Attack of the Black Rectangles | 
pickOn par with Alan Gratz' Ban This Book comes a fictionalized yet based on a true story of the author's experience of book censorship at her school. In this book the town also has strong options of dress codes, candy, and pizza delivery among other things. Themes of parental mental health are also worth mentioning.
pickI found a lot to love about this book. I could really relate to the family dynamic. I'm glad I read the Devil's Arithmetic first. It gave this book another level of wow. I don't live in an area where book banning is a problem. The community where the story took place seemed surreal to me, maybe too, phony. But then I need to get out more. Having an HOA is bad enough, I can't imagine a whole town putting up with this.
pickGreat and timely story about censorship based off an event in the author‘s life as a child. Should be on every middle grade classroom bookshelf including those in Florida. #MiddleGradeMarch
What a lucky kid to have a childhood like this. I always tried to make sure my kids‘ reading was full of banned books too. #MiddleGradeMarch
pickThis is the first middle grade I‘ve read from A.S. King - turns out she‘s just as good at writing for middle schoolers as she is for high schoolers. This was timely and fantastic! #MiddleGradeMarch @megnews @sblbooks
pickA. S. King delivers in this thoughtful novel about the controversy of banned books vs liberties…When students discover their assigned book copies (Yolen ‘s The Devil‘s Arithmetic) have been censored 🤬 with black markers, the protest commences; to the dismay of the school board!
#Pantone2023
#MarchMadnessReadathon Day 5
#MarvellousMarchReadathon Day 2
#middlegrademarch @megnews
When a book features another book, do you ever feel compelled to read it next?
🔖A Devil‘s Arithmetic
pickIt‘s not like I have to read 2 LMPBC books before the 1st. This is your fault Litsy. This was a great YA/MG story about Mac and his friends who come across blackened out words in their books for an English assignment in 6th grade. This was great on showing kids the seemingly simple things you can do to make change, that they‘re not alone and that sometimes, they are the ones to teach us, and even maybe one day, save us. Good stuff!
Marci is clearly the Hermione of this trio. Lol. One of the words blacked out in the book about the Holocaust they are reading in sixth grade is the word “breasts.” She goes in to explain how the patriarchy affects women and girls but also dumbs down the expectations of men and boys on the next page. This book is really smart.
I really, really, really enjoyed this one. Fighting censorship, Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic, JANE YOLEN herself, and a lot of surprisingly philosophical discussions with 12 year old. A fabulous and timely read, given all the attempts at book banning that are going on these days.
pick#8 of 2023
Excellent. When three friends are confronted with blocked out words in their sixth grade literature circle book, The Devils Arithmetic (a great book itself), they begin a campaign against censorship. A timely topic that includes a middle school boy dealing with his very odd, untrustworthy, father and the usual pre-teenage angst about friendships with girls. My favorite character is the ex Vietnam War granddad, who practices mindfulness.
pickGetting in under the wire, this is a new favorite of 2022. Amy King is someone I know in real life as we used to live in the same small town of Lititz, PA and love the same indie bookstore. She‘s also a well known middle grade author. This book about a group of 6th grade friends encountering censorship at school is so incredibly well done. I just love all the complex characters- “kids” and grownups alike. Buy it for any middle schooler or parent!
pickI don't often read middle grade books, but I thought this one was fantastic. As a former librarian, book banning/censorship is an issue close to my heart, and this book tackled the issue beautifully. Definitely recommend this one!!
pickAn important middle grade (but good for adults, too) novel about censorship and fighting back and the importance of access to information. You have to fight the “BLACK RECTANGLE!!!” 🤓
pickA touching and powerful book! The various relationships between kids and adults were explored with honesty - a great read for middle grade readers and adults alike!
pickThese kiddos are amazing! These three are fighting to make a change when they find school reading books with black rectangles in them. They are furious at the teacher, who is very kind to them. Macs grandfather fought in Vietnam and goes to protests. The scene with the what are you ashamed went deep. The school board meeting gave me chills. I‘m so proud of these 4 graders. Also nice lgbtq and inclusive rep. Pretty quick for the depth of it.
Until we started our protests, people thought they had to follow the rules no matter how weird the rules were. We reminded them that just because someone says something is the way it should be, it doesn‘t mean that‘s the way it should be.
Banned books week
Here‘s a book of elementary school 6 graders fighting against their assigned reading having blacked out words. Mac bows what‘s up, so does his friends, about censorship and a freedom to read. They‘re an awesome trio. Same with the complicated relationship at home for Mac. Feels like it‘s baiting you to feel mad about everything. Like Mac says he feels
These in book pages are about a girl in the Holocaust. her horrors blacked out
