Greetings bookish friends! As National Banned Books Week wraps up, I was curious and decided to check out the list of books Moms for Liberty (gross, I know) have challenged in schools across the country (this list specifically from Indian River County in Florida). And while I shouldn’t have been shocked - their propaganda is widespread and aggressive - I still found myself horrified at how desperate these people are to keep diversity and education out of our schools. So, I wanted to do a bit of a deep dive and share with you the challenged books that I know and love and why you (and everyone else) should read them too.
For anyone wondering, you can check out the full list here: https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/ircs/Board.nsf/files/CBYND65F46F6/%24file/Challenged%20Book%20List%20Recommendations.pdf
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas* - A treatise for teens and young adults (though holds a lesson for just about everyone) on what life in America is for young, Black folks. It provides a nuanced exploration of life after police brutality and how communities react when the State-sponsored murder and oppression swells. This shouldn’t be a banned book in high schools, it should be a must-read (especially in majority-white schools like the one I attended in the midwest).
Beloved by Toni Morrison - Remember when, a few sentences ago, I said I shouldn’t have been surprised? Well, when I saw this title, I somehow still was, just by the sheer audacity. Not only is Beloved a must-read that explores the racial dynamics in a post-Civil War America, it is an American classic. Humanites educations seem to be being dismantled brick by brick and a strong knowledge and appreciation of the art and literature of the country is one way to hold on (it’s because of the humanities that people have media literacy and like…empathy…so would 10/10 recommend keeping that type of education around). Beloved is a cornerstone of American literature.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - This book may be a bit dated, and it has been a while since I read it, but here’s what I remember - literature normalizing abortion and abortion care, and a brutal reckoning with the after effects of inc*st. Whether Moms for Liberty or other fascist-aspiring groups want to admit it or not, both of these are things that people (sometimes teens, sometimes children) are dealing with. And to see representation in art? That could be lifesaving.
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien - I read this book in college, and it has been quite some time, but similar to my humanities rant (see above), this book is a blend of truth and fiction - it shows the blurred line between life and art.
The Color Purple by Alice Walker - Take my opinions on Beloved and apply to an award winning novel set in the Jim Crow South. This is an American classic and it should be treated as such.
Gossip Girl by Cecily von Zeigesar - Here’s the thing…not every book needs to be a masterpiece. The Gossip Girl series isn’t written particularly well and is a study in vice from obscenely wealthy teens. But the problem with book banning is that individuals or groups get to ascribe their personal beliefs to what is then made widely available. I didn’t like the Gossip Girl books when I tried to pick them up years ago. But I am not egotistical enough to think that my dislike should dictate someone else’s ability to read them. Nor am I a parent, but I expect parents who don’t want their kids reading them to be able to have that conversation with their kids. Kids are fully formed humans too and to use them as an excuse to push what is clearly a political agenda (book banning almost always is), is far more offensive than the contents of any of the books this group is trying to ban.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - Isn’t it a little too on the nose when book banners try to ban books critiquing authoritarianism?
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - Full disclosure: I didn’t like this book when I read it. It was required reading in high school and the teacher who taught it wasn’t really qualified to teach books with such heavy subject matter. But it was important, and I would argue even necessary. The point of required reading should be to force students to learn about the world outside of themselves and their own experiences. If I’m honest, I think the only book by an author from Afghanistan in my entire public school education.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison - STOP BANNING TONI MORRISON.
Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi - Full disclosure. I haven’t read this particular book by Dr. Kendi, but considering he is one of the most prominent antiracist voices of this generation, I’m just going to say that a book written specifically for children to start exploring the world they live in in terms they understand is actually a good thing.
*This post contains affiliate links. If you make purchases after using these links, I will earn a percentage of your purchase without any further cost to you.
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