Book bans are increasingly becoming common in US schools. In the 2022-23 school year, PEN America reported 3,362 book bans, affecting 1,557 unique titles. And its latest data, released Nov. 1, 2024, shows that the number of book bans soared in the 2023-24 school year to more than 10,000, with Florida and Iowa accounting for over 8,000 of them. Thousands of titles are from … [Read more...] about Book Bans in U.S. Schools are Increasing Exponentially
banned books
Banned Book Week 2024 – Freed Between the Lines
This year's Banned Books Week is being held from September 22 to September 28, and it's no surprise that the registration is fully booked. The good news is there are ways to participate and offer support for the cause, such as reading a banned book or using the dedicated hashtags #BannedBooksWeek, #BannedBooks, and #BannedBooksList to spread awareness. The cause has grown … [Read more...] about Banned Book Week 2024 – Freed Between the Lines
Bookstore Returns Banned Books to the Local Community of Florida
Firestorm Books, a revolutionary bookstore in Asheville, North Carolina, took charge of 22,500 books. These books were removed from the Duval County Public Schools system in Florida. Their mission is to return these books to the community where they originated i.e. Florida. Book banning in the USA involves restricting access to certain books. It was due to objections about … [Read more...] about Bookstore Returns Banned Books to the Local Community of Florida
NYPL Launches Nationwide Teen Banned Book Club
During the ongoing Banned Books Week, the New York Public Library is coming up with a new campaign called "Books for All: Protect the Freedom to Read,". The campaign is likely to run till the end of June, and it's going to be the longest anti-censorship campaign of all time. The reason for such a campaign is due to the recent rise in censorship that has targeted young adult … [Read more...] about NYPL Launches Nationwide Teen Banned Book Club
Mem Fox’s “Guess What?” Book is not Banned but Approved for School Libraries
Mem Fox, one of the most popular Australian author's books, "Mem Fox" has been in the headlines lately. But, first, there was news that Florida governor Ron DeSantis banned the book in the Jacksonville County of Duval. After much buzz, reality came to the surface. So many books are under review for their content in school, but "Guess What" is not among them. Keep reading to … [Read more...] about Mem Fox’s “Guess What?” Book is not Banned but Approved for School Libraries
New Humble Bundle features banned ebooks for $15
Humble Bundle is running a new campaign for banned and challenged books. There are 22 titles that are available and if you buy the whole thing for $15, the combined savings is over $250. There are some famous and important works here, including Alice Walker's The Color Purple, William Styron's Sophie's Choice and Hubert Selby Jr.'s Last Exit to Brooklyn. You also get Jeff … [Read more...] about New Humble Bundle features banned ebooks for $15
Ellen Hopkins, eBooks, and the Fight Against Censorship
Young adult author Ellen Hopkins is no stranger to controversy. Her teen books--which deal with very difficult yet realistic subject matter such as drug addiction, suicide, and self-harm--are often found hovering near the top of the lists of books that have been banned in schools or libraries. But an event this week shed new light on an age-old problem: censorship. Hopkins … [Read more...] about Ellen Hopkins, eBooks, and the Fight Against Censorship
Number of Children’s Challenged Books Increased in 2013
With the advent of digital reading, digital publishing, and self-publishing in their current forms, it seems that a resurgence in bibliophilia may be sweeping the planet. But at a time when access to books is being made possible literally anywhere and efforts to further reading through instant digital downloads continues to grow, a sad and shocking fact has come to light: more … [Read more...] about Number of Children’s Challenged Books Increased in 2013