Marcia Kochel

Thank you for recognizing the gap and offering suggested books for young teens. We welcome younger YA books, especially murder mysteries, horror &humor! sites.prh.com/pyrmiddlesch... @penguinschoollib.bsky.social @penguinteen.bsky.social #youngteenlit #yalit #tlsky @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social

I think a big reason that middle grade is struggling is that it tries, often unsuccessfully, to meet the needs of too wide an age range. Let’s let middle grade be unabashedly for 8-12 year olds and give us #youngteenlit for our 12-15 year olds #tlsky #mglit

Is it #youngteenlit?

Taylor Swift + middle school books — once you start making the connections you just can’t stop #youngteenlit #taylorswift #tlsky #middleschoollibrary

Good news!

Book cover The Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang

Nonfiction roundup: Beautiful moving story about the immigrant experience. Read it to kids of all ages to build empathy, read it with language learners and they will feel seen. This should have won all the awards #tlsky #kidlit #hmong #immigration @kaokaliayang.bsky.social @lernerbooks.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: What is Color is a favorite of 2024. This dive into color is like nothing I’ve ever read—jam packed with art and fun facts and snarky jokes. It’s like Robin Williams wrote a book about art #youngteenlit #mglit #tlsky #booksky #nonfiction @stevendraws.bsky.social

For your mature 14-16 yr olds: PROMISE BOYS and UP IN SMOKE by Nick Brooks. Short chapters, multiple voices. Page-turning whodunits with 16 yr olds trying to prove a friend's innocence in the death of their principal (PB)/a woman at a BLM rally (UiS). CW👇 #youngteenlit
@henryholtbooks.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: 3 outstanding #nonfiction picture books from 2024. Spectacular writing and illustrations, respectful of kids, unique storytelling #tlsky #booksky @authorjasonchin.bsky.social @lesliebarnardbooth.bsky.social @simonkids.bsky.social

Thinking of you and all Texas school librarians. I would love to hear how you manage collection development this year

Spying on Spies also fits in. Female code breakers are amazing! @marissamosswriter.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: compelling account of the Mt St Helens eruption backed by so much research. Great example of #nonfiction for young teens—fast-paced, death & destruction + survival & scientific advancement (cover=young but text is #youngteenlit) #booksky @rebeccaefbarone.bsky.social #mglit

Nonfiction roundup: this book sounds silly, but it documents an incredible connection between the first airplane flight and current exploration on Mars. History, STEM, science & a great read aloud! #tlchat #nonfiction #booksky @littlebrown.bsky.social @littlebrownyr.bsky.social

YES!!!

Nonfiction roundup: I loved One Long Line by @loreegriffinburns.bsky.social Who knew that marching caterpillars could be so compelling? It’s really about how science builds on past knowledge. K-6 libraries should absolutely buy it #tlsky #nonfiction #booksky #mglit @candlewickpress.bsky.social

I learned so much from Power to the Parasites by Chelsea Wood. Underneath its funny tone, there’s a lot of great science that kids will love. Gross and fascinating! #mglit #tlsky #booksky @henryholtbooks.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: Radar and the Raft by Jeff Lantos is a gripping survival story. It’s also about scientific achievement, but I was there for learning how the Bell family survived a torpedo by a German U-boat. Highly recommended for teens #tlsky #youngteenlit #booksky @charlesbridge.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: if you haven’t read The Enigma Girls by Candace Fleming, go read it now. It’s an incredible World War II story about teenage girls in Britain who helped win the war by cracking codes. It’s a well-told story backed by fastidious research #youngteenlit #nonfiction #tlsky #booksky

Nonfiction roundup: The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival is a real gem. I’m recommending this book to everyone I know from middle school on up. Don’t miss this unforgettable graphic novel #tlsky #nonfiction #youngteenlit @melaniekoss.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: Let’s Learn to Fish by Dan Armitage is an excellent how-to book for young readers. It’s hard to find fishing books for school libraries and this one is awesome for kids up through 6th grade! Gorgeous color photos throughout #tlsky #kidlit #mglit #nonfiction @balibra76.bsky.social

Nonfiction roundup: Urban Coyotes by Mary Kay Carson from the Scientists in the Field series gave me a fascinating look at how coyotes survive in big cities & why they are actually good to have around. Fascinating for adults as well as kids! #tlsky #mglit #nonfiction @clarionbooks.bsky.social

Summer reading round up: loved this book’s emphasis on choice and reading for pleasure and can’t wait to use the Book Head Heart questions with my middle school book clubs. Thank you @amybrownlee93.bsky.social for your post teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/05/01/h... #tlsky #schoollibrarians #bookjoy

Don’t miss this important conversation with #itstimeforyoungteenlit founding #librarians of @youngteenlit.bsky.social #youngteenlit

@overbooked.bsky.social and I share how we started the Young Teen Lit movement in this podcast episode with @slupodcast.bsky.social. Tune in to learn how you can find #youngteenlit books and how you can support our movement.
#itstimeforyoungteenlit #skybrarians #tlsky #skybrarian #mglit #yalit

Nice sound clip!@medialoguer.bsky.social

Honored to be back on the podcast, this time with @overbooked.bsky.social to talk about our advocacy for #youngteenlit. 12-15 year olds deserve books, too!
#itstimeforyoungteenlit
#tlsky
#skybrarians

Love the focus on leadership! I'm advocating for a new publishing category that serves the forgotten kids ages 12-15. Together with @medialoguer.bsky.social we are writing, podcasting, and talking with stakeholders trying to make a change. #youngteenlit bit.ly/4f4NRot

screen shot of book blog showing new posts about the books A World Worth Saving and Death in the Jungle

I have an old-school book blog where I have been writing about middle school books for YEARS. Lots of #youngteenlit here. Catching up on new books this week. Yes, I probably need a new home for this content (suggestions welcome), but this does help me remember what I've read #tlsky bit.ly/3IGvOcl

The News Literacy Project is an essential resource for schools and libraries ❤️ I especially love their "Daily Do Now" slide deck with news literacy mini lessons updated every week--easy to slip something into every library lesson and book talk that I do all year long bit.ly/46pCKnX #tlsky

Excellent food for thought as we start a new school year--touching on one of my favorite aspects of being a school librarian. "How can we help the students whose gifts are not served by traditional academic coursework feel seen and thrive?" #tlsky