Rogue Librarians
Since 2021, an unprecedented number of Young Adult books, especially ones with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters, have been removed from libraries across the country. In this podcast, we discuss YA books that have been banned in recent years. We discuss each selected book in two episodes. The first episode illuminates why the book has been banned and why we think it is worth reading. The second episode discusses the book's characters, themes, and significance in greater detail. Please join us for our conversations! Books are meant to be read.
Episodes
We discuss All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson, which was the third-most-challenged book in 2021. First published in 2020, this memoir has received multiple starred reviews, was included on the American Library Association Rainbow List, and was adapted into a short film in 2021.
In this episode, we discuss why All Boys Aren't Blue has been banned. We also offer our assessment of its pros and cons....
We do a close reading of Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez. First published in 2015, Out of Darkness received a 2016 Printz Honor for excellence in young adult literature and won the 2016 Tomás Rivera Book Award and the 2016 Américas Book Award. Out of Darkness was not challenged until 2021, the same year it became the fourth-most-challenged book in the country.
We discuss our opinions of the book's char...
In this special episode, we interview Ashley Hope Pérez, the author of Out of Darkness. First published in 2015, Out of Darkness received a 2016 Printz Honor for excellence in young adult literature and won the 2016 Tomás Rivera Book Award and the 2016 Américas Book Award. Out of Darkness was not challenged until 2021, the same year it became the fourth-most-challenged book in the country.
In the interview, we discuss why Out ...
In this bonus episode, we discuss current and proposed legislation involving banned books. We mention different forms of censorship; examples of bills and laws that restrict books in schools and public libraries; and ways that we can fight censorship. It is essential that we oppose these types of laws and contact our elected officials.
You can find more information about censorship and organizations that fight it on the Resources p...
We do a close reading of Drama by Raina Telgemeier, which was the seventh-most-banned book between 2010 and 2019. Drama is notable because it was one of the first graphic novels to include gay characters.
We discuss our opinions of Drama's characters, themes, and significance. Please see Episode 7 for a discussion of why the book has been banned recently.
We discuss Drama by Raina Telgemeier, which was the seventh-most-banned book between 2010 and 2019. First published in 2012, this graphic novel won the Stonewall Book Award in 2013, in addition to receiving many starred reviews and honors. Drama is notable because it was one of the first graphic novels to include gay characters.
In this episode, we discuss why Drama has been banned. We also offer our assessment of i...
We do a close reading of The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman, which made the news after a Tennessee school board voted to remove it from the curriculum in January 2022. We discuss our opinions of the graphic memoir's characters, themes, and significance. Please see Episode 5 for a discussion of why the book has been banned recently.
Thanks to Chris for our music and to Lizzie for our audio editing (for all of our...
We discuss The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman. First serialized from 1980-1991, Maus recently made the news after a Tennessee school board voted to prevent it from being taught in the district’s classrooms in January 2022. Maus has won several awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, the Harvey Award, and the Eisner Award.
In this episode, we discuss why Spiegelman's graphic memoir has been banned recently. W...
We do a close reading of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, which was the fifth most frequently challenged book in America in 2021. We discuss our opinions of the novel's characters, themes, and significance. Please see Episode 3 for a discussion of why the book has been banned recently.
A note: we wanted to correct a couple of details that we mentioned in the episode. Maya, one of Starr's friends, is Chinese-American. Starr had post...
We discuss The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, which was the fifth most frequently challenged book in America in 2021. First published in 2017, the book was a New York Times bestseller and the recipient of several awards, including the Michael L. Printz Award and the William C. Morris Award.
In this episode, we discuss why Thomas's novel has been banned recently. We also offer our assessment of its pros and cons. Please listen t...
We do a close reading of Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer. We discuss our opinions of the graphic memoir's characterization, themes, and significance. Please see Episode 1 for a discussion of why the book has been banned recently.
Trigger warning: we mentioned the high suicide rate for trans teens again from 32:00 to 32:15.
A note: the quotation we mentioned from the Washington Post was from an Op-Ed by Maia Kobabe on October 29, 2021.
A...
We discuss Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, which was the most frequently challenged book in America in 2021. After it was published in 2019, the American Library Association (ALA) named Gender Queer an Alex Award Winner and a Stonewall Honor Book.
In this episode, we discuss why Kobabe's memoir has been challenged or banned recently. We also offer our assessment of its pros and cons. Please listen to our second episode for a clo...
Since 2021, an unprecedented number of Young Adult books, especially ones with LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters, have been removed from libraries across the country.
In the Rogue Librarians podcast, three teacher-librarians discuss YA books that have been banned in recent years. They discuss each selected book in two episodes. The first episode illuminates why the book has been banned and why they think it is worth reading. The second e...
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