Books & Audiobooks
“Reading—whether about fictional characters or history—allows teens to grapple with complexity, build more nuanced understandings of issues and events, and develop empathy for others” – Robin Stevenson
Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights is a powerful YA anthology of short stories, memoir, poetry, graphic narratives, and essays highlighting the transformative power of books and the freedom to read. Between each of the contributed stories, readers will find lists of books on diverse topics and ideas for taking action against book bans.
Maia Kobabe, the award winning cartoonist of Gender Queer: A Memoir, opens the book with a beautifully illustrated overview of facts about book challenges and censorship in the United States that is followed by FAQs about book bans. Later in the book, Kelly Jensen’s “Our Whole Radical Anatomy” walks readers through the legal realities of book censorship, providing much needed context for understanding the complex systems at play.
A recurring theme throughout the collection is that books have the power to help us realize that we are not alone.
Maia Kobabe recalled meeting librarians at book signing who knew exactly who they wanted to give eir book to and in “Groomer,” Bill Konigsberg reflected on how impactful it would have been to encounter books that explored the feelings he encountered as a gay teenager. He became the author of the books that would have helped him.
Similarly, MariNaomi’s illustrated story “Mature Themes” reflects on their experience as a pre-teen feeling like nobody understood them and eventually finding a love for literature after a teacher introduced them to Kurt Vonnegut’s books. They came to realize that “banned books might have more interesting things to say” and becoming an author was their way of helping people in the same way authors had helped them when they were younger.
Brendan Kiely’s and Padma Venkatraman’s short stories explore fictionalized experiences of teens affected by censorship efforts, asking readers to consider the impacts book bans can have on teens and their communities. Ellen Hopkins’ fiction-in-verse builds on similar themes to imagine a childhood very different from her own.
The stories, reflections and resources in this book come together to paint a picture of the power of books.
All together, Banned Together provides an accessible, timely introduction and guide for teens and adults alike who are interested in discovering diverse stories, meeting the authors behind books that have been challenged or banned, and learning how they can support readers’ rights.
October 5-11, 2025 is Banned Books Week, bringing together the book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all ages — to highlight the value of open access to information and the freedom to read. There is no better time to consider the power of books and check out this anthology!
Bestselling author Traci Sorell concluded her contribution with a message that I think embodies the main takeaway of this collection: “You, your peers, and all readers deserve access to the spectrum of entertaining, informative, and inspiring works now available.”
