On one hand, we’re facing an educational crisis as AI seems to have taken young brains hostage, threatening the loss of vital skills in evaluating and citing sources, thinking critically, and assembling your own words. On the other hand, books for youngsters are going strong. Kids are reading, including millions who get and share recommendations via social media. They deserve an exciting slate of books that represent identities and experiences as diverse as America’s teens themselves.
Philly author and literary agent Eric Smith, a celebrated YA writer, rounds up his top new picks for young readers, featuring books by award-winning novelists in our area. This list will be a welcome guide for parents and teachers alike, whether their kids are reading over the summer, or checking school library shelves in the fall.
This week’s stories
This week, we’re reviewing the latest at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (A Raisin in the Sun), People’s Light (Little Shop of Horrors), and the Brandywine Museum of Art (Andrew Wyeth at Kuerner Farm: The Eye of the Earth).
ICYMI: BSR writers tackle patriotism in 2025
A lot of people were away from their desks last week, and you might have missed a stellar collection of new essays about how our writers are grappling with the realities of America today. They explore what patriotism means to them: as parents, as protestors, as writers, as readers, as a member of the jury. Don’t miss their perspectives, still available in our essays channel.
Learning opportunities
Thanks to everyone who has already registered for our review-writing webinars, coming right up next week. These are designed for aspiring and emerging cultural critics, but they’re open to everyone who wants to understand exactly what it is that critics do. If you make a habit of reading our newsletter, you’re probably interested in the kind of questions critics learn to ask, what they do when somebody complains about a bad review, and what it’s like to be a professional critic. These classes are your behind-the-scenes look at how we produce the reviews BSR subscribers have been enjoying for 20 years. We’d love to see you there. (Bonus: webinar students get an invite to meet our team IRL at a private July 24 event.)
And if you want more insight on the writing life, check out the July classes from our friends over at Blue Stoop. I have taken Blue Stoop classes for years, and they’re consistently excellent.
Thanks for sticking with us, and the work of local artists, through another week full of outrage and crisis screaming for your clicks. Kyle will be with you tomorrow for the weekend roundup.
Alaina Johns
BSR editor-in-chief
