You Can't Say That!: Writers for Young People Talk about Censorship, Free Expression, and the Stories They Have to Tell

by Leonard S. Marcus

listening time: 6h 22m

What happens when freedom of expression comes under threat? In frank and wide-ranging interviews, historian and critic Leonard S. Marcus probes the experience of thirteen leading authors of books for young people.

A powerful photo essay on transgender teens is called anti-religious and anti-family. A meticulously researched primer on sex education stirs up accusations of pornography and child abuse. Picture books about two mommies (or two penguin daddies) set off a hue and cry. Two hugely popular children’s series run afoul of would-be censors, one for its scatological humor, the other because it’s deemed too scary. Kids’ books that touch on race, sex, LGBTQ matters, the occult, “coarse language,” and more have found themselves under the scrutiny of those who challenge First Amendment rights.

Tune in as thirteen top children’s and young adult authors speak out about what it’s like to have your work banned or challenged in America today. Prompted by Leonard S. Marcus’s insightful questions, they discuss why their books have faced censorship—both blatant and “soft”—how the challenges have or haven’t affected their writing, and why some people feel they have the right to deny access to books. In addition, Leonard S. Marcus puts First Amendment challenges in a historical context and takes a promising look at the vibrant support network that has risen up to protect and defend young people’s rights.

Authors interviewed include:
Matt de la Peña
Robie H. Harris
Susan Kuklin
David Levithan
Meg Medina
Lesléa Newman
Katherine Patterson
Dav Pilkey
Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Sonya Sones
R. L. Stine
Angie Thomas.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Books About Books, Banned Books, Audiobook, Writing, Teen

7 pages, Audiobook

First published September 16, 2021

About the author

Leonard S. Marcus is one of the world's leading writers about children's books and their illustrations. His many books include The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy; Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy; Dear Genius; and others. His essays, interviews, and reviews appear in the New York Times Book Review, among other publications. Leonard S. Marcus lives in Brooklyn.

Reviews

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent series of interviews with authors who have faced book bans and challenges in the past. In the current surge of book censorship, it was helpful to remember that waves of book challenges arise up every few years, and authors and librarians continue to face them and in the majority of cases, the books are returned to the shelves. The editor, Leonard S Marcus, is a skillful and well-researched interviewer who drawn out stories of the authors own childhoods, their inspirations, and what actions they decided to take when their works were challenged. These actions varied greatly: some authors wrote letters of support for every community facing a challenge and traveled and spoke widely. Others chose to do nothing, deciding that the defending of books was not the business of a writer of books. RL Stein in particular states "Early on, I learned that the number one rule is: never defend yourself. I was taught that lesson by a media coach when I was getting ready for an interview with the Today show." Angie Thomas best summarized the feels I have been having as I see Gender Queer being banned and challenged: "When you ban a book, what you are essentially doing is telling the kids who see themselves in that book that their story makes you uncomfortable. That they make you uncomfortable... you're saying I don't want to know more about you. I don't want to know you. That is the message that censorship sends."

[Maggie Maxfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad this book exists.

Matt De La Pena (author of "Last Stop on Market Street")
Responding to the question 'what do you suppose motivates people . . .who challenge and ban other books for young readers' "I imagine it's a combination of fear, concern for self-preservation, and often a loving impulse to protect their children. Obviously, most of the time I think that impulse is misguided."
Robie H. Harris (author of "It's Perfectly Normal")
"How can we hold back writing about powerful feelings, or not include certain information children crave and have the right to know, simply because we are afraid?"

Susan Kuklin (author of "Beyond Magenta")
"I write about various people and their cultures because I believe, I strongly believe, that we need to know one another. We need to read one another."

David Levithan (author of "Boy Meets Boy")
"People would leave vitriolic "reviews" on Amazon that didn't have anything to do with the book and had everything to do with the "sinfulness" of my identity. Some of this was censorship, and some of it was homophobic attack. But I had plenty of allies to help me fight the good fight and show gay teens that they deserved representation in our literature as much as anyone else."

Meg Medina (author of "Yaqui Delgado wants to Kick your Ass")
"When it comes to formal challenges to books, the problem is not that parents don't have the right to be involved in deciding what their children read. The problem is that they don't have the right to make that determination for other people's children."

