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NCTE Intellectual Freedom Center

The NCTE Intellectual Freedom Center is such a great resource for English teachers. I had browsed their website before, but didn't realize that they offer real guidance for dealing with censorship. The action kit and database feel especially useful right now. It's comforting to know there is a place backing teachers up when these tough conversations come into the classroom.

Pen America “Banned In the USA“

Just looked through Pen America‘s “Banned in the USA” report and it's astounding how many books are being pulled, without any real process. Of course, many of the titles deal with identity, race, and queerness. It's not just bans but the quiet removals too. Makes you think about who gets to decide what stories are appropriate and what voices do or don't matter in schools.

“‘While the meaning of a book may be informed by the author‘s intentions, it isn‘t defined by them” (of 67).
This is a wow statement that I think is important to remember as readers take on a book. It‘s how we interpret and understand books that make them what they are to us, the author does not define everything in it so that the reader is left to their own devices. Students should know and learn that early in their learning journey.

“You learn more about the story and you also learn more about yourself as a reader…” (pg 32).
This is the part where the students are told they‘re going to read Harriet the Spy, some of them had already read it and this is what the teacher had to say about reading books over again. I thought it was such a good takeaway to remember even for us in college, reading books over again can be important and teach you even more than you can imagine

I really loved Answers in the Pages and how it addresses book banning in a way that feels authentic and relatable for middle school ages. Levithan shows how assumptions about a story can cause issues, especially when it involves characters of different identity groups. It‘s a perfect reminder of why it‘s so important for kids to see themselves in books and have the freedom to read what matters to them. This helps them really grow as individuals.

I really felt for Donovan. He didn‘t think twice about the book until his mom freaked out, and suddenly he‘s in the middle of this huge mess. I loved most how the book had three different stories: Donovan, The Adventurers, and then the one about Gideon and Roberto. At first it was a little confusing, but once I saw how they all came together, it hit harder. I liked the subtle way the book talks about romantic and friends' love.

I really enjoyed reading this book, I was able to pick it up and not put it down until it was over. I can see myself recommending it to students in the future so they can see that everyone, no matter the age, has a voice to use and can speak up. I also think this gave a good inside look on how book bans and challenges go about getting solved, something students may not know too much about!

I absolutely loved the story as a whole and would love to use it in a classroom to introduce students to real life situations. I think it would not only be a good way to demonstrate to students taking action for things they care about can produce results as opposed to giving up, but also as a mentor texts of creating a variety of POVs that interconnect with one another.

I absolutely loved this book. I think that its take on book censorship is presented in a real but very appropriate way makes it a great pick for young readers! Readers can learn about different life experiences, challenges, and ideas in 165 pages making it a pick!

Paired with this text, I would have students create protest posters about a cause they care about, inspired by Answers in the Pages. It connects to the book‘s themes of advocacy and censorship, and gives them a chance to express their voices creatively. They‘ll choose an issue, design a poster with a clear message, and explain how it ties back to the story. ---I found a cute example of this assignment, pictured above---

Levithan‘s Answers in the Pages explores censorship, identity, and courage through three connected stories. When a book is challenged at school, a community is forced to confront what stories “deserve“ to be told. Thoughtful and timely, this novel celebrates the power of books to spark change. A must-read for young readers navigating their place in the world—and for the adults who support them.

“We are who we are and we'll be who we'll be. A book can make us feel that, but it can't invent that. It is already inside of us.“

This sounds sweet at first, but I do not like this idea. This idea assumes that we cannot change as people, and that we cannot choose to act/not act on the things we feel. I think it is pretty clear that in everything in life, what you put into something is what you're going to get out. Acknowledging this is important

Banned in the USA Web Article

10,046 book bans! That is a ton of instances of books challenged/removed in a school. Something this made me think about was the litigation (?) of it all. The school year is already so tight with time, and having issues like book bans can take up even more time. I think the topics banned are understandable to me - there are so many issues and viewpoints that it is hard to please everyone.

I really like the topic of banned books. I think this, even, is a book that could be banned in some places, and I love the meta aspect of it all. A book like this helps students think about what constitutes a worthy ban for a book, and having this in a narrative format is a really interesting and unique way to stir up discussions. I think, regardless of how students feel on the LGBTQ issue, thinking about these topics are relevant.

If I were to pick a central idea from this book beyond its controversies, I would choose the concept of communication. This novel shows how ignoring a topic only perpetuates an issue. It is only through addressing complex topics that growth can be had. Not only do the conversations in the book bridge the empathy gap, but all books alike bridge that gap by allowing an individual to step into another's life.

“There are stories behind everything.“ The narrative decision to share character insights from the anagrams of Gideon and Roberto is fascinating. Each interpersonal relationship holds alternative interpretations for understanding how characters communicate. Countless details could be dissected from this narrative, highlighting the importance of diction and its impact on different individuals.

The number of people negatively affected by the controversy that Donovan's mom began with, solely challenging his class book, is appalling. So much can be said about why his mother challenged the book, but on a lighter note, how sweet would it be to have a class as invested in classroom literature as Mr Howe's class! They are so willing to back up their teacher and his book choice!

“'While the meaning of a book may be informed by the author‘s intentions, it isn‘t defined by them. Meaning comes from the combination of what the author puts in and what the reader takes out'“ (Levithan 59).

The beauty of reading is that it is a personal experience with no one correct answer. Authors are reflecting something meaningful to them that they hope to connect to readers' unique experiences but don't expect a uniform response.

