Sunday, June 21, 2026

Join Me & Lots of Amazing Educators At ISTE 2026 in the SchooAI Booth #2714!

 

I am so excited to join SchoolAI in booth #2714 at ISTE 2026 next week. 

I will be presenting What Role Does AI Have In The Library? in the booth on Tuesday, June 30th at 2:00pm. 
There are so many presentations lined up for the SchoolAI booth...You won't want to miss these amazing educators. 

Stop by the SchoolAI booth #2714 to learn more.  

Can't wait to see you all in Orlando next week!  Come by and say hi, friends. 

Special Books To Help Us Celebrate America's 250th Anniversary....A Choice Board For Wonderful Lists In Follett Titlewave Too!

 

In just a few days we celebrate America's 250th Anniversary.  

I love all of the wonderful books being published and shared to help us celebrate with our readers this summer and throughout the year.

I just received two new ones from Harper Collins Publishers, Heroes of 1776, The Story of the Declaration of Independence be Neil Gorsuch and Janie Nitze, illustrated by Chris Ellison, and Fireworks, words by Matthew Burgess and pictures by Catia Chien. This one is a Caldecott Medal winner too. 

I just added these two to my fall Titlewave list where you can find them too. 

And our friends at Follett Content brought together three special grade level collections (K-2, 3-5, 6-8) of books in Titlewave too. I have shown several of them from each collection above in the choice board. 

You will find all three collections here in the You've Been Book'd With Books for America's 250th Anniversary choice board to add to your library collection too. 

If you want to make a copy of this choice board, you will find the link here.

Have a wonderful 4th of July, friends.  Please share other books you are adding to your collection too. 

Saturday, June 20, 2026

The Webinar Recording and Slides For My Follett Content Webinar, "Weed, Order, Refresh" Are Here, Friends!

 

Happy Saturday, friends. 

This week I had so much fun hosting Weed, Order, Refresh: School Library Collection Development for the Fall with my friends at Follett Content.  

The webinar recording is now available. You will find it here

I linked everything in these slides that I talked about during the webinar.  Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. I am happy to help you. 

Have a wonderful week and I can't wait to hear what you are doing to get ready for a new school year in your library collection too. 

Friday, June 19, 2026

Capstone, Literati, and the Power of Putting More Books Into Kids' Hands!

 

One of my favorite children's publishers is Capstone. Their print books, eBooks, and digital resources, including PebbleGo and PebbleGo Next, are an important part of both our library and classrooms. When I learned that Capstone was included in the Literati Partner Credits program, I was thrilled. It’s an exciting opportunity to bring even more high-quality Capstone books and resources to our readers.

In my recent post, Take Fundraising to the Next Reading Level: A Guide to Literati Book Fairs Profit Rewards, I shared details about Literati Partner Credits, a special feature of the Literati Book Fair rewards program. Capstone is just one of the outstanding partners available through the program, alongside innovative educational companies like Novel Effect and Ozobot. These partnerships give schools even more ways to turn book fair rewards into meaningful resources that support reading, learning, and creativity.

This week I sat down with Jack Bommarito the manager of U.S. Trade and Speciality Sales at Capstone. His role is a special one at Capstone as he helps get their books into the hands of more kids through trade, speciality, retails, and partner channels like Literati.  

I love that Capstone is one of the Literati Partners. Tell us about Capstone.

Capstone is a children’s publisher focused on creating books and digital resources that support young readers wherever they are in their learning journey.

We publish a wide range of books for schools, libraries, classrooms, and families, including fiction, nonfiction, early readers, graphic novels, picture books, activity books, hi-lo books, and curriculum-support titles. We’re probably best known in schools for our high-interest nonfiction, strong leveled content, and trusted brands like PebbleGo, but we also have so much that supports independent reading, classroom libraries, and book fair discovery.

At the heart of Capstone is the belief that every child deserves access to books that help them feel confident, curious, and excited to read.

The way Literati cares about literacy and supporting every reader is so aligned with what Capstone brings to the lives of our readers too.

It means a lot to Capstone to be a Literati Partner because Literati is doing something really important in the school book fair space. They are not just putting books in front of kids. They are creating a literacy ecosystem that supports schools, libraries, educators, families, and students.

