In Honor of Banned Books Week… My Favorite Banned Books!
Plus, what you can do to support readers and authors and help end book banning
Hi friends,
In a continuation of things I don’t normally write about…
I’m not one to have super strong opinions on politics, religion, or whether pineapple belongs on pizza (it doesn’t, but you do you). I am Switzerland in 95% of situations.
However.
There is a small number of topics that I do have strong opinions on, including the use of the Oxford comma (which shouldn’t even be a question anymore… don’t get me started!!), and book bannings.
I really do sympathize with parents who want to make sure their children are reading books that align with their values. Every parent has the right to advocate for their child and limit their child’s exposure to ideas and values they don’t agree with. The problem I have is when those parents want to deny other people’s children access to books based on their own values. That actually takes away other parents’ agency and advocacy.
Plus, it hurts authors. And, because a disproportionate number of bannings happen with books by authors of color and LGBTQ+ authors, it hurts children and readers in those communities who no longer have access to those books, too. Representation matters.
If you’re not familiar with the various arguments for and against book bannings, I encourage you to read the fantastic talking points put together by Unite Against Book Bans.
I hope that you’ll join me in supporting the authors and readers of banned books.
Here are a few ways you can help
Educate Yourself
Read Publishers Weekly’s Banned Books Issue, which includes a great article on what my employer Sourcebooks is doing to join in the fight. I’m so grateful to be part of a mission-led company that advocates for causes I believe in!
Look up the books that have been banned in your district on the PEN America Banned Book List from the 2022-2023 school year.
Buy & Read Banned Books
Go buy banned books
All the better if you can stick it to your local sticklers by buying the books that have been banned in your school district. For example, I saw that in my school district (Hamilton County), two books were banned: Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins and Stella Brings the Family by Miriam B. Schiffer.
There are lots of banned books lists you can find, including, as already mentioned, the PEN America Banned Book List where you can see books banned in your district.
The ALA also keeps a comprehensive list of books banned each year, and puts out lists by decade and century as well. It’s amazing to see what books (including many classics!) have been banned even from 2010-2019.
Spread the Word
Share these amazing social graphics, which Unite Against Book Bans has created and made available for download for free.
Post about your own favorite banned books.
Attend an Event
Go to a Banned Books event in your area. (If you’re in Austin, TX, Jessica Goudeau’s Substack is a good resource!)
My Favorite Banned Books
The following books were banned not in the distant past, but rather from 2000 - 2009 and 2010-2019. That’s right, this century. There are some books on these lists that I really do get—I wouldn’t necessarily want my kids to read some of these books until they’re emotionally and developmentally ready, and I would like to be the judge of when that is. But I would never try to make that decision for another parent.
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (I mean, really?!?!)
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Happy reading!