Edited by Ashley Hope Pérez
Published by Holiday House
Mom's Review
I could not put down Banned Together! Written for teens, multiple banned authors write about their experiences - what prompted them to write the banned books, what happens in the wake of challenges, and how we and teens themselves can fight against book bans. Between each essay, poem, or narrative is a resource related to book bans, like websites listing challenged books, guides to action, statistics, and more. Banned Together offers a personal, nuanced view of book challenges and bans that one may not consider when focusing on the statistics and avalanche of challenges that our libraries are facing today. Definitely for teens, difficult themes like sexual assault, abortion, racism, school shooting, and sexuality are addressed bluntly and realistically. Juvenile readers who are interested in book bans may not be ready for some of the experiences the authors went through as teens themselves, so I recommend reading ahead so you are ready to answer questions. Honestly, I think if you are a parent of a teen, you'll find it worth it to read alongside your kid. This is such a great launchpad for conversation. I absolutely loved it. Banned Together is an excellent book that I highly recommend!
I do have one publishing criticism: it is printed on smooth, shiny paper that feels unpleasant to touch, like those photo pages in coffee table books. But the content is so good that you'll find a way around holding the book open with bare hands.
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