To be included alongside partners like Ozobot, Novel Effect, Ms. Nelson’s, and others is exciting because it shows that Literati is thinking beyond a traditional book fair. They are thinking about how book fair funds can support literacy, classroom engagement, technology, creativity, and student access in a bigger way.

For Capstone, being part of that program allows us to help schools stretch the value of their book fair funds and connect those dollars back to the classroom, school library, and student learning.

Capstone has been part of Literati Book Fairs. I always love finding Capstone books at our Literati Book Fairs at Van Meter.

Yes, Capstone is already showing up in Literati Book Fairs, which is really exciting for us. I always love hearing when educators spot Capstone books at their fair because that means our books are reaching kids in a very direct and joyful way.

Book fairs are such a special moment because students get to choose. That choice matters. When a child picks up a Capstone book at a Literati Book Fair, whether it is because they love animals, graphic novels, sports, or funny nonfiction, that is a powerful literacy moment.

Our partnership with Literati helps us connect with students not only through school and library purchasing, but also through that discovery experience where kids are browsing, choosing, and getting excited about reading.

What sets Capstone apart from other school publishers?  

Capstone understands schools, libraries, teachers, and students.

We know books need to do more than look good on a shelf. They need to be age-appropriate, durable, accessible, engaging, and easy for educators to use. We think carefully about reading level, subject matter, visual appeal, curriculum relevance, and student interest.

What sets Capstone apart is that we balance educational value with kid appeal. Our books are trusted by adults, but they are also designed to be chosen by kids. That combination is really important.

We also have a deep commitment to accessibility. We publish for a wide range of readers, including striving readers, early readers, and students who may need high-interest books at more approachable reading levels.

What does Capstone have to offer Literati book fair customers focusing on bringing more to their classrooms with book fair funds? 

Capstone offers trusted, school-ready books that are built for real classroom and library needs.

We have books that support independent reading, curriculum connections, nonfiction discovery, social emotional learning, early literacy, and high-interest topics that get kids excited. That includes everything from animals, sports, science, history, biographies, dinosaurs, and gross facts to graphic novels, chapter books, and picture books.

The biggest value is that schools and libraries can use their Literati funds on books that are both engaging for students and useful for educators. These are books that can live beyond the book fair. They can become part of classroom libraries, media center collections, reading intervention spaces, and everyday instruction.

Does Capstone offer any kind of book processing service when ordering books through the Literati Partner program?

Yes. Capstone offers free custom processing and free shipping on orders of 25 books or more, which is a great benefit for schools and libraries using their Literati Partner funds.

That means customers can order books for their classrooms or libraries and have them arrive much closer to shelf-ready, making it easier to get those books into students’ hands quickly.

What exciting things are coming from Capstone? 

Capstone continues to invest in books that combine strong educational value with real kid appeal. We are looking closely at the kinds of formats that are working for today’s students, including graphic nonfiction, visually driven nonfiction, activity-based books, early literacy formats, and books that support both classroom use and independent reading.

We are also thinking a lot about how kids discover books. That means strong covers, clear topics, high-interest series, and books that feel fun first while still supporting literacy and learning.

For Literati customers, that means they can expect more books that work well for book fairs, classroom libraries, and school libraries, books that students want to pick up and educators feel good about purchasing.

And how about with PebbleGo?

On the digital side, Capstone continues to build around trusted resources that schools already know and love, especially PebbleGo.

PebbleGo has become such an important tool for early learners because it gives students a safe, age-appropriate way to explore topics independently. It supports research, curiosity, vocabulary, and content-area learning in a format that is accessible for young students.

What is exciting is how print and digital can work together. Digital resources can spark curiosity, and print books can extend that curiosity into deeper reading, classroom discussion, and library exploration.

For schools and libraries, the future is not print versus digital. It is about using both in a thoughtful way to support students wherever they are.

As we wrapped up our conversation, Jack shared,

What I love most about this work is that Capstone sits at such a unique intersection of education, literacy, and fun. We create books that educators trust, but that kids actually want to pick up and read.

I couldn't agree more...Capstone is one of the best!

