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Do not wait until November, of course, to start reading Indigenous picture books. I fell into this habit as a new librarian, excited to ditch my outdated, whitewashed Thanksgiving books and share the wealth of Indigenous stories I had searched up. But we live on Native land all year long, and we should be sharing their stories without pause. Students need to understand that American Indians are infinitely more than a prop in a Thanksgiving show, and see how Native people are still (despite settler-inflicted trauma) thriving in our communities in modern times....

Happily This Christmas is the heartfelt story of two neighbors in Happily Inc who become close friends, supporting one another through the ups and downs of single parenthood at Christmas. 9 Winter Fantasy Books If you’re looking for more winter fantasy books, check out these long reads perfect for cold days, these feel-good fantasy novels, and this list of newer fantasy novels.

TBR is Book Riot’s subscription service offering Tailored Book Recommendations for readers of all stripes. Been dreaming of a “Stitch Fix for books?” Now it’s here! Tell TBR about your reading preferences and what you’re looking for, and sit back while your Bibliologist handpicks recommendations just for you. TBR offers plans to receive hardcover books in the mail or recommendations by email, so there’s an option for every budget. Visit mytbr....

The Rising Accessibility of Theater I’m going to be honest: I spent many years of high school and college scampering around backstage areas as part of a stage crew, and yet I still tend to consider theater one of the least accessible forms of art. Besides the obvious cost of tickets, there’s the commitment of traveling to the location where it’s being performed, the culture baggage that can surround such places, and the fact that, outside of major cities, many places are limited in the number of shows they can offer per year....

Children’s Books About Whales If you have a young reader in your life who loves whales, there are plenty of choices to capture their interest. From picture books to adventure stories, dip your toes into this list of whale tales. The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera Set in New Zealand, The Whale Rider tells the story of 8-year-old Kahu, the great-granddaughter of a chief who, with the help of the titular whale rider, learns to communicate with whales and proves that she’s as good as the boys of her tribe....

The removal of these titles follows on the heels of Facebook’s decision to avoid promoting (but not to remove) content containing “vaccine hoaxes” from their site and YouTube’s demonetization of anti-vaccination videos.

Anne of Green Gables is one of those books I’d heard a lot about off and on over the years, but I just hadn’t gotten around to reading it yet. I picked it up along with Little Women, another classic I’d never gotten to. For a few glorious weeks in September, I read them both back to back. About 20 pages in, I fell in love with Anne Shirley, the fierce redhead orphan who hates her hair color but loves just about everything else....

Is this award new to you? I introduced the award and the longlists earlier this spring here in case you’re curious, but tl;dr the Best Translated Book Award is one of the most interesting and diverse book awards out there and these shortlists are no exception! The winners will be announced on May 29th as part of the New York Rights Fair. They will also be announced at The Millions....

Toby Price, an assistant principal at Gary Road Elementary School in Byram, Mississippi–just outside Jackson–was asked to set up a class via Zoom. When his boss, the principal, didn’t show up to the class as was planned, Price was told to read them a book. He picked I Need a New Butt by Dawn McMillan. The book, Price said, was one of his favorites to share because it’s silly. In a previous school, he read it aloud several times with no complaints....

I feel like I’ve been reading books for as long as my arm muscles could support them, and there have been very few occasions where I’ve found a character I can truly relate to. I gravitated towards books and knowledge very early on—being an introverted only child was the perfect atmosphere for reading—and those books became my armor as I started to grow up and realize that not everyone takes books, reading, and knowledge as seriously as I always have....

Beside my office desk is a series of three bee prints from a local shop, and bees can be seen throughout other home decor, too. It’s only natural that bee fascination carries on through bookish goods, too. There are plenty of amazing notebooks, bookmarks, bookends, and more all featuring the delightful bee in all its glory. These literary gifts for bee fanatics come at a range of prices. Treat yourself to a buzz of a new good for your reading life....

The 15 Best Online Book Clubs to Join in 2020 Book Riot Insiders Epic Quarterly Read Book Riot’s very own Epic Quarterly Read for Insiders is one of the best online book clubs starting up in 2020. Here’s how it works. Every quarter, Book Riot Insiders will vote for a book that will satisfy a Book Riot Read Harder 2020 task. Then everyone will read along together, with page goals, discussion questions, and food for thought provided by that quarter’s discussion leader from the Book Riot staff....

The most popular self-help books, as assessed by monthly search traffic, is a mix of some expected titles, some perennial bestsellers, and some titles that have gained notoriety within various circles (The Secret and The Four Agreements, for example, land on lists for those with an interest in spirituality; Who Moved My Cheese and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are classics in the business world and readily accessible at airports; Jordan Peterson remains a staple among “men’s rights” “activists”)....

I don’t care. I think paperweights cool. They’re vintage and fun and they’re great for self-defense. My collection is vast and odd. I obtained most pieces for a paltry $1.50–$2.99, depending on whether their stickers bore half-off-colors that day at Goodwill or not. In other words: they were practically free. Because they have no function, though—other than being glorious glass or acrylic balls of wonder—I’ve taken to either spreading them across my desk at work or pairing them at home with books that they resemble, with the result that my paperweights have found a second functional life: they’re ART, dahling....

Let’s Be Weird Together: A Book About Love is co-written and illustrated by Brooke Barker, creator of the New York Times bestselling book and Instagram account Sad Animal Facts, and her husband Boaz Frankel. When the two met, they discovered that not only do they bring out the best in each other, but also the very weirdest parts. A rare relationship book that every couple will relate to, Let’s Be Weird Together celebrates the peculiar habits, traditions, and inside jokes that make every relationship unique....

Sanrio® and Oni Press join forces to bring the hit animated series Aggretsuko and Gudetama to comics! Aggretsuko: Metal to the Max stars Retsuko the Red Panda, a young office worker stuck in a thankless job, whose only stress release is singing heavy metal at the local karaoke joint. Can she ever find the job satisfaction she craves—not to mention the approval of her mother, and even…love?!Everyone’s favorite apathetic egg has the humorous solution to love life woes in Gudetama: Love for the Lazy and returns to offer more life advice in Gudetama: Adulting for the Lazy....

Book Riot is teaming up with BookClubbish to giveaway a copy of NEVER SAW ME COMING by Vera Kurian and a $100 gift card to Bookshop.org to one lucky winner. Simply fill out the form and subscribe to the BookClubbish newsletter for a chance to win! Spooky Season Bookmark Set ($10+): These cute and spooky bookmarks are perfect for whatever you’re in the mood to read this fall! Reading Cheetah Sticker ($4): This sticker has Lisa Frank, but grown up and into books vibes....

Although there are several right-wing groups eager to implement movie-style book ratings to library titles, the reality is, book rating systems are an exercise in futility and bias. Julia Rittenberg does an outstanding job explaining why book rating systems would not work, and in addition, I recommend tuning into a recent episode of the You’re Wrong About podcast that delves into the history of the movie rating system and how easily bought, subverted, and problematic it has been....

Today’s edition of kids’ book deals is sponsored by Albert Whitman & Co. 

Today’s edition of kids’ book deals is sponsored by The Midnight Children by Dan Gemeinhart