Unban Coolies

How do you write books that change lives—and why are they being banned?

In this inspiring interview, National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson joins Christopher Lau, host of UNBAN COOLIES, to discuss the power of literature to make young readers feel seen. Woodson talks about how her memoir Brown Girl Dreaming became both a classic and a target of censorship, and shares her thoughts on slow reading, storytelling, and what books ...

Christopher Paul Curtis didn’t set out to become a literary legend—he was clocking 10-hour shifts on the General Motors assembly line, fighting exhaustion and monotony one car door at a time. But in stolen moments on the factory floor, he found escape through writing—stories scribbled between bolts and metal that would later earn him the Newbery Medal and redefine children’s literature. In this revealing interview, Curtis shares th...

Malcolm X’s voice still speaks – not as an echo, but as a call to action. In this interview, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, author of Stamped from the Beginning and How to Be an Antiracist, shares why Malcolm’s legacy still matters today. Discover how Malcolm Lives brings the fire of one of America’s most influential figures to a new generation, challenging us to confront our history, question our present, and build a better future.

#M...

Cynthia Kadohata is a Newbery Medal and National Book Award-winning author whose work has forever changed the landscape of children's literature. Born in Chicago to Japanese American parents and raised across Georgia, Arkansas, and California, Cynthia draws from real-life experiences of hardship, resilience, and identity.

Her novels — including Kira-Kira, Weedflower, Cracker!, and The Thing About Luck — center voices often overlook...

As the opioid crisis continues to impact teens across the country, award-winning author and former librarian Mindy McGinnis talks about why she wrote Heroine, a brutally honest novel about a student athlete's descent into addiction and why it’s been banned in schools.

In this interview, she opens up about her own childhood reading habits, the power of dark stories, and what it means to write books that some adults try to take off s...

Elana K. Arnold is one of the boldest voices in young adult literature today. Her award-winning books — Damsel, Red Hood, What Girls Are Made Of, and more — tackle power, consent, and girlhood with unflinching honesty. But with that truth-telling comes backlash. Her stories have earned national honors—and been pulled from shelves.

In this powerful and personal interview, Elana reflects on the experiences that shaped her voice, t...

Ashley Hope Pérez is a literary scholar, award-winning novelist, youth advocate, and professor at The Ohio State University. Her novel Out of Darkness, frequently listed among the most banned books in the United States , has sparked powerful conversations about racism, history, and resilience.

Ashley’s advocacy goes beyond the page: she is also the editor of Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights (Penguin Books, March 2025)...

Donna Barba Higuera is a Newbery Medal and Pura Belpré Medal-winning author whose stories blend folklore, humor, and deep emotional truths. Her novel The Last Cuentista won both prestigious awards, cementing its place as a modern classic that explores the power of memory, storytelling, and cultural preservation. Meanwhile, Lupe Wong Won’t Dance received a Pura Belpré Honor and the Sid Fleischman Award for its humorous yet impactful...

Imagine a library where everyone feels welcomed, where books are celebrated, and where the librarian isn’t just someone who shelves books—but a passionate advocate for knowledge, inclusion, and joy. That’s exactly what Mychal Threets embodies.

From shelving books at the very library he grew up in to becoming a viral sensation, Mychal has captured hearts with his uplifting videos, mixing book recommendations with powerful affirmati...

Step into a world where history takes a different turn, survival is a test of will, and time itself refuses to follow the rules. In this thought-provoking interview, New York Times bestselling author Ryan Graudin discusses her bold storytelling, the challenges of writing alternate history, and why speculative fiction is a powerful tool to reimagine the past and challenge dominant narratives. From the Nazi-won WWII world of Wolf by ...

Critics have compared her to Judy Blume, praising her ability to tackle tough topics with authenticity and heart. From Maybe He Just Likes You, which explores consent, to Halfway Normal, a moving story about life after cancer, and Star-Crossed, a groundbreaking middle-grade novel about LGBTQ+ identity, Barbara Dee’s books don’t just entertain—they spark important conversations.

In this interview, Barbara Dee shares the inspirat...

Chris Crutcher is an award-winning author, former family therapist, and lifelong advocate for intellectual freedom. Raised in Cascade, Idaho, he found his way to storytelling through an unconventional path—from reading Playboy for the articles to working as a teacher and director at an alternative school in Oakland and later as a family therapist specializing in child abuse and neglect. His real-world experiences directly shaped hi...

A.S. King has been called “One of the best Y.A. writers working today” by The New York Times Book Review and is one of YA fiction's most decorated. She is the only two-time winner of the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Award (2020 for Dig and 2024 for The Collectors) and has won the LA Times Book Prize for Ask the Passengers. In 2022, King received the ALA's Margaret A. Edwards Award for her lifetime achievement to...

Amina Luqman-Dawson is an award-winning author whose work explores race, culture, and community through powerful storytelling. Her debut novel, Freewater, became a New York Times Bestseller and won both the John Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award, solidifying her place as a leading voice in children's literature.

With a background in political science from Vassar College and a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley, Am...

Meg Medina is a Cuban American author and the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. She writes for readers of all ages, focusing on cultural identity, resilience, and strong female protagonists. Her middle-grade novel Merci Suárez Changes Gears won the Newbery Medal, with its sequels also receiving widespread acclaim.

Her young adult novel Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass won the Pura Belpré Author Award a...

Erin Entrada Kelly is an acclaimed author whose work has earned numerous accolades, including the 2025 Newbery Medal for The First State of Being, the 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, a 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, the 2023 NAIBA Book of the Year Award for Those Kids From Fawn Creek, and the 2017 APALA Award for The Land of Forgotten Girls. She is also a National Book Award Finalist and the author/illustrator of...

Paul Fleischman is an award-winning American author celebrated for his diverse body of work spanning children’s, young adult, and adult literature. Best known for his books Seedfolks, Whirligig, and Joyful Noise, Fleischman masterfully weaves themes of community, resilience, and interconnectedness into his stories. Winner of the Newbery Medal and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, his writing often combines creativity with powerful ...

Ellen Hopkins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 14 young adult novels, 2 middle-grade novels, and 4 adult novels, with over 5.2 million books in print. Known for her gripping verse novels that tackle complex themes like addiction, mental health, and abuse.

Hopkins' works are widely celebrated but also frequently censored. Four of her novels (Crank, Burned, Glass, and Tricks) were named among the top 100 banned and chal...

Matt de la Peña is the New York Times Bestselling, Newbery Medal-winning author of seven young adult novels (including Mexican WhiteBoy, We Were Here, and Superman: Dawnbreaker) and six picture books (including Milo Imagines the World and Last Stop on Market Street).

In 2016 he was awarded the NCTE Intellectual Freedom Award. Matt received his MFA in creative writing from San Diego State University and his BA from the University of...