At my school, we are looking for a new set of state and country books for our library this year, so I will definitely be using our Literati book fair profit to purchase these books with Capstone.

You can learn more about hosting a Literati Book Fair and book fair rewards here

Join Me at BenQ Booth #2401 During ISTELive26 For Two Special Events, New Books, and More!

I am so excited to join BenQ at ISTELive26 for two special events in booth #2401! 

On Monday, June 29th at 4:00 pm EST, join us for an important panel discussion, From Consumers to Creators: Amplifying Student Voice with AI and Creative Learning, featuring myself and Andrew Davies from MagicSchool AI. 


On Tuesday, June 30th come to booth #2401 for a special book signing of my NEW ISTE Digital Explorers books, Brianna’s Butterfly Plan and Nabil Goes Global. 

I have two new BenQ Creator Collections for everyone too!  Come by to get Our Global Recipe Book and The Butterfly Garden Design Challenge, two awesome project plans I created for my new books. I can’t wait to share these with you. 


I can’t wait to see you at the BenQ booth #2401 and throughout the week at ISTE, friends. You can find more details on the BenQ Education ISTE 2026 page here.


Wednesday, June 17, 2026

AI Literacy and What It Means for School Libraries....Join Me For The New Follett Content Webinar, Friends.

 

Friends, I am excited to share my Follett Content webinar in July, AI Literacy and What It Means for School Librarians! This is a topic that is important and timely for all of us as librarians, and for administrators, educators, and students too. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already in your school – in the tools students are using, the questions they're asking, and the conversations happening in classrooms and library spaces every day. The question isn't whether AI will shape your students' futures. It's whether the school library will help shape how they engage with it.

This session is designed for school librarians who want to lead when it comes to AI literacy.

Join as District Teacher Librarian Shannon McClintock Miller digs into what AI literacy looks like in a K-12 context, why the library is uniquely positioned to anchor this work schoolwide, and how librarians can show up as essential partners for students, teachers, and administrators navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.

You'll walk away with:

  • A clearer framework for talking about AI literacy with your school community
  • Practical strategies for helping students evaluate and think critically about AI-generated content
  • Ideas for supporting classroom teachers who are facing new challenges around academic integrity and information verification
  • A vision for positioning your library as the hub for responsible, thoughtful technology use

We'll also be sharing highlights from Future Ready's updated AI framework – including what's new and how it can serve as a conversation-starter and planning tool in your building. As a founding partner of Future Ready, Follett Content is proud to support this work, and we'll let you know how to get your hands on a copy.

Summer is the perfect time to think big. Come ready to explore, ask hard questions, and leave with a fresh perspective on one of the most important conversations in education right now.

You will find the invite and registration here

I hope you will join us, friends. It's going to be a great one as we learn and think about the new school year.

3 Steps To Reignite Student Reading Engagement in a Digital World...A NEW Infographic From My Follett Software Webinar!

 

Our friends at Follett Software created a wonderful infographic from my webinar last month. 

They share...

Students today face more distractions than ever before, but librarians, libraries, and educators can play a powerful role in helping them connect deeply with books and with each other. Download this colorful infographic for a brief overview of three librarian-led strategies from District Teacher Librarian & Innovation Director Shannon McClintock Miller to help students fall in love with reading again in a world of streaming, gaming, and social media.

You can download the infographic here

And also watch my webinar, Reigniting Student Reading Engagement in a Digital World here, friends. 



Monday, June 15, 2026

Author Chats With Epic...A New Podcast Our Readers Will Love!

 

Our students love podcasts!  

Today, I was so excited to learn that our friends at Epic for Kids have a new podcast. It's called Author Chats With Epic! 

Epic shared on LinkedIn...

What if reading didn’t stop at the last page?

We’re excited to introduce Author Chats with Epic. A new podcast that brings kids closer to the stories they love.

Each episode is a chance to hear directly from authors. Where their ideas come from. What challenges they faced. And what goes into creating the books kids keep coming back to.

We hope it sparks curiosity and maybe even inspires the next generation of storytellers.

Our latest episode with Scribbles & Ink creator Ethan Long just dropped. Check it out at the links below.

Spotify

iTunes

YouTube

Our readers will be so excited, and I can't wait to share in our library too. 

