I get requests for help finding books on a wide array of topics and for a wide range of audiences. I will do my best to offer some titles, but more often that not, I will point them to lists and other resources.

Here is one new list: books from 2015 written and/or illustrated by black book creators. What a wonderful resource to have at hand:

http://justusbooks.blogspot.com/2016/03/best-childrens-ya-books-of-2015-written_21.html

Lists from ALA and NCTE and ILA are good starting points as well. Not all lists are created equal, though, so a caveat.

1. Know who is creating said lists. It is a simple matter to pull lists together. I want to know the credentials of the person or people creating the list.

2. Are these lists curated? I have seen loads of lists of best books for kids that have not changed one title, no additions or deletions, for decades. Lists, like other collections, need to be weeded, too.

3. READ THE BOOKS on the list you are considering. ONE FINE SUMMER won a Caldecott Honor and more than one elementary library purchased the books because...Caldecott. This GN, however, is not one that will appeal to the younger end of the elementary school readership.

TGIF, folks. Today I listen to Rita Williams-Garcia and George O'Connor talk about their craft. Their books appear on quite a few lists, too.

A quick BSP: take a look at the You Tube channel Karin Perry and I have created here:

http://bit.ly/pppd2016