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What people miss in the conversation about banned books : It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders

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Banning books from classrooms and school libraries is nothing new, but it's recently become a topic of considerable political debate.

A Tennessee school district drew national attention after banning Maus, a graphic novel about the Holocaust. Toni Morrison's 1987 novel Beloved was a central discussion topic in the final weeks of Virginia's gubernatorial race last fall. In October, Texas state Rep. Matt Krause asked schools in his state to confirm if they possessed any books from a list featuring around 850 titles. Krause stated he chose these books because they "might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any form of psychological distress because of their race or sex."

According to Deborah Caldwell-Stone, director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, the books that received the most challenges in libraries and schools during 2020 were ones dealing with "racism, Black American history and diversity in the United States."

How should parents react to this news and to the books their children are reading? NPR senior editor Barrie Hardymon and Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks podcast, joined guest host Ayesha Rascoe to talk about banned book lists on Nov. 24.

The three talk about why it's important for kids to discover books freely, even if that means starting a hard conversation with them. They also discuss their favorite - and least favorite - books that often show up on banned book lists.

Why is this book banned?

Thomas notes that in Krause's list and on other banned books lists, the theme of history is frequently targeted.

"I saw a lot of books by Black authors, authors of color talking about race," says Thomas. "I saw a lot of books by and about queer authors, particularly the more recent lists targeting trans and genderfluid authors. I saw a lot of books weirdly about, like, history ... Books about things I sort of thought were settled history, which was a little shocking to me. It's weird to be like, 'Let's relitigate Ruby Bridges.' "

Hardymon highlights that books about sex and puberty are often banned.

"I noticed one of the books on there was a book about developing bodies in Spanish, [ Qué pasa en mi cuerpo? El libro para muchachas by Lynda Madaras]. And I thought, there was something so just like, you would lock the door to so many? ... What an unkind thing to do. That one really-that one killed me."

Banned books that deserve to be read widely

Toni Morrison's novel Beloved has become one of the more discussed banned books in 2021, and it's one of Hardymon's favorites on the banned book lists. "That book was the book that made me realize what fiction could do," she says. "You are going to come out of that experience feeling ... as though you have been off the Earth for a little bit. And once I realized the written word could do that, it unlocked so many doors for me."

Hardymon also recognizes that graphic novels are an entry point into the world of literature for young readers. She cites Alison Bechdel's Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic as a layered but accessible achievement in the genre.

Thomas wants to encourage teachers to consider teaching popular and new books to their classes, not just the books traditionally included in the literary canon.

"I feel like there's this obsession behind teaching kids these books that are important or deemed necessary, and hard to read. Like Jason Reynolds who writes for young people, just loves young people, and he writes great stuff for young people. And I do think that Jason Reynolds's work will last a long time for young people, but also if it doesn't, I think young people now should be reading people who are writing to young people now."

Hardymon and Thomas suggest reading these frequently banned books:

Beloved - Toni Morrison

Drama - Raina Telgemeier

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic - Alison Bechdel

Heavy: An American Memoir - Kiese Laymon

Calvin - JR Ford and Vanessa Ford, illustrated by Kayla Harren

All American Boys - Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You - Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi

Class Act and New Kid - Jerry Craft

Don't ban books, but do reconsider some

The publicity around banned books lists can provide an opportunity to rethink which books should receive a place of privilege in classrooms.

Hardymon considers William Styron's novel The Confessions of Nat Turner, the winner of the 1968 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, to be one of those books.

"[William Styron is] a white Southern writer ... He imagined the journey of the enslaved Nat Turner's rebellion in Virginia. First of all, it's certainly interesting at maybe a college-level class ... to parse a white writer's attempt at writing the story of enslavement. And in class where maybe you are talking about like, who gets to write what stories, fine. But if you're going to introduce to your students- and let's say we're in high school - you know, a narrative of enslaved life, you wouldn't want to give them, I don't believe, a narrative by a white Southern writer."

Hardymon instead suggested other novels that offer a postmodern look at enslavement written through a Black perspective:

Middle Passage - Charles R. Johnson

Dessa Rose - Sherley Anne Williams

The Known World - Edward P. Jones

While Thomas acknowledges hers is an unpopular opinion, the commonly banned books that she doesn't love are part of the J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Rowling has been criticized for her tweets that have been called transphobic.

"I recognize that the books are maybe enjoyable, they're maybe good. But for me ... when we talk about students, the term is being co-opted to mean white, straight, cis students. And I don't know that if, in a bigger sense, if we're professing to loving and seeing and supporting all students, that the work of someone who doesn't see, love, and respect all humans and people who have different gender identities, should be the thing that we think and talk about as the greatest thing that ever existed."

Thomas instead suggested authors who write fantasy novels with a young age group in mind, but who also write inclusively:

Akwaeke Emezi

Rivers Solomon

George M. Johnson

Kacen Callender

Nnedi Okorafor

This episode of 'It's Been a Minute' was produced by Audrey Nguyen and adapted for web by Nathan Pugh and Liam McBain. Our intern is Nathan Pugh. Our editor is Jordana Hochman. You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at samsanders@npr.org.

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What people miss in the conversation about banned books : It's Been a Minute

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Guest host Ayesha Rascoe is joined by NPR senior editor Barrie Hardymon and Traci Thomas, host of The Stacks podcast, to talk about banned books. They talk about why it's important for kids to discover books freely, even if that means starting a hard conversation with them.