Sunday, June 14, 2026

Check Out The 2026 Fall Book Preview From Our Friends At Capstone!

 

One of my favorite things about being a reader and teacher librarian is learning about and reading upcoming books. 

Our friends at Capstone have announced the upcoming 2026 Fall Books and I couldn't be more excited to see all of these upcoming titles. 
As Capstone shared on the site, 

From first read-alouds to confident independent reading, Capstone’s Fall 2026 collection celebrates every step of the reading journey.
With cozy picture books and knowledge-building nonfiction to confidence-boosting decodables and page-turning chapter books, Capstone books are designed to meet readers wherever they are—and help carry them forward.

Every Capstone book is created by real authors, illustrators, and publishing professionals who understand how children learn, grow, and read. Across every imprint and reading level, Capstone’s Fall 2026 list celebrates growth, discovery, and the joy of independent reading. Whether readers are just starting out or exploring new genres, there’s a Capstone book ready to meet them on the journey.


I can't wait for all of these new Capstone books to be on our shelves for our readers. I know you will love them too. 

Making Stickers For Our Fall Book Fair!

I love working on projects in the summer for the new school year.  This week, I have been dreaming up ideas for our Literati Book Fair this fall.  
Literati makes it super fun and easy with their Open Book filled with ideas and resources. 
I love going to the Printable Materials in Open Book as it is filled with all kinds of things to market and manage our book fair.  
I always find something new here. This time I was excited to find the Bennie stickers!  Bennie is Literati's little book mobile mascot and is so cute! 
These will be perfect to give all of our students to promote our book fair and let families and friends know that it is book fair time at our school.  

And kids love stickers!  They might wear them or even put on a water bottle or backpack.  
You will find the Bennie Sticker file to download in Open Book.  I made mine a little bigger with the 3 x 3 Avery round labels.  

I can't wait to make even more plans for our Literati Book Fair in the fall.  It's going to be the best one yet!

You can find out more and sign up for your Literati Book Fair here, friends.

Friday, June 12, 2026

Follow Us On The Library Voice Pinterest, Friends!

 

We love finding, sharing, and saving on Pinterest.  There are so many amazing things shared every day. 

Brianna and I have been doing a lot of work in The Library Voice Pinterest and can't wait to share more throughout the summer as we get ready for an amazing new school year. 

We hope you will give us a follow for lots of new updates, ideas, and fun.  We can't wait to follow you too.

Thursday, June 11, 2026

Join Us Next Week For Our Follett Content Webinar On June 17th...Weed, Order, Refresh: School Library Collection Development For Fall!

Friends, I would love to invite you to our upcoming Follett Content webinar next week on June 17th, Weed, Order, Refresh: School Library Collection Development For Fall. 

As shared online, 

While the hallways are quiet, join Shannon McClintock Miller for a hands-on webinar designed to help you audit your collection, make confident weeding decisions, and build an ordering strategy that sets students and teachers up for success on day one.

This year, Shannon isn't just teaching it, she's living it. As she moves her library into a brand-new space, she's bringing real-time, firsthand experience to every strategy she shares.

You can register here for our webinar.  

Summer is your season, school librarians! We can't wait to see you there on June 17th.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Many Faces, One Community: A Collaborative Mural Where Every Story and Voice Matters!

 

I love dreaming up new ways that our community can connect. 

When I saw this idea for creating a community mural of our faces, I knew we had to do this at our school to kick off the year. 

Like in this video, I wanted to create a big mural for all of our students and teachers to have a place to share a tiny self portrait of themselves...a place to make their mark. 
Today, I created a giant mural in Canva.  I made it 36 x 75 inches.  I will print three of them to have room for all of our students and teachers.  
I made one that said, Many Faces, One Community.  Every Students. Every Story, Every Voice Matters.
And one for Dot Day, which is September 15ish every year.  

You will find the Canva template here where you can use or make a copy to adjust for you and your community. 

I can't wait to do this with our community as we kick off a new year, and a new library, Makerspace, STEM and art room in the fall. It's going to be such a special collaborative project and one that our everyone will love.


