The Lerner Blog

What Good Is a Dead Tree?: An Interview with Author Doug Wechsler

What happens when a tree falls and begins to decay? In What Good Is a Dead Tree?: A Science Mystery, author and photographer Doug Wechsler reveals the hidden world inside a rotting log, where insects, fungi, and other organisms work together to recycle nutrients and sustain the forest. Today, Doug joins us to share what […]Read more

Author Interviews

Whose Tree Is This?: An Interview with Author Marilyn Singer

From the tallest leaf to the buried roots, the oak tree provides food and shelter for many creatures. Whose Tree Is This?: Poems About the Mighty Oak and Its Companions takes readers on a poetic tour from the perspective of thirteen animals to discover the ways oaks benefit them and the environment. Today award-winning author […]Read more

April Happy Book Birthday

We are excited to announce these new titles to keep the little ones turning pages during the rainy springtime season!Read more

Author Interviews

Red Stones: An Interview with Author and Illustrator Ernesto Saade

In 1981, the Salvadoran Civil War reached Miriam’s village of Santa Marta. In 2021, Ernesto Saade visited to hear her story. Red Stones: A Graphic Account of the Salvadoran Civil War chronicles the conflict and displacement of the Red Stones massacre with nuance and care. Today author and illustrator Ernesto Saade joins us to explore […]Read more

Author Interviews

Wild Mountain Ivy: An Interview with Author Shannon Hitchcock

COVID changed the lives of so many young people and many are still recovering. In Wild Mountain Ivy twelve-year-old Ivy is still sick months after catching a common virus. Hoping a change of scenery will help, she’s spending the summer in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, where her uncle has converted an old house into […]Read more

Author Interviews

The Ocean’s Heart: An Interview with Author Jilanne Hoffman

Every night zooplankton race to the ocean’s surface to feed on tiny plants called phytoplankton, creating the largest migration of animals on Earth. The Ocean’s Heart: The Tiny Creatures Essential to Life by Jilanne Hoffmann and illustrated by Khoa Le takes readers on an unforgettable journey as these zooplankton bring nutrients from the surface down […]Read more

Collections

Librarian Prep Post: Building AAPI Heritage Month Collections

As you plan displays and programming for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, books can serve as powerful entry points for learning and discussion. These titles showcase diverse voices and experiences, helping readers better understand the histories and cultures that shape Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.Read more

Author Interviews

Béisbol Begins: An Interview with Author Ramon Olivera

Ramon Olivera hits it out of the park with Béisbol Begins: How Nemesio Guilló Brought Baseball to Cuba! This picture book biography follows Nemesio as he travels from his home in Havana, Cuba, to a school in Alabama and falls in love with baseball. When he returned in 1864, he brought a baseball bat in his luggage […]Read more

Author Interviews

The Power of Her Paintbrush: An Interview with Author Janice Hechter

Theresa Bernstein started drawing at seven and honed her talent at the Philadelphia School of Design. In New York, she challenged societal norms and painted real-life women at a time when female artists were largely ignored. The Power of Her Paintbrush tells the story of how Theresa overcame sexism and discrimination to leave a lasting […]Read more