Oh MG News

Reasons and Resources for Reading in June

By on June 3, 2025   /   Oh MG News  
person reading while sitting on a stack of books

June has arrived, a month with many great reasons to read. This edition of OhMG News provides resources to help you find some June-tastic middle grade books!

Rainbow flag representing Pride Month

Pride Month: LGBTQ Reads

First of all, June is Pride Month. Sharing books is a great way to recognize the contributions and promote the visibility of the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ Reads is a go-to resource for showcasing and sharing LGBTQ+ literature. Their middle grade selections can be searched by characters, age, state, or theme, and they even have a book list dedicated to kids with queer parents.

Does your middle grade reader like solving mysteries? Maybe they’ll enjoy Drew Laclair Gets a Clue by Katlyn Bury. Is your reader into sports? Try Crushing It by Erin Becker. Maybe you’d like to help normalize same-sex parents through representation in books. Check out Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea by Ashley Herring Blake. These are just a few of the selections found on this site.

 

people holding signs in support of immigrants

National Immigrant Heritage Month: New York Historical

Perhaps a lesser known fact is that June is also National Immigrant Heritage Month. Are you looking for a way to combat hateful messages and teach kids about the contributions of immigrants? Would you like to find inspiring kids’ fiction centering around characters who are immigrants? The New York Historical Society Museum and Library is ready to help.

As part of a book club project, this group has put together a suggested reading list of middle grade literature that portrays the immigrant experience. This list includes award-winning fiction like Enrique Flores-Galbis’s 90 Miles to Havana and empathy-building stories like Donna Jo Napoli’s The King of Mulberry Street. Check out these and other great books on New York Historical’s list.

 

globe surrounded by handprints to represent world refugee day

World Refugee Day: The Hornbook

It is also significant to note that June 20 is World Refugee Day. The Hornbook has created a list of suggested middle grade books to commemorate this occasion. Set in 1961, Cuba in My Pocket by Adrianna Cuevas chronicles the experience of a Cuban boy’s separation from loved ones and adjustment to life in Miami. Orange for the Sunsets by Tina Athaide tells the story of 12-year-old best friends torn apart by the Indian expulsion period in 1972 Uganda. Find these and other meaningful middle grade books on The Hornbook’s list.

 

boy wearing headphones

Audiobook Appreciation Month: Libro.fm

Finally, June is also Audiobook Appreciation Month. Yes, listening is reading, and Libro.fm’s middle grade library is filled with listen-worthy books. Looking for suspense? Try In the Shadow of the Dark Watchers by L.A. Harvey. Interested in reading the book before seeing the movie? Listen to the The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.

Whether listening individually or sharing an audiobook on long car rides, Libro.fm has some great middle grade selections available. And what better time to enjoy them than Audiobook Appreciation Month?

 

Start summer off with some great middle grade books that raise awareness, provide entertainment, and help promote a more tolerant and inclusive world!

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The Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2024

By on May 1, 2025   /   Oh MG News  

Unfortunately, access to books is still under serious threat in the U.S. as the American Library Association’s (ALA) annual report on the state of the nation’s libraries makes all too clear. The ALA reports that in 2024, a staggering 2,452 unique book titles were challenged, which is the third-highest number ever documented by ALA. For comparison, from 2001-2020, the annual average books challenged was 273 unique titles.

Censorship of books by the numbers, according to the American Library Association

Publishers Weekly writes that “the most common reasons for challenges were claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; and dealing with topics of race, racism, inclusivity, equity and social justice.” The ALA says that the majority of book ban campaigns — nearly 3 out of 4 — are led by pressure groups or government sources.

For more insights, read the ALA’s State of American Libraries 2024 Snapshot and make your calendars for Banned Books Week 2025 October 5-11, 2025 to help support access to reading for all readers. 

The Top 10 most challenged books of 2024

1. All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson

2. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

3. (Tie) The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

3. (Tie) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

5. Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Top 10 banned books of 2024

6. (Tie) Looking for Alaska by John Green

6. (Tie) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

8. (Tie) Crank by Ellen Hopkins

8. (Tie) Sold by Patricia McCormick

10. Flamer by Mike Curato

 

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Celebrate School Library Month

By on April 1, 2025   /   Oh MG News  
AALS School Library Month Logo with OMG

The month of April is known for many things. It’s National Poetry Month, of course. And it’s also American Heart Month, National Garden Month, National Autism Awareness Month, and National Financial Literacy Month. But guess what else it is…. April is School Library Month, and the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) encourages us all to join them in both celebration and advocacy.

The idea for School Library Month originated in 1983 with Lucille Thomas, who was appointed to spearhead the School Library Month Committee by then AALS president, Judy King. The idea became a reality on April 1, 1985, which means that this year we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of School Library Month.

Our support for school libraries and librarians is more important now than ever. In many schools, libraries are under attack, librarians are being defamed, and books are being removed from shelves. It’s a critical time to be an advocate for the right to read, access to books, and the vital role played by school librarians.

AASL provides lots of free resources to help you promote School Library Month in your area. They offer an editable Canva infographic that allows you to share data from your own school library. They also provide access to proclamations made by various local officials that can be downloaded for use in your observance. 

Additionally, there are toolkits to assist administrators and other school library advocates in supporting their libraries and librarians. Administrators can learn about the AASL Standards and the strong correlation between school libraries and student achievement. Teachers, students, and parents can download templates for thank-you cards or read about ways to establish Secret Library Pals.

AASL also provides a downloadable copy of the Declaration for the Right to School Libraries. The first page identifies specific attributes of value that libraries contribute to our school communities – empowering individuals, supporting literacy, and preserving our nation’s cultural history, just to name a few. The second page allows space for school communities to create their own declarations.

Within the month of April, several related events are also identified on AASL site:

National Library Week is an annual celebration highlighting the valuable role libraries, librarians, and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening our communities.

For #RightToReadDay, we’re asked to celebrate — and defend — the freedoms that are found in our libraries!

NLWD is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.

National Library Outreach Day (formally National Bookmobile Day) celebrates library outreach and the dedicated library professionals who are meeting their patrons where they are.

Take Action for Libraries Day is a day to rally advocates to support libraries.

Now more than ever, it’s time to be an advocate for school libraries and school librarians. It’s easy to feel discouraged by book challenges and book bans. However, April delivers the opportunity to harness some springtime invigoration and show our support for school libraries and school librarians.

After all, in addition to being School Library Month, April is also the National Month of Hope.

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