Tips and Info from DPI's December 18, 2025 Youth Services Newsletter

 Jeni Schomber's DPI Youth Services Weekly Reminders and Resources is an email newsletter chockfull of great resources we've come to rely on. If you are a WI youth library staffer and you don't receive this weekly missive in your email inbox, please contact Jeni (jennifer.schomber@dpi.wi.gov) to be placed on the list!

Here is the December 18, 2025 edition:

 

 

Hello All,  Check out these library youth services resources and reminders!  2026 Programming and Activity Count Tracker  This workbook can be used to track programs and activities throughout the year, and prepare program, activity counts, attendance, and participation for Sections III and XIII of the Annual Report.  Visit Wisconsin Public Library Annual Report for more information.  Use BadgerLink for Readers’ Advisory  BadgerLink’s readers’ advisory resources can bring you up to speed on the best books of 2025.  View the Readers’ Advisory Story  Wisconsin Public Library Standards Steering Committee Work Begins  Read what topics led their first meeting discussion as they begin the review and revisions of the Wisconsin Public Library Standards.  View the Standards Story.  CSLP Annual Slogan (2029) and Theme (2030) Survey  The Collaborative Summer Library Program survey is open! Please take a moment to fill out the survey and make your recommendations for the 2029 Slogan (for the Nature theme) and the 2030 Theme.  This survey is open to all libraries in the country, so please feel free to share it with staff at your library.  The deadline to submit your recommendations is Monday, February 2, 2026.   Save the Date! CSLP Building Community Based Summers application opens soon!  The Collaborative Summer Library Program is excited to launch a third national cohort of Building Community Based Summers in Spring 2026.  BCBS is designed to help member libraries identify the “whys” behind their summer services, build strategies to engage community voices, and create and provide inclusive summer services for all members of their communities. The spring 2026 cohort will gather for online learning sessions once weekly for 6 consecutive weeks in March-April 2026.   There is no charge to participate. Applications will be open from Monday, January 5 through Monday, January 26, 2026.  2026 Wisconsin Public Libraries CE Topics Survey  Help shape 2026-2027 Continuing Education offerings for Wisconsin Public Library Systems!  Library System CE Consultants are planning continuing education events for spring 2026 through spring 2027, and they would love your input. Your feedback helps them offer training that truly meets the needs of public library staff in their systems, regions, and across the state.  Take the CE Topic Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DCDCWQ2  The deadline to complete the survey is January 15, 2026.  This will be the last Weekly Resources and Reminders email for 2025. The next one will arrive the week of January 5, 2026. I hope that you are able to find peace and joy in the upcoming Holiday season.   Jeni Schomber  Public Library Consultant  The DPI does not sponsor or endorse external resources or events. They are provided for your consideration only.  Contact: jeni.schomber@dpi.wi.gov

Teen Book Rec Templates

Rachel Strolle

Refresh your reader's advisory for teens with these awesome recommendation templates from Rachel Strolle. In a recent Teen Librarian Toolbox post, Rachel includes everything you need to create and update teen reader's advisory booklets at your library and some tips/tricks for how she does her booklets.  

To read the whole post and get access to the templates, visit: https://teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2025/12/02/read-rec-rachel-template-for-readers-advisory-booklets/.

[Read Rec Rachel: Template for Reader’s Advisory Booklets. Strolle, Rachel.  Teen Librarian Toolbox blog. SLJ. December 2, 2025.]

Display Away: Inspiration for Teen Displays and Reader's Advisory

Struggling to come up with your next teen book display? Lost the thread on what's trending and popular? Look no further than  publishers! They want us to find their books as much as we want to get them to our patrons. Their teen-specific websites are a great launching point for display ideas and reader's advisory.

Epic Reads by Harper Collins and Simon Teen by Simon & Schuster both offer tons of articles and suggested teen titles. They have posts of the most anticipated upcoming books, themed lists, read-alikes, author chats, and more.

Recently, Epic Reads recently shared lists for Enemies-to-Lovers Romance, Heartstopper Book Recs, Books with Competitions, and Black Sci-Fi & Fantasy. While over at Simon Teen, they also have full free reads and extended excerpts from their catalog of teen titles.

Visit Epic Reads and Simon Teen, to get started on your next display or reader's advisory list!

New Resource Guides for Youth Librarians

A recent Badgerlink Bulletin post shared great resources that can help you in your work with kids, teens and families. They also have guides that you can link into your website.

Stop here to read the full blog post.

The Art of Recommending Books

Sometimes we get bogged down in worries about how to truly recommend books to kids and teens that will match their interests and excite them about reading. 

A recent blog post on Cotton Quilts blog caught our eye. Edith Campbell is a warrior for literacy - in particular for improving literacy of teens of color. She is known widely as an a strong EDI advocate and is the founder of We Are Kid Collective (they have been collating the summer reading lists based on critical multicultural literacy that we share annually on this blog since 2015.) among many other hats she wears.