Saturday, June 6, 2026

Read For Change With The Chispa Project and Help Fund a Children's Library In Honduras, Friends

Friends, I have a very special organization to share with you. It is called the Chispa Project. 

Earlier this week I met with two amazing people from the Chispa Project to learn more and see how I can help support this amazing organization. In fact, we can all get involved in Read for Change that is happening this month in June.  

I asked them to share more about Honduras and the Chispa Project so I can share with all of you. 

Books in Honduras:

Honduras is a book desert. Public libraries are virtually nonexistent, and books cost between $20–30, nearly a week’s wages for many families. This cost prohibits most households, communities, and public schools from owning a single book and profoundly impacts kids’ futures.

About Chispa Project: 

Chispa Project is a grassroots literacy initiative in Honduras deeply rooted in the belief that books change the story. We spark joy around reading, inspiring children to become lifelong readers and learners.
To address the immense need for books in Honduras, we create school libraries, designing an inviting, exploratory space filled with captivating book collections — often the children’s first experience reading for pleasure. We equip teachers and parents with research-backed strategies to develop reading habits. And, we provide two years of hands-on support so schools can fully embrace a culture of reading. This community-first approach ensures Chispa libraries are used, loved, and sustained by those they serve. 

Learn more about our work at: www.chispaproject.org

Read for Change:

This year, we’re celebrating 10 years of creating libraries across Honduras! In this time, we’ve worked with over 125 schools, but we have over 700 requesting a library of their own. 

In the spirit of celebrating our 10 years of impact we created Read for Change, an initiative where you can help us create our next children's library, just by reading! 

From June 1 - 30, every minute you read with Chispa Project will unlock 25¢ of sponsor support. With your support, we will give 601 kids in Honduras a vibrant new library with over 1,200 books this July! 

We’re on our way to our goal, but it isn’t too late to sign up. 


Register at www.chispaproject.org/read to read with us and bring our next library to life!
You can find out more about the Chispa Project here. My family and I are very excited to get involved in supporting children, families, and libraries in Honduras. We hope that you will too, friends.

Thursday, June 4, 2026

Take Fundraising to the Next Reading Level: A Guide to Literati Book Fairs Profit Rewards

 

I have been hosting book fairs for nearly 20 years as the teacher librarian at Van Meter Community School. Over the years, our book fairs have become much more than a school event. They are a favorite tradition for students, teachers, families, and community members, and they play an important role in the fundraising we do for our library each year.

Book fairs encourage reading, build excitement around books, and create opportunities for our school community to support literacy in meaningful ways. They also bring an incredible amount of energy and fun to our library twice a year. Watching students discover new books, create wish lists, and share their excitement with friends and family is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

For the past several years, we have partnered with Literati Book Fairs. These innovative book fairs offer a fresh approach to literacy-focused fundraising, combining a thoughtfully curated selection of books with flexible rewards for participating schools. Their commitment to promoting a love of reading, while helping schools meet their fundraising goals, has made Literati an excellent fit for our community. 

Today, I want to share one of my favorite aspects of hosting a Literati Book Fair: their Profit Rewards program. One of the questions I hear most often from other librarians, educators, and parent groups is how libraries and schools benefit from hosting a Literati Book Fair. 

The answer is simple as schools have the opportunity to earn meaningful rewards that can directly support their students, teachers, libraries, and most of all, our readers. 

In this post, let's take a closer look at Literati's Profit Rewards options, how they work, and some of the amazing partners that help libraries and schools turn their book fair earnings into even more opportunities to support reading and learning. If you're considering hosting a Literati Book Fair or are simply curious about how the rewards program works, you're in the right place, friends. 


One of the features that sets Literati apart is its rewards program. The rewards options are better than ever, giving schools more flexibility to choose what works best for their community.

Schools can earn up to 60% back in rewards from eligible sales, and the program is designed to offer choice rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Schools can choose from:

  • Book Profit
  • Literati Partner Credits
  • Cash Rewards
  • A combination of all three

This flexibility allows schools to customize its fundraising strategy and invest in resources that fit the needs of their library, classrooms, and school community. 

For many schools, book profit is the most valuable reward option available. This program allows schools to keep books from the fair.  Schools can expand and refresh library collections, grow classroom and book club libraries, fulfill teacher wish lists, and support a variety of literacy initiatives.

