By Ashley Hope Pérez and Debbie Fong, eds.
Holiday House, 2025
293 pages
978-0-8234-5830-1
Age 13 and older
“When adults … refuse to acknowledge that adolescence isn’t a time of innocence and ease for everyone, when they try to take away books that reflect the wide range of experiences of young people, they are attempting to change the narrative of what it means to be a teen in the United States” (Isabel Quintero). Fourteen creators of books for youth whose works have been among those targeted by censors challenging materials in school and public libraries in recent years offer their perspectives on book bans and censorship in the United States. They do so in pieces sharing life experiences that inform their work; how the censorship landscape has impacted them; and, above all, their commitment to creating books that reflect the realities of life for children and teens today as well as life in our country in the present and the past. The offerings include essays, comics, short stories, and poems. Among them are powerful personal reflections. Occasional, excellent contextual information is provided throughout, such as the difference between a book challenge and a book ban, components of the challenge process, information on obscenity laws, examples of reasons books have been banned, and how to start a banned-book club. In addition, booklists follow most of the authors’ contributions, offering additional reading suggestions on related topics or themes. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center