Chicago’s Excellent Public School-Public Library Partnership

100 Most Influential People of 2026

I love when writers and other literary figures rank on lists of the year’s most influential people. for time‘s annual “Most Influential” featured not one, but two authors whose names you’ve heard many times over the past year. See why Tayari Jones, Yiyun Li, and Freida McFadden made the list. And perhaps my favorite part is noting who wrote these pieces. EL James talks about why Frieda McFadden is one of the most influential people of the year!

Jon Klassen receives the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award

One of the biggest awards in children’s literature is the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is not only highly regarded but also fairly rigorously judged (approximately $750,000 in prize money). This award is presented to an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions to children’s and young adult literature. This year’s winner is illustrator John Crassan. On the same day he was named the winner, Crassan announced that a new board book series would be released.

the great mystery of existence

This is a very special week for Zero to Well-Read as Jeff and Rebecca pick up one of their mutual favorite novels, Marilynne Robinson’s solemn meditation on life, death, family, and faith. They discuss why it’s impossible to put down a book where so little happens, how Robinson examines the great mysteries of existence without being heavy-handed and preachy, and why Gilead has stuck with them for more than 20 years.