Oh MG News

October 4-10 is Banned Books Week!

By on October 1, 2026   /   Oh MG News   /   Leave a comment
Red book wrapped in yellow caution tape that says "Banned Books Week"

“Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read.” That’s the theme of this year’s Banned Books Week. A joint effort by the American Library Association (ALA) and the Banned Books Week Coalition, this annual week of focus provides the opportunity to make a bold, collective statement about the freedom to read. 

 

This year’s campaign features three separate illustrations that highlight the importance of libraries. According to the ALA, award-winning illustrators Hyesu Lee, Loveis Wise, and Mikey Burton created artwork that “embraces joy and creativity as acts of resilience, reminding our communities that a handful of people running organized censorship campaigns should not be allowed to dictate what the rest of us can read.” Posters and other promotional materials are available from the ALA Store.

Three posters that represent Banned Books Week 2026

Two award-winning authors have been selected to headline this year’s event:  Bess Kalb (Buffalo Fluffalo series) and Tony Weaver, Jr. (Weirdo). Joining them will be youth honorary chairs Marshall Romero and Azeemah Sadiq.  

Why does this issue matter?

In the 2024-2025 school year, Pen America recorded 6,870 instances of book bans. These bans have occurred in 23 states and 87 public school districts, affecting “the works of 2,308 authors, 243 illustrators, and 38 translators.”

Book bans exploit fears and pose a threat to First Amendment rights. Books that are most often challenged tend to feature Black and LGBTQ+ characters. They deny access, limit choice, and stigmatize literature at a time when we are seeing notable declines in students’ reading proficiency and time spent reading.

Essential Resources:

Red book cover by yellow tape, text "Banned Books Week"

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Publishers Working to Stop the “Decline by 9”

By on September 1, 2026   /   Articles, Oh MG News  

As recently covered in the fascinating Vox article “The promising race to get kids reading again” by Constance Grady, kids read and read and read up until about age 9, when they drop off a reading cliff.

Frequency with which children read books for fun via Scholastic.com

Via Scholastic.com

There are plenty of theories for this, as outlined by Grady, including:

  • Middle-grade books getting too long, due in part to the success of the billion-page-long Harry Potter series.
  • Kids having less free time to sit and read because they are more scheduled than earlier generations.
  • Covid-19 threw off reading habits, along with access to libraries and books in school.
  • Potential readers putting down books and picking up phones, tablets, and video game consoles.

The good news is that publishers are aware of this, and are actively working to address this huge issue by offering up more illustrated titles, graphic novels, and shorter-length books as well as making sure there are light, breezy, funny options for readers who may still want to read, but aren’t sure they want to crack open the #kidlit version of War and Peace.

Keeping people of all ages engaged in reading is of vital importance.

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The Shifting Landscape of Literary Agents

By on August 2, 2026   /   Oh MG News  
American Association of Literary Agents logo

The Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) has revised its Canon of Ethics, with changes set to take place September 1, 2026.

 

Significant Changes to Note

 

While agents still may not charge a client for editorial work done to prepare a manuscript for submission, other avenues of generating revenue have opened up. As reported by medium.com, agents can now “offer clients paid services, such as marketing, publicity, web design, and, in some circumstances, editorial services, as long as representation is not contingent on purchasing those services.”

 

A significant change to the Canon, while not encouraging agents to act as publishers, allows agents to enter into publishing agreements with clients if consent is given. As rationale for this change, AALA states the following:

 

“As self-publishing and hybrid publishing continue to gain popularity and traction, and both indie and mainstream publishers find new ways to collaborate with agents, AALA members are more often being asked to help clients get their work published in non-traditional ways.” 

 

What do these changes mean for authors?

 

Industry expert Jane Friedman discusses catalysts for these changes and concerns she has about their implementation in her July 29 post, “Agent Business Models May Be Shifting: What I Fear Will Happen.”  

 

Friedman acknowledges that the agents are under pressure. The field has exploded in growth, with more people “taking up agenting as a side gig” and many industry professionals taking on agenting roles. As a result, editors are overwhelmed with submissions, and response times are lagging. The shifting landscape has made agenting an often financially unstable endeavor.

 

However, changes to AALA’s Canon of Ethics raise concerns for Friedman, including referral fees, potential conflicts of interest, subtle pressure tactics, and a “power imbalance in the author-agent relationship.” Her detailed article, linked above, is thorough and offers specific advice to authors before they sign any contracts.

 

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