Banned Books looks at controversial classics and modern books alike. This little tome is more important than ever, what with all the crazy conservatives trying to ban all manner of literature from schools.

From classics like The Great Gatsby to modern authors like Phillip Pullman and JK Rowling, banning books isn’t a new thing. Some did surprise me, as did the reasoning behind some books. Some reasons seem silly to me today (Catcher in the Rye… *uugghhh*). Others I may choose not to teach, but certainly wouldn’t strive for banning, or making a big deal about someone choosing to read for pleasure, even if I wouldn’t. The Harry Potter books have sadly fallen into this category for me due to the author’s stances on certain things. 

Books for high school age kids really shouldn’t be banned for reasons such as *gasp* LGBTQ+ representation, or mild sexual situations. Or even more extreme if it’s necessary to the story (The Kite Runner). This aren’t young kids. They know about sex. And banning books with positive depictions of LGBTQ+ characters denigrates and dismisses an entire subset of the population.

****Many thanks to Netgalley and DK for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.