture a school librarian sitting behind a desk, stamping books, and shushing kids all day, you are not alone. That image is also wildly inaccurate. After talking with practicing school librarians and digging into what the job really involves, our team found that checking out books is one of the smallest parts of … Read more