Leslea Newman (author of "Heather has Two Mommies")
"A book cannot change the inner core of who you are. It can't alter what you came with down the birth canal and into this world. But a book can validate, comfort, educate, and enlighten. Books can help make this a more accepting, respectful, and more celebratory world."

Katherine Paterson (author of "Bridge to Terabithia")
"[Death] is a part of life, and if you rehearse it in a book, then you're better prepared when it happens. When people say, "I know this child and she lost a parent or friend, so I gave her a copy of 'Bridge to Terabithia,' I think, 'Oh, too late!--because I don't think a book is a cure, but I do think very often it's a preparation."

Dav Pilkey: (author of "Captain Underpants" & "Dog Man")
"I recently discovered that some people think that I'm a brutish, left-wing liberal nutcase because I gently poked fun at Fox News once. Did they not read six pages later where I also made fun of the left-leaning Huffington Post? I tried to be fair and balanced, but you might miss that if you don't read the books."

Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell (authors of "And Tango Makes Three")
"Many [are] concerned -- and came close to voicing this--that if you broach the topic of sexual orientation with your child, it will make your child more likely to be gay or lesbian; that there is a certain granting of permission that is implied in simply talking about these issues. I was there to explain that that is not actually how sexual orientation develops in children and adults. Some people found it helpful to hear that."

Sonya Sones (author of "What my Mother Doesn't Know")
"I tell them that I know they are doing this because they want to protect their child and that maybe my book isn't right for their child. But I suggest that they at least read the whole book before they judge it."

R.L. Stine (author of the "Goosebumps" series)
"Educators, parents, children, and others met [in Minneapolis] to discuss Goosebumps at a school district "appropriateness hearing." . . .One of the speakers who came up . . .was a father who had brought a stack of my books with him. I could see from the way he was dressed that he was a blue-collar worker, and he introduced himself as a single parent. He explained that he could not read this to his young daughter both because he worked such long hours and because he had had so little education. He said that he did not want his daughter to grow up to be like him, that he wanted her to be a reader, and that because she wanted to read the Goosebumps books, he wanted those books to remain available at the school library. I cried when I heard that."

Angie Thomas (author of "The Hate U Give")
"If even one young lady picks up something that I wrote, sees herself in it, and suddenly feels validated, that's enough."

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

How appropriate that I have been reading this book...since my library is currently being challenged by a far right wing of extremists who are seeking to ban books. I don't care if you agree or not with LGBT or Christianity or whatever and what not....IT IS NOT GOOD WHEN WE TRY TO IMPOSE BELIEFS ON OTHERS. (And I say this as a white heterosexual Christian)

I have some killer quotes forthcoming!! Anyone who wants to reflect on the power of words, here from these popular authors who have been "silenced" for one reason or another. It's a good read. And timely.

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marcus interviews a number of authors whose books have banned. I plan to use this book the next time I teach children's literature.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"...I wanted to show that the people who try to censor don't hate children and are not evil. In their minds they are protecting children. They are doing it from a place of love. It's just that it doesn't work, because children actually participate in this mess called living. The best we can do is walk alongside them. But we can't hide things from them." - Meg Medina.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pandemic read. Thank you to Library Thing and the publisher for sending me this copy. Though it was not what I expected, there were conversations with several authors with whom I am familiar. The format took me a little to get used to, but there are gems on these pages, and also a lot for me to learn about the art of writing in today's world (as well as yesterday's). I have been a proud supporter of reading banned books, since the inception of the movement, and will remain so.

[Kjersti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Especially given the current environment of book banning. It was interesting to learn a little of the history of banning children’s books in the US. I liked this quote from one of the authors “The people in every other country I’ve been to think it’s hilarious that the books get banned in the US. They make fun of us for that.”

[Sneha · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Can't Say That features interviews with YA and middle grade authors like Angie Thomas, Dav Pilkey, R.L. Stine, and others.
It's a good non-fiction book for young readers on a very relevant topic!

[Grace Roberts]

This is from 2021 but has never been more relevant. Such an important conversation to be having at present and I loved the specific focus on children’s and YA lit.

[Madi Vordenbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Should Read This

Informative and engaging. Has solidified my intermittent daydream of writing a children’s book into a real goal.

Librarians are the backbone of society.

