Book News & Features

Dr. Seuss Books Can Be Racist, But Students Keep Reading Them

6:58pm February 26, 2019

A recent study found that Dr. Seuss books can be pretty racist. It's highlighted a growing debate: Should schools teach classic books that may be problematic or trade them for socially conscious ones?

The 2019 Aspen Words Literary Prize shortlist (clockwise from top left): There There, by Tommy Orange; Friday Black, by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah; An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones; Brother, by David Chariandy; and Gun Love, by Jennifer Clement.

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EXCLUSIVE: Aspen Words Literary Prize Unveils Its Finalists

1:49pm February 20, 2019

by Colin Dwyer

Five books remain in the running: Tommy Orange's There There; Tayari Jones' An American Marriage; David Chariandy's Brother; Jennifer Clement's Gun Love; and Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah.

What is love? Rachel Martin talks to poet Kwame Alexander, whose latest community poem on this Valentine's Day is inspired by kids' definitions of love.

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Love Is: A Crowdsourced Valentine's Day Poem

2:05pm February 14, 2019

by Rachel Martin

Poet Kwame Alexander's latest community poem is inspired by kids' definitions of love, touching on everything from ephemeral connections and puppy kisses to the circle of life and Kendrick Lamar.

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This Valentine's Day, Make A Date With A Book

5:19pm February 13, 2019

by Petra Mayer

Sure, it's great to celebrate love, but why not escape all the relationship pressures, buy yourself some chocolate and make a date with a good romance novel? Here are five our our all-time favorites.

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For Chilly February, 3 Romances To Warm Your Heart

7:00am February 11, 2019

by Maya Rodale

February is High Holiday season in Romancelandia — and what better time to recommend some great romances? From Victorian jewel thieves to modern-day road trips, we've got something for everyone.

the cover art of Golden State by Ben H. Winters

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Lies Are Illegal In The 'Golden State' Of Ben Winters

8:05am February 10, 2019

by Lynn Neary

In his new book, the author imagines a world where officers known as Speculators track down liars, in a cross between a dystopian novel and a classic detective story.

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Dear Los Angeles features snippets of diary entries and letters written between 1542 to 2018. Above, daybreak over downtown LA in December 2011.

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'Dear Los Angeles' Collects Nearly 5 Centuries Of Opinions About The City

8:41am February 05, 2019

by Susan Stamberg

A new book features snippets of diary entries and letters written between 1542 to 2018. Editor David Kipen says it's "a collective self-portrait of Los Angeles when it thought nobody was looking."

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Behrouz Boochani, a Kurdish-Iranian journalist and asylum-seeker, won two prestigious Australian literary prizes for his debut, a book composed in text messages sent from a detention center on Manus Island.

Asylum-Seeker Barred From Entering Australia Wins Its Richest Literary Prize

6:08pm January 31, 2019

by Colin Dwyer

Behrouz Boochani, who has been detained offshore since 2013, had to compose his debut using WhatsApp messages. Now, that book has earned him the Victorian Prize for Literature

An excerpt of Sophie Blackall's Caldecott-winning Hello Lighthouse.

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'Merci Suárez' Wins Newbery Medal, and 'Hello Lighthouse' Draws Caldecott

4:33pm January 28, 2019

by Colin Dwyer

The world of children's books gave out its most prestigious prizes Monday at the American Library Association's conference in Seattle. Works by Meg Medina and Sophie Blackall won the headline honors.

North facade of the White House in Washington D.C.

In 'Team Of Vipers,' It's Mr. Sims Who Goes To Washington

11:23am January 22, 2019

by Ron Elving

In the movies, "Mr. Smith" stands by his principles and prevails in the capital. In Cliff Sims's story, told in a new book, the hero descends into disillusionment — but not before enjoying the ride.