In her post, Edith explores reading habits and makes suggestions on how we can be more effective in really hearing what kids are asking for. She also shares her own experience of looking for books for herself and how she determines what is worth reading and what she puts aside. 

Stop here to read her thoughtful post. [On Reading Habits. Campbell, Edith. Cotton Quilts blog. August 26, 2022.

Young Adult Book Lists

Here is a quick, but hopefully helpful, tool for those of you providing young adult reader's advisory and collection development. The tool is called The Hub, and it is sponsored by YALSA—the young adult division of ALA. 

Available on the site:

• "Selected Lists" book lists from 2022 on the homepage
• 2019-2021 lists in the archives
• A Book Finder Database
• "Teen Choice" top ten lists  

State Superintendent's Reading Advisory Council Seeking Applicants

DPI press release posted by the DPI Libraries Team on their Libraries for Everyone blog, February 9 2022:

Applications are now being accepted to serve on the Wisconsin State Superintendent’s Reading Advisory Council.

The council is a diverse group of Wisconsin community members committed to strengthening literacy learning in Wisconsin’s schools. By strengthening literacy learning, we foster students’ use of reading to understand themselves and others, to acquire knowledge, and to participate in a democratic society. Through ongoing virtual meetings, the State Superintendent’s Reading Advisory Council will learn together and share information and recommendations with the DPI. The Reading Advisory Council will initially focus on early reading (through grade two).

The state superintendent is currently accepting applications for council members who currently hold specific roles:

• School librarian
• Public librarian
• Parent
• Individual working in educator preparation
• Educator or administrator focused on early childhood (such as birth through grade 2)
• Practicing 5K teacher
• Practicing grade 1 teacher
• Practicing grade 2 teacher
• Teacher of special education serving age three through grade 2
• Educator of students who speak languages other than English
• Literacy coach
• Principal
• Superintendent
• Curriculum director
• School board member

Council meetings will be held virtually. Interested individuals should complete the Application for Reading Advisory Council form. The application is available through February 28, 2022.

The DPI aims to bring together a council diverse in race, geographical area representation, school size representation, and reading philosophy. These will all be factors when considering council membership. In addition to the roles listed above, the DPI will invite some schools to apply for inclusion in the council whose reading achievement data shows promise for students.

For more information, please visit the DPI's website.

The Importance of Reader's Advisory

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

In a recent ALSC blog post, Emily Mroczek-Bayci reminds us of the importance - and comfort - of providing reader's advisory for children and teens. 

She writes: "During uncertain times that never stop being uncertain, I find myself wanting to curl up in the “comfort portions” of children’s librarianship. One of the aspects of my job that has not been altered drastically by COVID-19 is readers advisory and my speciality: advanced readers advisory. The kids are still reading, reading and reading. The kids are still coming in thinking they have read every book in the library and it is still my job to stump them."

Stop here to read her five tips for reader's advisory.

Happy Summer Reading!

Here at the blog wish you a robust, happy and kid-filled summer reading/library adventure.

Check out these resources for lots of suggested reading and activities for kids!

We Are Kid Lit Collective's Diverse Summer Reading Lists - although the 2021 list isn't out yet, you can find great suggestions for books by and about BIPOC on these collected annual lists.

ALSC Summer Reading Lists - compiled by the ALSC Quicklists Committee, these lists include digital experiences as well. The four free downloadable lists are for P-Pre-K; Gr. K-2; Gr. 3-5 and Gr. 6-8. 

Badgerlink Summer Activities - links to great resources and lists that Badgerlink has curated especially for Wisco library staff!

Reading Challenges for YOU! - the ALSC blog has some great suggestions for pepping up your reading and challenging yourself along the way with other bookworms throughout the country.

Happy Summer! Happy Reading!

Brooke's Books - Mindfulness and Yoga

Brooke Newberry, La Crosse Public Library, is back with her monthly column sharing recommendations on great picture books for your collection. 

As we shift into summer planning mode, I hope everyone enjoys a recent sampling of yoga/meditation/breathing books. When things are beginning to seem overwhelming (like the last 13 months of our lives!), remember to take a breath. 

Yoga Animals: A Wild Introduction to Kid-Friendly Poses

Paige Towler

National Geographic 2020

Step-by-step instructions explain each animal inspired yoga pose in this clever picture books. Real life photos of animals will engage children in acting out each move and make any accompanying noise. 

The Three Little Yogis and the Wolf Who Lost His Breath

Susan Verde

Abrams, 2020

This retelling of the classic tale focuses on what might have happened if the wolf had taken a few minutes to meditate instead of huff and puff. Children will likely identify with the wolf’s big emotions and this title would work well in a storytime setting. 

 

Yoga Bunny: Simple Poses for Little Ones

Sarah Jane Hinder

Sounds True, 2020

The next book in this popular board book series compares woodland creatures to animal poses. Little ones will delight in copying the body movements and identifying the animals. 