Katy, TX might be hell on earth

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leonard S. Marcus is one of the world's leading writers about children's books and the people who create them. You can read much more about him on his website: https://leonardmarcus.com. In this book, he shares interviews of thirteen authors who discuss their lives as young readers, and as authors who have faced criticism and censorship challenges for their books. At first, I thought it might be rather dry reading about those books and what has happened to them through the years, also most recently. I was wrong!
In Marcus's inciteful questioning, each author not only speaks of their journey with challenges, but their early reading experiences, who tried to squash their very beings, but those who inspired them to keep going. For example, Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants author) struggled in school, kept going through drawing comics in spite of one teacher who also kept tearing up his work, telling him he "couldn't spend the rest of his life making silly books". Pilkey, like most of the other authors interviewed, found that those who made challenges to the books had not read them, only small parts, assuming things that were not true. In the final interview with Angie Thomas, The Hate U Give was challenged because it was said to be anti-police, yet when one reads the book, the character of Uncle Carlos is shown to be a good cop in that particular neighborhood.
Fascinating talk about the early and still challenged books are included like Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman and And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richarson and Peter Parnell. And, I didn't know that Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña continues to be challenged because some complain that it doesn't use proper English. The book titled It's Perfectly Normal, a sex education book for children by Robie H. Harris, continues to be challenged for its "pornography and child abuse". In her interview and a few others, she shares fascinating work by the Bank Street College of Education. If you have wondered, yes, R.L. Stine is one of the interviewees, of interest because he is that full-of-scares author.
Also intriguing is to read the books that each author loved while growing up. Dav Pilkey thrived on Mad magazine, Meg Medina loved her grandmother's story-telling, the Bible was important to Katherine Patterson, and Angie Thomas spent a lot of time at her library where she discovered Mildred Taylor's Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Later, hip-hop was her inspiration.
Inspiration and, for me, awe is found in the stories of librarians and teachers, alongside authors, and sometimes their students, who stand up to defend the right of people, kids included, to choose what they wish to read. Once a book is published and purchased by a library, it is protected by our Constitution!

There is more and more to delight!


Here are the other authors who are interviews and one book among others:

Susan Kuklin: Beyond Majenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out
David Levithan: Boy Meets Boy
Meg Medina: Burn Baby Burn
Katherine Patterson: Bridge to Terabithia
Sonya Sones: What My Mother Doesn't Know

A comprehensive list for each author and their books in the back matter, along with acknowledgments and source notes. This is a book that will entice you to read more about censorship, more of these books if you haven't already, and a book that offers a lesson in how to do extraordinary interviews!
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy!

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The purpose of the book, in the editor’s words, was to examine why these authors wrote the books the way they did despite the risks and to examine what happens when people try to censor “the writing or reading lives of others.” That purpose is absolutely achieved in this book, which has powerful conversations about the impact and danger of censorship.
Librarians who participate in Banned Books Week will enjoy this compilation of interviews with frequently banned authors. Leonard Marcus’ interviews with these authors cover their childhoods, their printed work, and of course their experiences with being authors of challenged/banned books. The reasons for book challenges differ from case to case and the authors’ reactions to those challenges varied, as well. Most of the authors have written letters in support of the libraries that experience the challenges (and like to do so) while some others prefer to stay out of it entirely (R.L. Stine).
Hearing from the authors why they made the choices they did in terms of language, situations, relationships and why it was important to the story is very impactful. When the books were challenged for reasons related to identity, it was clear the impact that had on the author. As David Levithan said “the fact that my book and my identity are being attacked at the same time isn’t particularly pleasant.” Angie Thomas took her comments one step further when she said “I don’t think adults think about this, but when you ban a book, what you are essentially doing is telling the kids who see themselves in that book that their story makes you uncomfortable. Their life makes you uncomfortable. They make you uncomfortable….That’s the message that censorship sends.” In the end, authors acknowledge that even if people are censoring the books in order to protect children, in doing so, they break trust with those same kids. As author Susan Kuklin (Beyond Magenta) said, these books are valuable even if only one or two kids need it -- sometimes these books are literally lifesaving.
Overall, this is an interesting book that would be great fuel for conversation among professional librarians or high school students.
Anything you did not like about the book? I would have liked a more in depth discussion of self censorship on the part of librarians and booksellers. Meg Medina was one of the only authors to address this concept (love her discussion of request only shelves as “soft censorship”). Most authors presented librarians as heroes only when the story is much more complex. I was also curious about the authors chosen -- I wonder if Alex Gino or Jason Reynolds were approached?