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Book bans are getting everyone's attention - including Biden's. Here's why

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President Joe Biden named checked "MAGA extremists" and attempts to ban books in his video on Tuesday announcing he was officially running for office again. Here's why it's the topic that just won't stop.

What is it? Put frankly, it's a rising trend of parents and politicians pushing for censorship on material available to students in public schools and public libraries.

What's the big deal? It appears that public libraries are another battleground for the United State's ever-present culture wars.

Another 41% of titles challenged or banned have content relating to LGBTQIA+ identity and themes, according to PEN.

This dynamic has existed for decades. Famed novelist Judy Blume faced heavy scrutiny and calls for censorship in the 1980s for her books that discussed sexuality and self-image.

The number one banned book is once againGender Queer by Maia Kobabe, a graphic memoir that follows Kobabe's journey into exploring their own gender and queer identity.

Want to hear more on book bans? Listen to What are people saying? Consider This on how some communities are fighting back.
In his re-election video released on Tuesday, Joe Biden cited book as part of the "bedrock freedoms" under threat by "MAGA extremists":

Here's what he said at a White House event honoring educators earlier this week:

I never thought I'd be a president who is fighting against elected officials trying to ban, and banning, books.

So, what now? Learn more:
Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada, president of the American Library Association, on how the campaign for books being banned has ramped up in past years:

Now we're seeing organized attempts by groups to censor multiple titles throughout the country without actually having read many of these books.

Elle Mehltretter, a 16-year-old who spoke with NPR's Tovia Smith about circumventing book bans online in her home state of Florida:

You can say you ban books all you want, but you can never really ban them because they're everywhere.

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Book bans are getting everyone's attention - including Biden's. Here's why

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
President Joe Biden named checked "MAGA extremists" and attempts to ban books in his video on Tuesday announcing he was officially running for office again. Here's why it's the topic that just won't stop. What is it? Put frankly, it's a rising trend of parents and politicians pushing for censorship on material available to students in public schools and public libraries.

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Thank You to America's Librarians for Protecting Our Freedom to Read

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To the dedicated and hardworking librarians of America:

In any democracy, the free exchange of ideas is an important part of making sure that citizens are informed, engaged and feel like their perspectives matter.

It's so important, in fact, that here in America, the First Amendment of our Constitution states that freedom begins with our capacity to share and access ideas - even, and maybe especially, the ones we disagree with.

More often than not, someone decides to write those ideas down in a book.

Books have always shaped how I experience the world. Writers like Mark Twain and Toni Morrison, Walt Whitman and James Baldwin taught me something essential about our country's character. Reading about people whose lives were very different from mine showed me how to step into someone else's shoes. And the simple act of writing helped me develop my own identity - all of which would prove vital as a citizen, as a community organizer, and as president.

Today, some of the books that shaped my life - and the lives of so many others - are being challenged by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspectives. It's no coincidence that these "banned books" are often written by or feature people of color, indigenous people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community - though there have also been unfortunate instances in which books by conservative authors or books containing "triggering" words or scenes have been targets for removal. Either way, the impulse seems to be to silence, rather than engage, rebut, learn from or seek to understand views that don't fit our own.

I believe such an approach is profoundly misguided, and contrary to what has made this country great. As I've said before, not only is it important for young people from all walks of life to see themselves represented in the pages of books, but it's also important for all of us to engage with different ideas and points of view.

It's also important to understand that the world is watching. If America - a nation built on freedom of expression - allows certain voices and ideas to be silenced, why should other countries go out of their way to protect them? Ironically, it is Christian and other religious texts - the sacred texts that some calling for book bannings in this country claim to want to defend - that have often been the first target of censorship and book banning efforts in authoritarian countries.

Nobody understands that more than you, our nation's librarians. In a very real sense, you're on the front lines - fighting every day to make the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions, and ideas available to everyone. Your dedication and professional expertise allow us to freely read and consider information and ideas, and decide for ourselves which ones we agree with.

That's why I want to take a moment to thank all of you for the work you do every day - work that is helping us understand each other and embrace our shared humanity.

And it's not just about books. You also provide spaces where people can come together, share ideas, participate in community programs, and access essential civic and educational resources. Together, you help people become informed and active citizens, capable of making this country what they want it to be.

And you do it all in a harsh political climate where, all too often, you're attacked by people who either cannot or will not understand the vital - and uniquely American - role you play in the life of our nation.

So whether you just started working at a school or public library, or you've been there your entire career, Michelle and I want to thank you for your unwavering commitment to the freedom to read. All of us owe you a debt of gratitude for making sure readers across the country have access to a wide range of books, and all the ideas they contain.

Finally, to every citizen reading this, I hope you'll join me in reminding anyone who will listen - and even some people you think might not - that the free, robust exchange of ideas has always been at the heart of American democracy. Together, we can make that true for generations to come.

With gratitude,

Barack

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Thank You to America's Librarians for Protecting Our Freedom to Read

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In any democracy, the free exchange of ideas is an important part of making sure that citizens are informed, engaged and feel like their perspectives matter. It's so important, in fact, that here in...

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Former President Barack Obama penned an open letter to librarians across the nation while joining one Chicago library's campaign against book bans.

Ariana Triggs Ariana Triggs, USA TODAY

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Former President Barack Obama joins Chicago library's campaign against banning books

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Former President Barack Obama penned an open letter to librarians across the nation while joining one Chicago library's campaign against book bans.