SLJ Picture Book Palooza

AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:

• Identify and apply picture book programming strategies that connect directly to titles featured in the Picture Book Palooza.
• Design engaging literacy activities using picture books tailored to the developmental needs of children in your library.
• Build a reusable programming toolkit of picture book-based activities ready for immediate implementation.
• Articulate connections between specific picture books and broader literacy goals, curriculum standards, or social-emotional learning themes.
• Evaluate and select picture books for targeted programming purposes, including storytime, book displays, classroom tie-ins, and reader's advisory.
• Engage children and caregivers in meaningful picture book experiences that extend beyond the shelf.

This course is especially helpful for:

• School librarians looking to enrich their picture book programming
• Children's services librarians seeking practical, ready-to-use engagement ideas
• Library staff working directly with early readers and youth programming

Course & Workshop Introduction | 12:00 - 12:05 pm ET

In this introductory session, we will review the day's agenda, upcoming sessions, and how to navigate the online platform.

Session 1 | 12:05 - 12:40 pm ET
Big Feelings: Using Picture Books to Connect to SEL Outcomes

"Big Feelings" picture books are some of the most versatile tools in a school or children's librarian's toolkit. This session explores how to move beyond simply reading these books aloud and into using them as anchors for deeper SEL programming, collaborative work with counselors, and literacy activities that help children name and process their emotional lives.

Session 2 | 12:40 - 1:15 pm ET
Lives and Legacies: Increasing Engagement with Biographical Picture Books

Biography picture books are having a moment, and the Lives and Legacies panel at Palooza showcased some of the richest new entries in the genre. This session helps librarians move beyond shelving these books alphabetically and into actively using them to spark identity conversations, build collections intentionally, and partner with classroom teachers across subject areas.

Break | 1:15 - 1:20 pm ET

Session 3 | 1:20 - 1:55 pm ET
Our World, Our Stories: Picture Book Programs on Family, Community, and Culture

The Family, Home, Community, and Culture panels at Palooza featured some of the most affirming and visually rich picture books of the season. This final session gives librarians a framework for using these titles not just to reflect the children already in the room, but to open windows for all children into lives, traditions, and communities beyond their own experience.

Closing Remarks | 1:55 - 2:00 pm ET

COURSE INSTRUCTORS

Sade Graves, School Librarian

Sade Graves is school librarian who believes stories have the power to help young people see themselves, understand others, and imagine new possibilities. She is passionate about connecting students with books that serve as mirrors of their own experiences while also providing windows into the lives, cultures, and perspectives of others. Through diverse and inclusive literature, she fosters empathy, curiosity, and a lifelong love of reading. She believes every child deserves access to stories that affirm their identity and broaden their understanding of the world. Her mission is to create a library space where all students feel seen, valued, and inspired to explore worlds beyond their wildest imagination.

Kyra Nay, Children’s Librarian Supervisor, Cuyahoga County Public Library

Kyra Nay is the Children’s Librarian Supervisor at the Maple Heights Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. When her nose isn’t in a book (usually nonfiction), she enjoys tabletop board games, hiking, and exploring the Cleveland arts scene. She is a member of the School Age Programs and Service Committee.

Jessica Ralli, Manager of Early Literacy Programs and Special Initiatives, Brooklyn Public Library

Jessica Ralli is the Manager of Early Literacy Programs and Special Initiatives at Brooklyn Public Library, where she manages grant-funded programming for the First Five Years initiative, including Ready, Set, Kindergarten and the Early Childhood Symposium. She holds an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and has taught in museums, schools, and libraries. Jessica co-authored the award-winning First Conversations series (RISE X Penguin Workshop), and received the prestigious Library Journal Movers and Shakers Award in 2020 for her advocacy work in libraries.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE

This course is designed for school and youth services librarians.

SESSIONS AND PRICING

Register by July 27, 2026, for the summer course! Course materials unlock on the session deadline date.

COURSE FORMAT

This will be a 2-hour online course and will include:

Live sessions: Guest speaker presentations by leaders in their field. All sessions are recorded for on-demand access for six months after the course ends.

Facilitated discussions: Audience participation in Q&A and discussion with guest speakers.

Asynchronous workshop: On-demand project-based modules connecting what you’re learning to your professional practice. Includes peer-to-peer sharing via discussion forums.

Online classroom: The virtual learning platform holds all course content and remains accessible for six months after the course ends.

Note: You will have six months of access to the recording and any other course materials.

EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT

If you attend or watch recordings of all live sessions, you will spend approximately 2 hours on this course. You will earn 2 hours of professional development credit and a School Library Journal certificate of completion.

ALL THE DETAILS

This course is a two-hour, expert-led crash course on picture book programming and engagement strategies for school and children's services librarians.

You will work through practical, actionable ideas closely aligned with the books and topics covered in the SLJ Picture Book Palooza, with a focus on bringing picture books to life in your daily work.

This course also provides a brand-new roster of ready-to-use programming ideas designed to enrich literacy for the children in your library.

ON-DEMAND ACCESS

All live guest speaker sessions are recorded and available on demand for six months following the initial broadcast as part of your purchase.

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Complete all course requirements to earn 2 professional development credit hours and a School Library Journal certificate of completion. Certificates are emailed upon completion.

ACCESSIBILITY

All video recordings feature auto-captioning. If you require accommodations, please email course-support@libraryjournal.com upon registration and we will make our best efforts to support your needs.

SUPPORT

For technical or course-related support, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com.