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free advanced copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great discussion by Leonard S. Marcus with different writers for young people about their writing process and thoughts on censorship and challenges to their own works. Each chapter is an interview with a different YA, middle grade or children’s book author including some well known names like Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants), R.L. Stein (Goosebumps) and Angie Thomas (The Hate You Give). There’s also some names you might not be familiar with but probably know their works like the authors of Heather Has Two Mommies, Tango Makes Three and It’s Perfectly Normal.

It was really interesting to read the authors' perspective on challenges to their works and how that plays into their writing process. The book is also a wonderful exploration of the First Amendment and the rights of libraries to have books that show all walks of life. This is a very timely discussion on freedom of speech and censorship. It would be great for students to read as part of a discussion on that issue. It’s also great for librarians to have on hand as another example to point to for the argument in defense of intellectual freedom.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super timely read about censorship of books for young readers, how and who controls the narratives around them, and how it takes one book to start normalizing certain topics in kidlit. My fav parts were how to declaw censorers’ arguments and how trying to censor something almost always hypes up it even more.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Interviews with Authors of Banned YA Books

The interviews are outstanding. Marcus interviews Katherine Patterson, R. L. Stein, etc. about their writing lives and seeing their books banned. The author of Heather Has Two Mommies has really interesting things to say.

[Michelle Glatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewing for School Library Media Connection

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal.

This is a cause that is close to my heart. As a school librarian, and formerly a public librarian, I have been witness to every kind of censorship. Some libraries and librarians are the fierce advocates for intellectual freedom and accessibility that they should be. Others are piss-poor examples of librarianship, and in my opinion, humanity.

Marcus is an excellent interviewer, asking questions that encourage thoughtful responses. It has been a while since I have added this many quotes to Goodreads from a single book. Matt de la Pena and Angie Thomas, in particular, had amazingly expressed thoughts on why book bans and challenges are such red flags. I also appreciated the interview with R.L. Stine because not only did he express an opinion that was contrary to what most of the other authors said (he prefers to not get involved at all when informed of a challenge to one of his books), but his interview also made me actually laugh out loud, which is always appreciated in a non-fiction book, particularly one on a subject that I am especially up in arms about.

The conversations that included discussions of soft censorship and self-censorship are so needed. This is rampant in all kinds of libraries. One that I worked for had a soft censorship policy (unwritten, natch) of "upcataloging" (cataloging books with controversial contented as adult or young adult when they are clearly children's books) and "side-cataloging" (cataloging controversial books, particularly picture books with LGBTQ+ content or characters as non-fiction, usually in the 306.76 area, when they are clearly just regular old fiction picture books) to make those books harder to run across while browsing. Sometimes, librarians choose to simply not order a book that is well-reviewed, for their intended audience, just to avoid making waves and possibly upsetting people. These numbers are so hard to track and I suspect that the number of banned or challenged books would be VASTLY higher if this soft censorship was included, as I find it far more common than the more obvious type.

Anyway. Read this book. I will be encouraging all the librarians and teachers I know to do so.

[Michelle Adamo #EmptyNestReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime….” US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart.

For years, "kids' books that touch on race, sex, LGBTQ matters, the occult, "coarse language," and more have found themselves under the scrutiny of those who challenge First Amendment rights”. Today, authors often shun the concept of protecting young readers through censorship and lean toward educating them to prepare them for the challenges of living in this world.

In You Can’t Say That, author Leonard S. Marcus (historian and critic), interviews 13 authors whose books have been "targeted for removal from school or library shelves".

Contributing authors and (some) of their more controversial titles:

Matt De La Pena - Mexican White Boy (Y/A) , Last Stop on Market Street (picture book)

Robie H. Harris- It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health; Let’s Talk About You and Me (children)

Susan Kuklin- Becoming Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak (Y/A)

David Levithan- Boy Meets Boy, Two Boys Kissing (Y/A)

Meg Medina- Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass (Y/A)

Leslea Newman- Heather Has Two Mommies (picture book), October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard (Y/A)

Katherine Paterson- Bridge to Terabithia, The Great Gily Hopkins, Jacob Have I Loved (Y/A)

Dav Pilkey- Captain Underpants (Children, Teen)

Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell- And Tango Makes Three (picture book)

Sonya Sones-What My Mother Doesn’t Know, One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies (Y/A)

