Since 2007, the Children’s Book Council and the Knowledge Quest team have partnered to bring a book-creator authored column to each issue of this essential magazine. This collaboration introduces school librarians to a diverse range of books, authors and illustrators, and publishers that they might not discover on their own. As the trade association for children’s book publishers in North America, the CBC has a network of over 115 publishing members who eagerly submit book creators to write for the school librarian audience, offering a unique view on each issue’s topic with personal insights and experiences relating to the theme within their body of work and their real world work with young readers.

 It is an honor to contribute to an integral resource for school librarians as you work with young readers day in and day out. CBC contributors have found thoughtful, impactful, and fun ways to connect with past themes, sharing anecdotes and actionable ideas that lend nuance to ongoing topics of interest. In looking back at the long history of our partnership, we could not help but notice some overarching themes across the years, including critical thinking, activism, diversity and representation, and the connection between literacy and community. This connection is the foundation of the CBC and Knowledge Quest’s shared mission to support you and your work in your community.

 Exploring past CBC columns illustrates this connection between books and community, and the school librarians’ integral role in fostering it. In a 2018 column, Francesca Sanna writes about teaching empathy through books. David Bowles’s column, Making Mirrors (2019), advocates for sharing stories by those writing from their lived experiences. Anita Sanchez talks about using non-fiction to connect kids with the outdoors (2018). And a recent column by Luke Pearson highlights community as a cornerstone of his long running comics series, Hilda (2024).

 Beyond this Knowledge Quest column, the CBC works on many programs and projects that also bolster and support the work of school librarians. In addition to our monthly Hot Off the Press list  featuring upcoming books from our member publishers, we also put out a quarterly themed CBC Showcase list that highlights both new and backlist titles. Our Publisher Profile blog posts introduce smaller or new publishers to our audience. Other curated books lists include our annual Notable Social Studies list, co-sponsored with the National Council for the Social Studies; and annual Outstanding Science and Best STEM books lists, both co-sponsored with the National Science Teaching Association. Our yearly Favorites list is the product of nearly half a million kids, teens, teachers, and librarians from across the country rating books published each year. Separated into distinct age groups as well as teacher and librarian picks, these top-rated titles represent the best of the best in children’s publishing.

 The CBC’s outreach doesn’t end with the promotion of our member publisher’s titles. We also provide inclusivity resources to aid parents, educators, and librarians with building a broad and diverse library. This outreach is complemented by our Every Child a Reader 501(c)(3) charity, an award-winning nonprofit that strives to bring a love of literature to children and teens through some of the largest and longest-running reading programming in the country. Children’s Book Week, established in 1919, is now a bi-annual celebration (in May and November) of books and reading from coast to coast. Through our Get Caught Reading Poster campaign, we promote the joy of reading by featuring both celebrities and community leaders reading treasured titles. Our National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature (in partnership with the Library of Congress) travels nationwide to connect with communities around reading.

The book community is an extensive, important one and the partnership between the Children’s Book Council and the American Association of School Librarians’ Knowledge Quest publication is an essential component of that community. Together we bring information, education, and innovation to the next generation of readers.