This week, my husband and I encouraged our two high schoolers to double-check what summer work they need to complete before school begins — no waiting until the last minute in this house! — and here at the Horn Book we’re helping everyone get ready with this annual Back-to-School edition of Notes from the Horn Book. It’s focused on learning, something I’ve been thinking about a lot as my baby approaches her first birthday. She continues to amaze me with all the skills she’s acquired in such a short amount of time, and I am also reminded that learning happens year-round and at every age.

If summer reading is still your focus — it’s summer until mid-September, after all! — I encourage you to read our Five Questions interview with Sarah Sax about Tryouts, a baseball-themed entry in her Brinkley Yearbooks graphic novel series. Graphic novel + baseball + school = a great end-of-summer read. See how I worked in a math problem there? My math major mother will be so proud.

From the July 2024 issue of Notes from the Horn Book.