R.L. Stine- Goosebumps (Children, Teen)

Angie Thomas-The Hate U Give (Teen, Y/A)

Favorite quote: “I work very hard to keep these books from being too real. The real world is much scarier than what I write about.” RL Stein

A fascinating and powerful look at the censoring and banning of children’s and young adult books. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there. Clare Boothe Luce (playwright & journalist)

#EmptyNestReader #instagram #facebook #Goodreads #YouCantSayThat #LeonardSMarcus #nonfiction #censorship #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramalabama #bookstagrammichigan #bookreviews #bookreviewer #bookrecommendations #OctoberReads #readalittlelearnalittlelivealittle #ebooks #librarybooks #VestaviaHillsLibrary

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leonard S. Marcus always offers his readers much food for thought as well as providing insight into various aspects of children's literature. Not surprisingly, he has drawn on his relationship and encounters with 13 authors of books for young people to explore through individual interviews the reasons their books have been challenged, how they reacted, and their own creative process or inspiration. The importance of the First Amendment is paramount, and readers will come to realize that the reasons for a book being challenged or banned are myriad and that there is great danger in silencing various perspectives or trying to tell a story through only one perspective. The interviews are succinct, thoughtful, and revelatory as authors describe having their books challenged because of language, certain content or discussion of sexuality or even having a character die. This would be a great resource for teachers and librarians as they prepare to defend their choice of materials and course curriculum, especially given the recent spate of book challenges and the current political climate. Sadly, though, the book already seems slightly dated since there is no mention of challenges due to critical race theory. This is no fault of the author, however, since there was no way he could have predicted the focus on book challenges around race and history rather than gender and sexuality as had been the case in the past. Readers will be impressed at the stories of librarians and educators who have defended many books challenged by patrons and take comfort in knowing that there are organizations who serve as watchdogs to protect this precious freedom. By the time they reach the last pages of this book, it will be clear that words are, indeed, powerful, and that the free exchange of ideas is more important now than ever. I'd be remiss in not acknowedging that Marcus includes a brief history of censorship in the introduction.

[Katherine Van Halst · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one I had to read in short bursts, for my own sanity. Thirteen authors talk about books they have written that have been banned or challenged, what about their books people didn't like, and why they wrote those things anyway. It comes down to this: children and young adults have the same need as adults (maybe even more) to know that they are not alone. The things they feel and think are not so strange as they believe, other people are or have been in that very same boat. If that means including queer characters, police brutality, questioning religion-- whatever, authors who care about young people are going to include those themes regardless of banning attempts. Dav Pilkey points out that if a children's book can shatter the reality you've built, the book is probably not the problem. Angela Thomas discusses how banning a book because something in it makes you uncomfortable means telling people who see themselves in that book that who they are makes you uncomfortable. After fighting these challenges, each author has a keen sense of justice, not for themselves or their work but for the children and families those books are meant to support.
The lack of care and logic behind book banning efforts is something I struggle to comprehend, but these wonderful, imaginative, and insightful authors have somehow inspired compassion for book challengers while still encouraging me to put band books in as many hands as possible.
This book is highly recommended for readers middle school age and older with an interest in banned books or social justice.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't optimistic for a series of interviews, but the focus and the content ended up winning me over. Marcus chooses a variety of backgrounds and perspectives for the interviews, and it was nice to hear the variety of people who all, for different reasons and different ways, love and support young people by creating books that some others want to protect young people from.

This covers, in the intro, some of the historical and ideological background of censoring material and the values and historical precedent that exists for both censoring and resisting censorship. As the interviews themselves range from authors of books for very young people through the upper ranges of YA and the books in question cover quite a bit of recent history, this felt complete and thoughtful.

My favorite part, other than getting to know the background of some authors, was the different ways that each reacts and responds to challenges to their books. The lack of unity made this complex and thoughtful.

This is relatively quick and easy to get through and worth the time to consider how authors view the people for whom they write and the people who may challenge their ideas.

[Juliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go in your library and read every book...” --Dwight D. Eisenhower

You Can't Say That is a set of 13 interviews with authors of banned books. They talk about their experiences, what books inspired them, and why they write. It is a good book, designed well and belongs in the young adult section of your local library.

