Booksource Banter Blog helps educators select the best classroom library books for their students, manage their classroom libraries and foster engaged reading. Here’s a roundup of the best literacy takeaways of this year!

1. The Lifelong Benefits of Reading

While strong reading skills support academic success, engaged reading benefits students long after they leave the classroom. Did you know that reading at grade level by fourth grade makes students more likely to graduate high school, go on to college and earn more money than their peers? Learn the other ways engaged reading leads to long-term success.

2. How to Engage Readers

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to reaching struggling readers. To help kids connect with phonics lessons, try using real books in addition to decodables. If kids seem disinterested with most stories, consider introducing them to fast-paced series or offering books across many topics and genres.
 
These popular collections are perfect for engaging reluctant readers: 
Graphic Novels 
Fresh New Reads
Budget-Friendly Best Sellers 

3. How to Improve Classroom Libraries

To develop a lifelong love of reading, students need a choice in what they read. Booksource recommends 300-600+ books per classroom and at least seven books per child. However, there are other important questions to consider when choosing classroom library books. 
 
For collection recommendations tailored to your classrooms’ needs, reach out to one of our literacy experts!

4. How to Build an Inclusive Classroom Library

Help students to feel seen, heard and understood by including books that represent many different identities and experiences. As you expand your classroom libraries, consider these categories of diversity.

When adding culturally responsive titles to your shelves, you might include stories that feature incidental diversity, which is when a story’s characters are diverse without highlighting the diversity or making it central to the story.

Use Our Free Diversity Audit 

Booksource Classroom™ is a free classroom library management tool that evaluates your classroom library books to determine gaps in diversity and more. Create your free account today and get book recommendations to improve your classroom library’s diversity across all areas.

5. Author/Illustrator Perspectives

Booksource Banter Blog was proud to feature two literary legends this year. Children’s book author Mr. Schu and author/illustrator Raúl the Third discuss the different ways books can change students’ lives.

In his letter to educators, Mr. Schu expressed how read aloud books like This is a School build community, foster conversation and create lifelong memories.  
 
These read aloud collections are sure to engage readers: 
Inclusive Read Alouds for All Ages | Phonics Read Alouds | Math Read Alouds by Grade | SEL Read Alouds  

In a Booksource exclusive interview, Raúl the Third discusses how picture books like the Lowriders series can help students to embrace their heritage and start writing their own stories.  
 
You can shop the Lowriders series and Raúl the Third’s other books on our website.

6. Expert Book Recommendations 

Booksource’s Collection Development team shares quarterly book talks about their favorite new titles. Check out their recommendations for fall and winter! You can stay up to date on our latest book talks and more by subscribing to our YouTube channel. 
 

We hope these takeaways help you foster engaged reading! What books are you adding to classroom libraries this year?