Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us: Banned Books Week 2022

Both a 2020 ALA Alex Award and Stonewall Award Winner, Maia Kobabe’s autobiographical graphic novel tells eir story about coming to terms with both eir gender identity and asexuality. A touching reflection about the journey to understand one’s own identity as well as how to come out to others and have them see you for who you truly are for the first time. Gender Queer is a stunning display of graphic storytelling that pairs wonderfully with ND Stevenson’s The Fire Never Goes Out.

Equal parts humorous and touching, this inspiring novel from Jonathan Evison follows 22-year-old Mike Muñoz, a young Mexican man living in Washington State on a journey to discover himself and find the path towards the ever elusive “American Dream.” With a protagonist The New York Times Book Review calls “a Holden Caulfield for a new millennium,” this hopeful coming of age novel is exactly the kind of story that can kickstart meaningful conversations.  

The best way to understand and truly empathize with the experience of others is to hear about it directly from the source. A memoir and manifesto rolled into one, All Boys Aren’t Blue provides an unapologetic and captivating look at the author’s childhood, adolescence, and college years. Covering a wide range of topics from toxic masculinity and bullying to Black queer joy, George M. Johnson provides profound insights with heartfelt personal essays. 

With the real-life historical tragedy of the 1937 New London school explosion serving as a ticking time bomb, this historical tale of a forbidden romance in a deeply segregated Texan town is an ALA Printz Honor Book award winner. Dealing with topics of racism as well as abuse and sexual violence, this heartbreaking novel is an absolutely riveting and engrossing story that belongs on your shelves.  

The Hate U Give has spent equal amounts of time on bestseller lists and banned books lists ever since its debut in 2017. Following 16-year-old Starr Carter after the night of the tragic shooting of her childhood best friend by a police officer, Angie Thomas’ writing is both timely and gut-wrenchingly authentic. The BLM movement is one of the most influential movements of our time, and novels like this one, as well as All American Boys  by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, are important conversation drivers for those who wish to understand and discuss these topics.  

Known as one of the most frequently challenged books since its release for its use of profanity and sexuality, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a National Book Award Winner. Based on the author’s own experiences, this novel follows an aspiring cartoonist, Junior, who leaves his high school on the Spokane Indian Reservation for a school in an all-white rural community where the only other Native American is the mascot. Funny and authentic, Junior’s journey through adolescence has appeal for both young adult and adult readers.

Greg Gaines has spent his high school years flying under the radar, making films with his friend Earl and not making a splash. Yet all that changes as he heads into his senior year, when his mom insists he reconnect with his childhood friend Rachel, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Filled with laugh-out-loud humor and genuinely realistic teenage dialogue and perspectives, Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl is a contemporary classic. 

In the age of #MeToo and I May Destroy You, it’s stories like this one and Speakby Laurie Halse Anderson that we look back on as an introduction, for many of us, to discussions of sexual assault and the power of speaking up. This critically acclaimed novel by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison focuses on an 11-year-old Black girl who dreams of having blue eyes in order to fit into American expectations of beauty. The Bluest Eye reminds us that some topics may be uncomfortable to confront but are still vital conversations to have.  

Looking to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community? Look no further than Juno Dawson’s This Book is Gay. From deconstructing stereotypes to coming out, this entertainingly candid non-fiction book on sexuality and gender is great not only for queer teens and adults, but parents, teachers, and anyone else who wants to expand their knowledge.

A 2015 Stonewall Honor Book, this non-fiction collection of stories from six transgender and gender-neutral young adults provides an honest, respectful, and in-depth look at the experiences of these teens. Interwoven with photography from author-photographer Susan Kuklin, Beyond Magenta provides a refreshingly candid look into the lives of these teens, from their relationships with themselves, family, and the world at large.