Matt De La Pena
Robie H. Harris
Susan Kuklin
David Leviathan
Meg Medina
Leslea Newman
Katherine Paterson
Dav Pilkey
Justin Richardson
Sonya Sones
R. L. Stine
Angie Thomas

So many good authors/books on this list and I've added their bibliographies to my TBR excel spreadsheet (now at 8812 entries). I have read a number of them and I think The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas should be on every American bookshelf. Dav Pilkey gives me a warm feeling when I think about reading his books to my daughter.

Keep fighting for books, keep fighting for authors.

[Elna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm disappointed :/ This is exactly what it says it is: a collection of 13 interviews with authors who's books have been banned. Beyond that, there's no overall theme (their books have been banned for different reasons, they have similar reactions/thoughts about it, which is to leave it to the experts), and the majority of the interviews are spent on biographic information or other things.

Nothing new is said, really. I'm not sure what middle schoolers would be attracted to read this, and what those that did are supposed to get out of it. The reasons for book banning are varied and deep-rooted, which means they're hard to combat, and that can be dispiriting. It would have been perfect for an afterward to discuss what people can do to combat the trend, and it's a misstep that there's nothing to synthesize a message.

[Rai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that this book featured a good range of writers of both older and newer works. I was familiar with some of them and not with others. The interview style makes it a lot more engaging than a collection of essays might have been, and I felt like this also made it easy to read quickly. Each author gives some background of how they began writing before addressing the issue of censorship/banning of their work. I think that might be particularly interesting for young readers. It's unfortunate to read some of these stories of censorship from the 80's and 90's knowing that we are moving toward that again today. I was struck by the respect these authors have for their young audiences and I hope reading a book like this will encourage them to stand up for themselves and their right to art and information.

[Erin]

A series of interviews that address a wide variety of authors and their experience with having their work challenged. Some authors get more involved in anti-censorship work, while others try not to. Few of these authors have allowed the challenges to influence what they choose to write about, and they all are very clear-eyed about who they are writing for. Their different reactions to whether the challenges are justified are interesting.

What I found most powerful is when several of the authors talk about getting feedback from people (or about people) who have been profoundly positively impacted by their work. It's hard to argue with these stories, and is a general reminder that while most individuals who might challenge a book would do so to try to protect their own children, fear and ignorance are what drive them to try to remove a title for everyone.

[Baylee Bubble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading You Can't Say That! opened my eyes to censorship in America through the eyes of an author who writes mainly for children and young adults. Even as an American myself, I did not know that books were being challenged or banned and what that exactly meant. What does it mean to have a book on the ban list in America? It seems depending on the author, it ranges from death threats to simply having their book no longer available at a local library or both. This book helped me understand the ban list a bit more and how censorship works within the industry. Definetly recommend for a more personal look into the censorship topic.

[Nicole Rothenay · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Audiobook

Just finished listening to this, and I’m glad I listened now! This book has inspired my summer reading list and helped me develop the vocabulary I need to discuss hard topics with my students and their parents. Although I strongly believe material shouldn’t be censored, there are so many complications that come with giving books to my young teenage students and my own children. What are they ready for? Can readers handle certain tough topics? What can I say parents who object to books I think are foundational to YA Lit?
This books helped me hear how librarians and authors have thought about these issues and give me plenty of inspiration for my to-be-read list.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. It has been a great read and I would certainly recommend it for any teachers of writing. I believe there are many excerpts they will find useful for their students. I had heard or read the stories of many of the interviewed authors and some (e.g. Matt Dela Pena and Robie Harris) I have been lucky enough to hear present for children. I love that I have also been introduced to authors I had not read and look forward to reading their work as well.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fascinated to read these interviews with authors about whether the threat of censorship changed how they wrote, how they reacted to having their books challenged, what they thought about writing and reading and protecting kids. I liked the variety of authors and how some were astonished to be banned, or banned for the reasons advanced, and others knew from the start that their books would be challenged.

It was well organized and I bet the audio is great. I'm not sure how much kid appeal it has though; do kids and teens care that much about the authors of their books?

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when authors are not free to share their writing with others? Banning books, censorship, and keeping people from their choice of reading is a direct violation of the first amendment. Currently, books are being banned all around the USA for political and religious reasons. It is one thing to guard your child from reading certain books; it is another to keep ALL children from reading them. We cannot ban guns from shooting children but we can ban books? Some of our most beloved authors have come under scrutiny and even have become threatened.