Cash rewards are another great option. Schools can also get up to 25% of our rewards-eligible revenue in cash to fund projects like...

  • Library additions and improvements
  • Makerspaces and STEM Labs
  • Technology purchases
  • Student programs
  • Library programming, including author visits and school events
  • Special projects and campus initiatives

We can also collect rewards as Literati Credits and redeem them for a Visa eGift Card. This option maximizes the award values and gives us flexibility in what we purchase with book fair funds.

Since I order my books from Follett Content, I love this option as I can use a Visa eGift Card in Titlewave. That way I can still keep my Titlewave lists all organized, and have all of the books processed too. 

You can read more about the Visa eGift Card option here.

The last feature of the Literati rewards program I want to share is Literati Partner Credits. These can be redeemed through Literati or a growing network of library and educational partners, allowing schools to extend the value of their rewards far beyond books alone.

Schools can use Partner Credits for:

  • Visa eGift Card
  • Literati Store credit
  • Future in-person Literati book fairs
  • Or, redeem with any of their new partners, which I will share more about below. 

Literati Partner Credits never expire, giving schools the freedom to redeem them whenever the timing is right. Schools earn Partner Credits through their book fair rewards and can continue accumulating credits through the year-round Literati Store.

To make Partner Credits even more valuable, Literati has developed partnerships with a variety of library and educational companies. As the partner network continues to grow, schools gain access to an expanding range of products, services, and learning opportunities.

Let's take a closer look at the Literati Partners! 

It's so exciting that Mrs. Nelson's Book Company and Bindery is one of Literati's partners. 

Mrs. Nelson's Book Company provides schools with access to an extensive catalog of books from trade and school library publishers that include new releases, best sellers, and classics as well as discounted textbooks and workbooks. Mrs. Nelson's exclusive Readerbound editions, crafted in their own bindery, deliver durable, reinforced bindings with a Lifetime Guarantee, perfect for long-term classroom and library use.

I love that Capstone is one of Literati’s Partners. Capstone offers high-quality books, literacy programs, and digital learning resources that are used in elementary schools and libraries across the country.

By redeeming Partner Credits with Capstone, schools can invest in educational content designed to inspire curiosity, strengthen reading skills, and support classroom instruction. 

Ozobot is another wonderful Literati Partner. Designed for students in PreK–12, Ozobot combines coding and robotics with both screen-free and app-based learning experiences that help build creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and STEM skills.

Schools can redeem their Partner Credits for Ozobot gift card codes. These codes can be used to purchase robotics kits, coding tools, and other hands-on learning resources that support STEM and computer science education.

We are huge fans of Novel Effect at my school. We use Novel Effect in the library and classrooms, and even have a Novel Effect pop-up library as part of our collection.

Novel Effect transforms read-alouds into interactive experiences with music and sound effects that respond to the reader’s voice. It creates fun and memorable read alouds for all ages. For schools looking for a new way to spark excitement around reading, Novel Effect is a fantastic option.

Melon Rind specializes in interactive math games for elementary-aged students. Their products combine learning and play, helping students develop mathematical thinking while engaging in collaborative activities. Melon Rind is a great choice for schools looking to strengthen STEM learning.

As you can see, Literati Rewards Partners offer something special for every library and school.

For details about earning and redeeming Partner Credits including current redemption options and conversion rates, be sure to review Literati’s Partner Credit resources here.

At its best, a school book fair does more than raise funds. It creates opportunities. Literati’s flexible rewards program gives schools the freedom to turn book fair success into the resources they need most, whether that’s growing the school library and classroom libraries, supporting school-wide initiatives, or investing in tools that help students learn and thrive.

With options including book profits, cash rewards, Partner Credits, or a combination of all three, schools can choose the path that delivers the greatest impact for their community. As Literati continues to expand its network of partners, those opportunities will only continue to grow.

Because when every book fair is designed to support literacy and learning, the benefits extend far beyond the event itself, helping students, educators, and schools succeed throughout the year.

And at the heart of it all, there’s nothing better than seeing a student light up over a book they can’t wait to take home.

You can learn even more about Literati Book Fairs and book fair rewards here