Endlessly Ever After by Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat

Ever since the arrival in my library of Endlessly Ever After by Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat, I’ve looked forward to featuring it as a read-aloud. It features choose-your-own-adventure storytelling similar to the mass-market books I used to devour as a young person: except that Endlessly Ever After is a beautiful example of the picture-book format with its lavish, full-color, and evocative illustrations. This week, I debuted it with my school’s two third-grade classes; each class experienced a very different outcome as determined by the choices they voted upon each step along the way. Endlessly Ever After was the winner, in 2026, of the California Young Reader Medal in its “Primary” category.

Don’t comply with censorship in advance

In his recently published short book of essays, Mac Barnett emphasized the importance of children finding their experiences and emotions reflected in the stories they read. His observation was made against a backdrop of ever-increasing attempts to remove books from libraries that disproportionately target books by authors of color and authors who are LGBTQIA+. I’m concerned by proposed federal legislation, H.R. 7661, that would essentially act as a national book ban. It’s important that librarians and educators not comply with censorship in advance. It’s also important that literary reviewers and critics don’t inadvertently give censors the tools with which to ban more books.
https://youtu.be/_Ux9uvH5eiQ

Recent arrivals in SRCSA library: Books with YA appeal

I recently accepted an invitation to select books from the library of a local middle school that is slated to close. It was a great opportunity to add books to SRCSA library that might appeal to our sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students. Here the books are, on a cart in my library workroom: where I’ve been updating their records in our online catalog and adding/updating physical labeling to get the books ready for use.
https://youtu.be/y_tzKObjXOw

Gender-inclusive bathrooms at Berkeley Public Library

I just posted a review on Google Maps for the Berkeley Public Library, about a feature at the downtown library that felt particularly welcoming. And that was, in addition to offering gendered bathrooms, this library gives patrons the OPTION of using gender-inclusive bathrooms.

CYRM: Winners in 2026

As part of curating a library collection that appeals to reader interests, I make a point of following official results for my state’s reader’s choice award. These are books that won a popular vote among young people choosing their “favorites.” Among recent arrivals to SRCSA library, here are the winners, for 2026, of the California Young Reader Medal.
https://youtu.be/mcV9gfBpkQc