Back to School Displays & Books I'm Excited About

As my dining room turns into camping central, I know summer is winding down. Every August, my husband and I partake in his family’s longstanding tradition of camping near Rhode Island’s beautiful beaches. It’s the perfect mix of relaxing around the campfire and discovering seashells in the sand. We’ve even managed to rope a few friends into the mix.

I look forward to this last stretch of peace before returning to the library for the school year. At the campsite, I tend to wake up early and make myself a cup of tea as soft light filters through the trees. The quiet mornings give me time to reflect on summer and wrap my brain around the year ahead. This year is extra special as I think about our little one joining us this winter and all the things to do to prepare for their arrival.

But of course, my mind will return to the imminent first weeks of school. Below are the displays and activities I’ll set up for September, a few extra ideas for inspiration, and the books I’m excited to share with students this fall. And speaking of fall - Notes from the Circ Desk is returning for a second season! Subscribe to catch the first volume in a few weeks!

My September bulletin board introduces students to the library, providing basic info (hours, circ policies, available resources) and a sampling of what’s in our collection. Every fall, I make sure one of my displays references a pop culture phenomenon from the summer. Last year it was K-Pop Demon Hunters. This year? “You Odyssey Our Library.”

This rolling cart lives by the library door to lure students into the library (*cue evil laugh*). It’s the only display that stays the same throughout the year. More on new books later in this post.

While this celebration doesn’t start until mid-September, I want to establish the library as a welcoming, safe place for all students. Several families on our community have been detained in recent months, so honoring students’ identities and cultures is a priority. This display will live on another rolling cart near a popular seating area. (Side note: If you have the funds, LibraryAware is an amazing online service for library signage and templates like the ones below.)

Another piece of prime display real estate is the long, rib-height shelf that houses part of the realistic fiction section. This year, I’m going to divide the display into 2 parts, catering to a different kind of reader with each half.

1. Cozy Mysteries - Perfect for students who enjoy books with little to no violence or conflict, cute creatures, and puzzles. Think Greenglass House1 by Kate Milford, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, and Puzzleheart by Jenn Reese

2. “Now you see them” - High-octane stories of runaways, spies, and mysterious disappearances. Think Maximum Ride by James Patterson, The Rig by Joe Ducie, and The Recruit by Robert Muchamore.

   

I preserved space in my newly organized graphic and nonfiction sections to hold mini-displays and front-facing books. For now these areas will feature new titles, but I’m sure theme ideas will emerge throughout the year.

1. Last year’s Would You Rather jars were a huge hit. I learned my lesson to include some sort of lid on each “voting” jar to prevent students from dumping all the votes into their choice 🤦🏻‍♀️

2. New this year, I’ll create a guessing game on our library whiteboard each month. This month’s activity is inspired by this post from The Book Wrangler. Paid subscribers will receive a link to my middle grade/ YA version of this activity in the coming weeks.

   

   

Looking for more display and activity ideas? Check out the resources below!

• LibraryDisplays.org

• “Library Book Display Ideas for Every Month of the Year” from Staying Cool in the Library

• Book Display Ideas Reddit thread from r/Libraries

• “DIY Library Bulletin Boards: Tips, Resources, and Ideas” from Melissa Techman of SLJ

• IMLS Passive Programming LibGuide

Some of these books are NEW new, some are new to the collection. Here are 10 (plus a few extra) books I’m excited to share with students this fall.

• I Am Kylian: The True Story of an International Soccer Champion by Kylian Mbappé. We’re short in the sports graphic novels department, so this graphic memoir by a beloved player is sure to be a hit.

• Fruitcake by Rex Ogle. Great for students who love Ogle’s other graphic and fiction works and stories of self-discovery.

• Sawyer Lee and the Quest to Just Stay Home by Zach Weinersmith. I can think of more than a few students that will relate to this main character!

• Augusta Pine Does Not Exist by Emily Llyod-Jones. Adding to our action thrillers, this time with a STEM-expert female lead.

• Building 903 by Lois Lowery. Enough said.

• Kill the Lax Bro by Charlotte Lillie Balogh. I’m excited to present this cheeky, 90s nostalgia option to fans of Holly Jackson and Karen M. McManus.

• Children of Anguish and Anarchy by Tomi Adeyemi. I love using new releases as opportunities to introduce readers to series, especially my voracious fantasy readers who only want to read a series if it’s complete.

• My Brother Oliver by R.L. Toalson. A heavy but important read for students dealing with a family member’s mental health struggles. I find novels in verse great vehicles for weighty topics, figurative language and white space giving readers room to process their emotions.

• Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, a Life in Balance by Simone Biles. Our nonfiction sports section only has 2 gymnastics books, and my sports readers love a good memoir.

• The Doll House by D.W. Gillespie. Very excited to share this option with the many readers seeking spooky or horror recommendations.

Whether your summer is coming to a close or you’re already back in school, I wish you an amazing start to this school year. The first volume of Notes from the Circ Desk, Season 2 will go live on Monday, August 31st. Don’t miss it!

Checking out,

Jennie 🧡

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