Banned Together

Starred review from January 1, 2025
Sixteen prominent writers for young people offer teens a comprehensive picture of what's at stake when books disappear from schools and libraries. Effectively combining essays, graphic narratives, and short stories, this anthology offers young adults the tools they need as they advocate for their right to read. Maia Kobabe lays the groundwork with graphic representations of book censorship by the numbers, highlighting the exponential increase over the last several years. The subsequent section, "Book Ban FAQs," provides important background knowledge and common language. A recurring theme is the power of books to help us realize we're not alone in the circumstances we face. Elana K. Arnold's autobiographical "The Things, the Things That Happened, the Things That Happened to Me" is a heart-wrenching example, cutting through the silence of rape culture. Isabel Quintero and Ellen Hopkins muse on knowledge as power while Traci Sorell takes on the erasure of Native peoples from history and literature. Kyle Lukoff connects book censorship to efforts to erase problematic history. Kelly Jensen's "Our Whole Radical Anatomy" introduces readers to the legalities of book censorship. Robin Stevenson touches on the effects of self-censoring. Brendan Kiely's and Padma Venkatraman's short stories offer fictionalized accounts of teens affected by censorship efforts. Editor P�rez introduces readers to teens around the country who are taking action to ensure their freedom to read and provides tips, reading suggestions, and other resources. Together these diverse contributors' voices form a potent whole. An empowering and critically timely blueprint for action. (select sources)(Anthology. 13-18)

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Starred review from February 1, 2025
Grades 8-12 *Starred Review* In response to record-breaking book challenges, P�rez's anthology brings together essays, comics, poetry, and more from over a dozen authors whose books have been challenged and sometimes outright banned. Authors including Maia Kobabe, Kyle Lukoff, and Nikki Grimes explain not only the challenges their books have faced but why they wrote their books and the needs fulfilled by those books being on library shelves. Powerfully, they also address the overall effect book bans, challenges, and general vitriol from those targeting their books have on them personally. Interspersed among the authors' contributions are statistics about book banning, brief lists of titles, and concrete advice for supporting both authors of banned books and the libraries being targeted. Many authors here emphasize that the frequently targeted books share common themes and topics: racism, LGBTQIA+ experiences, bodily autonomy and sexual health, and other subjects that some people wrongly believe teens are unable to handle. Serving as as a manifesto against book banning delivered by the authors whose livelihoods are on the line, this collection movingly reminds readers of the power they have against censorship. The authors' encouraging, candid voices teach readers how to stand up to book bans by supporting challenged titles in communities and schools and helping the community see the value in being open to learning about issues they may fear or not understand. Powerful reading for a crucial moment.

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Starred review from February 28, 2025

Gr 8 Up-Through fiction, essays, comics, verse, brief interviews, and lists, 16 authors discuss book bans, why they matter, and how to empower readers. A diverse cast of authors share how book bans have impacted them, personally, but also consistently focus on how these actions impact young readers and the harm done in these attempts to silence entire identities and erase lived experiences. The anthology begins with a comic by Maia Kobabe that explores what it's like to have the most banned book in America, looks at statistics of recent bans, and offers ways to support libraries. Many contributors draw connections between their younger selves and why they write what they write now. Standout entries include Bill Konigsberg recalling being sexually abused by adult men when he was a teen, and what it's like to be a survivor of grooming and now have that accusation hurled at him, and Isabel Quintero's on being labeled a "big mouth" when younger and now using that big mouth to be heard. P�rez and Fong bring teen voices into the collection, collaborating on comics that look at a teen who started a YouTube channel advocating for access to diverse books, and one about a parent group in Texas working to ban books and the teens there who wouldn't be deterred. Interspersed lists offer themed reading suggestions, highlighting books featuring abortion rights, memoirs, sex and sexuality, Native nations, bans and censorship, Black experiences, and more. VERDICT This light in the darkness is an inspiring call to action and an essential addition to all collections.-Amanda MacGregor

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