A record-breaking 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship in 2023. Last year Unite Against Book Bans established a day for readers, library lovers, and advocates everywhere to stand up to censorship as part of a national day of action -- Right to Read Day, and thousands answered the call. Let’s do it again! Because the book banners are definitely still at it. For statistics to share, a guide to get you organized, and a toolkit to get you started - click on the post's title.
Calling The Color Purple a Womanist work is like characterizing The Iliad as just another epic poem. It isn't merely an example of the genre in question, it's the defining text. To learn about Womanism, what The Color Purple has to do with it, and why it was banned - click on the post's title.
Unite Against Book Bans just added a new tool to the fight against book banning! Collaborating with the publishing community, Unite Against Book Bans has developed a free collection of book résumés, if you will, to support librarians, educators, students, parents, and other freedom-to-read advocates in their efforts to keep frequently challenged books on shelves. What's included on these résumés? To find out - click on the post's title.
We're over the moon about the first ever Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards Ceremony! The event celebrates the inaugural winners of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Bravery in Literature, recognizing authors whose works focus on racial justice, LGBTQIA rights, and gender equity. To find out who is being honored, and which books have been identified as advancing human rights - click on the post's title.
To be tricked, fooled, or deceived. Like Tom Sawyer's fence-painting friends. But what is this Fun & Fancy Word's connection to book banning? To find out - click on the post's title.
Dave Eggers' book The Circle was not only pulled from high school reading lists in Rapid City, South Dakota, it was on a list with several other books school officials decided should be destroyed. Yes destroyed. Eggers graciously gave This Book is Banned permission to publish a link to the following article he wrote about his experience with book banning. Be sure to give it a read - click on the post's title.
The New York Public Library is offering free nationwide digital access to young adult books that've been the object of bans or challenges. Not to mention author talks and the Teen Banned Book Club, so you can join the conversation. To leap into this post to get started - click on the post's title.
Banned Book Club was removed from school libraries in Florida. To check out our conversation with author Ryan Estrada about the dangers of book banning - click on the post's title.
Arthur Miller’s account of why he wrote The Crucible also touches on how it is written, outlining the multi-layered nature of the work. Dig into it here - click on the post's title.
Literature is an excellent resource for school programs that address bullying. But not if books with themes of bullying behavior are banned. To peruse this list of books that address bullying - click on the post's title.
What can you do about book banning? More than you may think. Here's a list of impactful actions. To check out 2022's most challenged books - click on the post's title.
Did you know Anne Frank planned to write a book about her time in hiding after the war? What event inspired her wish? And how did her writings merge into the text we have today? To find out - click on the post's title.