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.
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.
For our 2024 celebration we're shining a spotlight on Phillis Wheatley (the first African-American to publish a book of poetry) and William Wells Brown (who wrote the first novel by an African-American). To find out more about the origins of Black History Month, these history-making individuals, and their ground-breaking works - click on the post's title.
What actually happens when young people read “disturbing” books? Literary scholars Gay Ivey and Peter Johnston have studied this at length. And it's not the baloney banners spout to scare you. To discover the very real benefits - 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.
It’s Rosa Parks Day! Commemorating her history-making arrest. Despite efforts to silence teaching about race and racism, teachers ensure that stories like Rosa Parks’ are told. To see some of the testimony that made Rosa Parks Day a reality. And take a look at the NCTE's statement on antiracist teaching - 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.
Hispanic Heritage Month takes place every year from September 15th to October 15th. Celebrate with a banned book by a Hispanic author. To check out our list - click on the post's title.
The Stonewall Uprising is part of an arc of LGTBQ+ advocacy that began with Magnus Hirschfeld, whose archive was destroyed in the first Nazi book burning. To learn about Hirschfeld and his significance -click on the post's title.