by Jenna Maxman, NJLA Board Member With Read Across America swiftly approaching, the NJLA Board is highlighting stories that you can share with children in classrooms or at home. Today's choice is 24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling. This fast-paced adventure is perfect for middle grade readers. Dusti Bowling, of Insignificant Events in the Life of A Cactus fame, writes to the middle grade readers with such authenticity. She does not disappoint with her 2018 novel, 24 Hours

by Gina Schiano, NJLA Board Member With Read Across America swiftly approaching, the NJLA Board is highlighting stories that you can share with children in classrooms or at home. Here's today's selection, Thank You, Omu by Oge Mora. This picture book is a Caldecott Honor and inspired by the strong women in the author's life. MMMMMM…..what could possibly smell so delicious? Following the scrumptious smell of simmering stew, people from all over the neighborhood come one by one

by Ken Kunz, NJLA Board Member With Read Across America swiftly approaching, the NJLA Board is highlighting stories that you can share with children in classrooms or at home. Here's our latest pick, Living with Viola by Rosena Fung. In this amazing graphic novel you will meet Livy, a main character who is ready to start at her new middle school, but always feeling anxious and tormented by Viola, the shadowy voice of negativity in her head. Readers will be drawn to this graph

by Susan Dougherty, NJLA Board Member With Read Across America swiftly approaching, the NJLA Board is highlighting stories that you can share with children in classrooms or at home. Here's our next pick, History Smashers: Plagues & Pandemics by Kate Messner. We hope you check it out! The newest book in the History Smashers series is….drumroll…Plagues and Pandemics. This nonfiction text, like the others in the series, which cover topics like the American Revolution, the Titan

by Maureen Hall, NJLA Vice President With Read Across America swiftly approaching, the NJLA Board is highlighting stories that you can share with children in classrooms or at home. Here's our next pick, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. It is a fun story to read. A world-famous maker of games designs a town library, inviting several young people to an overnight lock-in at the library on its opening night. The chosen students will work to earn their w

by Susan Dougherty, NJLA Board Member With Read Across America swiftly approaching, the NJLA Board is highlighting stories that you can share with children in classrooms or at home. Here's our second pick, A Sled for Gabo by Emma Otheguy. It's a wonderful story for winter. Newly arrived in town, Gabo and his family are not quite ready for the snow that falls and brings children out to the sledding hill. Gabo is much too shy to ask them for a turn on their sleds. But, before l

by Nicole Mancini, NJLA President With Read Across America swiftly approaching, the NJLA Board is highlighting stories that you can share with children in classrooms or at home. Here's our first pick, Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang. It's a favorite of mine and sure to become one of yours. Kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy this tale of Momofuku Ando and the creation of one of the world’s most popular foods. After Momofuku saw long lines for a simp

by Nicole Mancini, NJLA President Read Across America is coming up! Since 1998, educators around the country have amplified the importance of reading on March 2. Librarians, parents, actors, grandparents, athletes, and political officials get in on the fun by visiting schools, issuing reading challenges, participating in local events, reading aloud to students, and even making proclamations and floor statements. It truly is a celebration of reading! Here at NJLA, we know how

by Shalonda Archibald, NJLA Board Member We live life forward and learn it backward. This sentiment is so true, and, as I move through the years, I recognize more and more how fleeting life is. In looking back over my life, I’ve learned that I’ve lived nearly my entire life on high speed, fast forward, overdrive, go go go mode. Practically my entire identity was laid out in me doing this or doing that. I see now that I was moving on a fast-paced train to unfulfillment, bu