 

I Breathe

Susie Brooks

Kane Miller, 2020 

This title is perfect for introducing child-friendly yoga poses and breathing techniques. This text is perfect for children and adults who need some assistance in controlling big emotions. 

Yoga Baby

Amanda Flinn

Beaming Books 2020

This rhyming board book describes a baby and mother’s journey through a yoga practice. A guide in the back further encourages and guides caregivers into incorporating yoga into daily life with a young child.  

How to Talk About Racism In Classic Children's Books

If you went to last year's YSS preconference at the WLA fall conference, you had a chance to start or continue your thinking about classic children's books that display hurtful racial stereotypes.  But many of us weren't there.

The blog No Time for Flashcards recently had an excellent article by Bethany Edwards of Biracial Bookworms giving concrete tips on how to deal with these classics. As Bethany writes, "Sometimes good people, people you love, aren’t always right. The same is true for classic children’s books. Today, I want to give you a framework to have critical and courageous conversations about racism in classic children’s books.

First and foremost, racist, sexist, homophobic books should not be banned. Censorship is not the answer. Most of the classic children’s books written 50 years ago fall into one of these aforementioned categories."

The post is thoughtful, link heavy and very helpful. Read more here.

I Spy With My Little Eye - Outside-the-Box-Reader's-Advisory

Libraries that work closely with preschool and early elementary school teachers often receive requests for materials on the five senses.

While our first reaction might be to head into the information book collection and pull some series non-fiction on the senses, we can also get creative and use our superhero reader's advisory skills to celebrate the senses and provide materials that open kids eyes to the fab five in a tactile, sense-filled way.

Here are a couple of ideas on materials to include:

• a book written in braille to highlight both touch and sight
• an audioboook to focus on hearing
• a DVD (maybe even on the senses!) to highlight sight and hearing
• a few books on different foods (sweet, savory, bitter) to explore thinking about taste
• a few books featuring onomatopoeia or sounds for hearing
• a search and find book for sight
• a book or story on musical instruments for hearing
• a book and CD for sight and hearing
• a musical CD for hearing
• a board book that has textures in it for touch
• a book in graphic novel format paired with its text format celebrates sight

The Nerdy Book Club blog just published a great list of books that highlight observation and perspective. Any of these would be great to include.

What are some of your outside-the-box suggestions for materials on the five senses?

June Is Audiobook Month: Audiobooks for Summer Reading

Submitted by Sharon Grover, Youth Services & Audiobook Literacy Consultant

Co-author, Listening to Learn: Audiobooks Supporting Literacy

Yes, you read that right, audiobooks are a legitimate way to read and should be part of every summer library program. In the summer, when everyone’s on the go, an audiobook can be an especially good way to squeeze in summer reading lists, reading for pleasure, or a shared family literature experience. If you're looking for great audiobook titles to include in your recommendations for summer reading, here are some suggested sites that will make it easy:

Sound Learning (http://soundlearningapa.org)

This terrific toolkit for teachers and librarians from the Audio Publishers Association is one-stop shopping for information on audiobooks and literacy-development, as well as a treasure-trove of teacher tips, suggestions for audiobook promotion in public libraries, and loads of great titles for every occasion, including summer reading.

Sync Audiobooks for Teens (http://www.audiobooksync.com)

This free program includes 30 titles (2 titles each week for 15 weeks) that can be downloaded and kept as long as you like. Geared toward teen interests and learning themes, this is an exciting, easy way to promote listening for teens ages 13 and up. Many adult listeners will find this list appealing as well.

Audiobooks for Kids and Teens (http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/kids-teens/)   

AudioFile magazine’s comprehensive list of titles is divided by age group and even includes titles particularly recommended for family listening. The large mix of genres, themes, and narration styles provides plenty of suggestions for all types of listeners. The AudioFile blog also offers ways to encourage discussion of what kids have read with their ears (https://blog.audiofilemagazine.com/category/audiobooks-literacy/).

Listen-Alikes for Grades 5-12

AudioFile also offers this broad selection of genres and themes paired together for listening and discussing. Check out the digital edition of the magazine for these titles in a five-page spread: http://digital.audiofilemagazine.com/i/657727-april-may-2016/21

And when you're doing audiobook Readers’ Advisory, don't forget the wonderful lists available from ALA: Notable Children's Recordings (http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncr), Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (http://www.ala.org/yalsa/amazing-audiobooks), and the premier Odyssey Award, jointly administered by ALSC and YALSA (http://www.ala.org/yalsa/odyssey-award). You also don't want to miss titles selected for the Audio Publishers Association Audies Awards, exciting audiobooks for all ages and interests (https://apa.staging.t-r.io/uploads/pdf/Audies_Nominations_Release.pdf).

Happy listening!

ALSC 2016 Summer Reading Lists

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) recently published their great summer reading lists. The lists are in brochure format and can be downloaded, printed, and distributed for free! They make great handouts and reader's advisory tools for kids of all ages. Find them here: http://www.ala.org/alsc/2016-summer-reading-list