Summertime is science time
By the editors of LJ and SLJ
With summer officially here, online schools finished for the year, and many camps and other recreational activity centers still closed or providng only limited services, families with kids are likely looking for entertaining and, ideally, educational activities to stay busy and engaged. This week, we offer a roundup of some of the best online resources for exploring science topics at home—from virtual dinosaur exhibits to kitchen chemistry experiments to an astronaut's view from inside the International Space Station. 

 

We also continue our series of curated summer reading lists for kids and teens, with a spotlight on some of our favorite graphic novels—a terrific format that not only helps build vocabulary and traditional literacy skills but also challenges our brains by strengthening visual literacy skills through the wonders of sequential art and design.

 

Last week we suggested tips on throwing a dynamite Zoom party. This week, we offer a deeper dive into Zoom's settings to ensure a safe and efficient event, whether you're hosting a work meeting or a trivia night.

Summer Science Resources for Families
By Melanie Kletter
Tackling a science project or exploring a science museum (virtually, of course) can help your child beat boredom and teach them some useful skills. If your kid loves hands-on projects, or if they just like making a mess, there is an array of free science experiment videos available online.

States Issuing School Reopening Guidelines, but Districts Will Decide the Details
By Kara Yorio
Back-to-school will look different at individual schools across the country. Here are guidelines issued by educational organizations and individual states. Where will libraries fit into the plans?

Buzz-worthy Books of the Week

• The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell
• The Empire of Gold by S.A Chakraborty
• Daring and the Duke by Sarah MacLean
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia*
• Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

*Read also: Our interview with Mexican Gothic author Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

7 Graphic Novels That Offer Powerful Mirrors & Windows for Teens
By SLJ Reviews
With evocative memoirs, complex love stories, and socially conscious supervillains, these graphic books offer new windows into our world.

From Superheroes to Supergeeks, 13 Middle Grade Graphic Novels
By SLJ Reviews
Some of it’s memoir and some is made up, but all of it makes for delightful summer reading.

12 Picture Book Journeys into Poetry
By SLJ Reviews
From Kwame Alexander to Gwendolyn Brooks and Maya Angelou, we've selected some of our favorite poets to remind readers to slow down and savor the sounds of words. 

Make It! Draw It! Build It!: 11 Books To Inspire Intergenerational Family Activities
By SLJ Reviews
From robots to Rube Goldberg machines to cosplay costumes, kids of all ages—and their grown-ups—will find plenty of inspiration in these works. 

8 Podcasts About Climate Change & Activism for K—12 Students
By Anne Bensfield and Pamela Rogers
Get educated about environmental racism, the carbon impact of sheltering in place, and more with experts including Bill Gates and Neil deGrasse Tyson.

How To Make the Most of Zoom for Every Kind of Event
By Ben Drain
Online meetings and events have become ubiquitous for many of us. Here are some best practices we’ve learned.

Stacey Abrams: Libraries Must Tell the Story of America
By Meredith Schwartz
At the American Library Association's virtual conference held last week, keynote speaker Stacey Abrams—author, Georgia gubernatorial candidate, and founder of the organizations Fair Fight (for voting rights) and Fair Count (for census participation)—talked about how libraries are crucial to furthering the promises of American democracy.