Attend a virtual music festival this summer
By the LJ and SLJ Editors
Music lovers may be disappointed that many concerts and long-running festivals are canceled this year, but fans of all ages can still enjoy their favorite singers, bands, and orchestras online. This week, we round up some of the most exciting upcoming and ongoing virtual music events, from classical to hip-hop to jazz to family sing-alongs.

 

It is also a week of deep reflection and remembrance. We look back at the life and legacy of civil rights icon and American hero Rep. John Lewis, including his National Book Award–winning graphic novel series and his stirring keynote speech at SLJ's 2016 Leadership Summit. Children, parents, and educators around the world also mourn the loss of Joanna Cole, the beloved creator of the "Magic School Bus" series, whose delightful picture books made science fun for generations of youngsters.

 

We also examine the publishing year so far, identifying the top five most buzzed-about titles likely to wind up on 2020 best-of-the-year lists. Readers seeking even more summer inspiration will want to check out the list of over 50 works of fiction recommended by the American Library Association.

 

On Twitter? Love to chat about books? Join us tomorrow for the launch of our first in a series of online chats about Curtis Sittenfeld's Rodham, an inventive work of alternative history that ponders what Hillary Rodham's life and career would have looked like had she not married Bill Clinton. Use the hashtag #LJReadsRodham to join the conversation at any time. The series will conclude with a Zoom chat with Sittenfeld on Aug. 11. Participants will have the opportunity to submit questions via Twitter or Zoom.

Tune In to a Virtual Concert This Summer
By Melanie Kletter
Summer is the season when music lovers usually head to festivals and outdoor concerts, but with venues closed because of the ongoing pandemic, musicians are adapting their events and virtually sharing their tunes. Here are some of the summer’s best online music events and digital festivals. 

Top Summer Reads: 56 New and Favorite Titles Across the Fiction Genres
By ALA RUSA CODES Reading List Council Members
The American Library Association (ALA) RUSA CODES Reading List Council Members offer recommendations across eight genres, including fantasy, historical fiction, horror, romance, science fiction, and more.

Buzz-worthy Books of the Week

• Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism by Anne Applebaum
• The Unidentified: Mythical Monsters, Alien Encounters, and Our Obsession with the Unexplained by Colin Dickey
• The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
• The Perfect Father: The True Story of Chris Watts, His All-American Family, and a Shocking Murder by John Glatt
• The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

“Read, My Child, Read!” | Remembering John Lewis
By Kathy Ishizuka
“He taught me that it is OK to get into ‘good trouble,’ and we all have a moral obligation to speak up and fight against injustices,” says school librarian K.C. Boyd. We remember Rep. John Lewis, including his full address at the 2016 SLJ Leadership Summit.

5 Novels That Celebrate and Center Women's Experiences
By Neal Wyatt
March was both National Reading Month and Women’s History Month, but celebrating works by women should be a year-round venture. Here are five selections to add to your end-of-summer reading lists. 

Considering a Career in Library and Information Services? Here's a starter guide to the nine major kinds of librarianship.
By Jennifer A. Dixon
As the field expands to include work with a wide range of physical and electronic materials, resources, and data, the question “What is a librarian?” does not have an easy answer. Prerequisites for any librarian job include curiosity and a desire to help expand others’ knowledge. But a satisfying library career may take many forms.

Friends, Collaborators Remember "Magic School Bus" Author Joanna Cole
By SLJ Staff
Joanna Cole made science fun for millions of young readers. The author of "The Magic School Bus" series died this past Sunday at age 75.

5 of the Best Books of 2020 (So Far)
By Neal Wyatt
From N.K. Jemisin's NYC-set fantasy to Brandon Taylor's searing debut, these are the books on everyone's list of must-read 2020 titles.

Adorable in Spanish or English: 25 Bilingual Board Books
By Shelley M. Diaz
Summer means slowing down, unless you're a baby! These bilingual board books will ensure that the youngest preliterate children learn to fall in love with books, by turning the pages, seeing what's next, and finding faces like theirs in the pages.

Join #LJReads for a Twitter Discussion of Rodham
By LJ Staff
LJ launches our first-ever online book club tomorrow. Beginning at 3 p.m. ET on Twitter, we'll be discussing and asking questions about the first section of Curtis Sittenfeld's Rodham. Follow @libraryjournal and use the hashtag #LJReadsRodham to participate. Future online Twitter chats will be held on Jul. 29 and Aug. 5, culminating with an interactive Zoom webinar with the author on Aug. 11.

Virtual Events Calendar: SLJ’s Eclectic Roundup of Weekly Book-ish Things
By Kimberly Olson Fakih
Grace Lin is teaching children to draw on YouTube, Ashley Bryan celebrates his 97th birthday, and Holiday House Summer Camp, Pirate Camp, and other reimagined summerscapes join our lineup in the virtual space—take a look at our continuously updated calendar of events.