Curated by Librarian Allyson Mower

Be sure to check out this year’s Banned Book’s Week speaker Laurie Halse Anderson who has a banned book of her own called “Speak” – a story of a young teenager and surviving a traumatic event.  There are so many (thousands, in fact!) of good books that have received challenges. We’ve tagged them in the library’s catalog for easy finding. My favorites include:

Speak
By Laurie Halse Anderson

A story of a young teenager surviving a traumatic event.

Gender Queer
By Maia Kobabe

I can definitely imagine someone’s life being saved by this book!

The Diary of a Young Girl
By Anne Frank

My all-time favorite – love her writing, the storytelling, and the indelible impact that preserving stories creates.

Bless Me, Ultima
By Rudolfo Anaya

This book contains both the real and the otherworldly that happens in the borderlands – both physical and cultural.

The Color Purple
By Alice Walker

Celie’s financial and personal success is so inspiring – I still don’t understand what’s behind the challenges to this book (well, any book really).

Persepolis
By Marjane Satrapi

Like the other titles, this story of personal freedom and discovery of one’s own power is told through beautiful illustrations and memorable writing.