With stories of protests dominating the news these days, parents, teachers, and librarians may be struggling with how to talk to kids about activism.  What does it mean to be an activist? What is the history of activism in the United States? How is activism alive today?  These books for young readers from Calkins Creek,... Read More

Do you ever wonder how a book or a series came to be – the “story behind the story”? Take a glimpse behind the curtain with this fascinating chat between Kane Press executive editor Harold Underdown and author Jennifer Berne (Manfish, On a Beam of Light, and How the Sea Came to Be). They reveal... Read More

A supernatural family saga, a searing social critique, and a lyrical and potent account of displaced lives, We Are a Haunting unravels the threads connecting the past, present, and future, and depicts the palpable, breathing essence of the neglected corridors of a pulsing city with pathos and poise. Download the free reading group guide and book club... Read More

At turns funny and poetic, sunny and tragic, Happy is a daring feat of postmodern literature, a polyphonic novel about the urgent, lovely coping mechanisms created by generations of diasporic people. Download the free reading group guide and book club kit below, and order your copies of the book today. “Leaping, chattering, dancing atop this conundrum [of global migration] comes the hero... Read More

Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away is the explosive story of the Kids for Cash scandal in Pennsylvania, a judicial justice miscarriage that sent more than 2,500 children and teens to a for-profit detention center while two judges lined their pockets with cash. Author Candy J. Cooper,... Read More

March 17 – 23 marks Folktales & Fables week! Here are six recommendations for the fantasy-loving young readers in your life. Folklore-Inspired Graphic Novels Also available in Spanish! ON SALE May 6! “Spine-tingling, enlightening, and fun.” —Kirkus Reviews Eisner Award winner Liniers brings his exuberant cartooning style and irrepressible sense of humor to the spooky... Read More

True Colors is a new and spellbinding middle grade novel about a girl whose emotions manifest in a colorful haze. Kirkus Reviews calls the book “(I)ntriguing… an absorbing treatise on living fully and truthfully.” Author Abby Cooper reveals why she wrote the book in this informative Q&A! What was the inspiration behind True Colors? What... Read More

Meet the creators of You Make Me Sneeze, the second book featuring dynamic duo, Cat and Duck! In this Q&A, author Sharon G. Flake and illustrator Anna Raff answer questions about their new book. Sharon, YOU MAKE ME SNEEZE! is your second book featuring the hilariously charming duo, Duck and Cat, who we first meet... Read More

An exclusive look at a very special book club event, hosted by Astra Books for Young Readers. Last week, we celebrated Valentine’s Day in the best possible way–with a mother-daughter book club. It was a joy to host friends-of-Astra tweens and their moms for an evening of fizzy drinks (with glasses they personalized with googly eyes) and... Read More

George Gershwin’s famous composition “Rhapsody in Blue” turns 100 years old on February 12, 2024! THE MUSIC IN GEORGE’S HEAD, a picture book by author Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Stacy Innerst, is all about this remarkable musical masterpiece. Here, Suzanne and Stacy answer two questions about the book: Why do you think the story... Read More