Initially, the structure of this book confused me, but as I have progressed through it, I am starting to see it come together. Like Flying Lessons and Mexikid, I like that Answers in the Pages introduces a unique style of writing for students to see. A cool assignment to do with this book is to split the class into three groups and have each group become experts on each story and jigsaw it to bring it all together!

“'We are who we are, and we'll be who we'll be. A book can make us *feel* that, but it can't *invent* that. It's already inside us,'“ (Levithan 122).

Among so much else in this book, Donovan's open conversation with his mother brings about this quote. While I was reading, I thought about its truth in my own life. But even more important is the truth this will bring to students: unlearning prejudices or becoming more of themselves without fear.

After reading the first three chapters, I audibly gasped at the ingenuity of a story within a story within a story. SO. GOOD! I was laughing and crying alongside the characters, and Levithan's focus on censorship speaks to the issues we face as we become educators. This book would be a wonderful read in the classroom alongside Banned Books Week to bring awareness to our students about how censorship affects their education.

This has been my fave book so far in class! There were so many banger quotes that were impactful and were very thought provoking! Never underestimate a 5th grader because they just might teach you something about yourself that you didn‘t even realize… I loved how the author did a “storyception” where we got to read a story within a story it was really cool and I liked how it gave the reader an inside look into the story that was being challenged.

A reoccurring conflict I kept picking up on in this story was how Gideon‘s mom never asked him about the book or even let him know that she disproved of it. This caused Gideon so much anxiety from being left in the dark that when he figured out why she might‘ve been upset about the book it left him so confused because there wasn‘t anything blatantly wrong to him. I think the author was trying to show that communication is key.

This quote was so impactful because of how true it is. Not only could you say this about sexuality but you can also say the same about race, class, and other societal issues. I think it‘s important to learn and understand something or someone before you it write off as being bad. Because it‘s a lot easier to be afraid or dislike someone when you hardly know anything about them.

“Are they gay? Does it matter?”
These two questions summarize not only the plot, but the ideals of this book. I applaud Levithan‘s answer to these questions through the teacher, Mr. Howe, explaining the importance of these conversations. To eliminate representation about a group of people from literature does not eliminate the existence of those people, it just gives the impression that they have a reason to feel ashamed of their wonderful selves.

In a society that is seeing more and more books banned at all levels of grade schools, this is a very important topic to understand. I thought this story did a wonderful job of not only explaining what book bans are and why they happen, but why we must stay informed of the content people intend to censor. If we merely accept things as being inappropriate without understanding why, we risk eliminating crucial voices in the lives of our students.

At first, I struggled to keep up with the different story lines, specifically the purpose of Gideon and Roberto‘s story. I initially thought it was just an example of kids knowing who they are, proving the importance of diverse identities in books. That would‘ve been enough, but I loved the reveal that the two boys we watched fall in love were Mr. Howe and the author. This proved the importance of the book, and tied the three stories together.

My favorite so far. I cried. It was an adorable and heartwarming story of love, justice, community, and acceptance, but it also brings the harshness of banning/contention over books in classrooms to light very mangagably and realistically. The multiple perspectives would be a GREAT mentor for how to interweave stories like this too, combining writing moves with meaningful and relevant themes that students can participate in THEMSELVES. 5/5! ⭐️

This was a fantastic book to introduce and exemplify book banning in classrooms! By including the text in question, Levithan's readers can come to their OWN conclusions but also have exposure to the represented community with Gideon/Roberto and see the reality of people combating inclusion with Donovan. This encourages seeing multiple perspectives and considering all ideas (including their own INFORMED ones) to make decisions about books.

This book, especially Donovan's story, was incredibly personal to me because I've been through something similar. I could relate to how humiliated or disappointed he was feeling in conflict with his family but also in how empowered he felt when he found that others were on his side when it came to reading queer literature. Ignorance isn‘t “protecting” children, it is impacting their future interactions with real people in a real community.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I'm not sure I would teach it because I think I would personally get bored reading it multiple times over but I would definitely recommend it to students or teach it through small group settings where kids could pick from various books and read them in a book club. The ending was satisfying and had a feel-good aspect to it that gives kids closure when building reading stamina.

The first part of this book threw me off for a little bit. The character povs swapped out but once I realized what was going on I was all for it. first half of the book did a good job staying interesting and explaining book banning on an age appropriate level. I enjoyed Donovan the most because he shows the coming of age process kids have with their parents regarding differing opinions. Would be a great resource to discuss beliefs in writing.

Out of everything I've read so far for the YAL class, I believe this book was my favorite. The interconnected storylines proved to be an engaging read, and I found the characters extremely lovable. I shed a few tears by the time the resolution was reached. This narrative addresses book censorship in a way that is both interesting and relevant to young readers, serving as a great starting point for discussing the topic and its impact on society.

In this book three seemingly separate storylines come together to help start a discussion about book censorship and how early young people can handle LGTBQ+ content.

It is very slow at work right now so I‘m going to start this and see how far I get before anyone else enters the building.

Middle grade novel with 2 story lines: one where two boys develop feelings for each other and begin a relationship, and the other where a 5th grader's mom challenges a book the class is reading because the main characters might be gay. And a 3rd storyline where we get excerpts from the book that's being challenged.

“…there‘s something important about going back to books you‘ve already read. You will always find new thing inside or have new reaction to characters you thought you already knew well. You learn more about the story and you also learn more about yourself as a reader, and where you are in life.”