Authors Against Book Bans

Defendants in ‘Crookshanks v. Elizabeth School District’ Abandon Appeal Three days before oral arguments, defendants in Crookshanks v. Elizabeth School District asked the 10th Circuit to dismiss their own appeal, which had been filed after a federal judge ordered the dist...

Despite the steady stream of bad news & tragic events, good stuff happens, and victories are won. Yesterday, Colorado notched another win in the courts

Please read. And please forward to people who have asked this question. A quick, clear, and common sense explanation. "Libraries exist for a simple but profound reason: to ensure that everyone, regardless of income, background, belief, or zip code, has access to information, ideas, and stories."

On a related note, kidlit creators are still fighting book bans and the whole industry is still reeling from this. Follow (and join?) @authorsabb.bsky.social for information about how to help!

This x1000: "Book bans are often justified as protecting children, but protection is not achieved by removing choices. It is achieved by providing guidance."

What the Library Is For and Why “Just Buy the Book” Gets It Exactly Backwards Libraries exist to guarantee equal access to ideas; telling families to buy books themselves undermines equity, choice, trust, and opportunity.

Anyone ever say to you when you're talking about banned books some version of, "Well if you want the book, just buy it!" The Freedom to Read Project broke down exactly why that argument doesn't stand up to scrutiny:

AABB Donation Turn data collection into an experience with Typeform. Create beautiful online forms, surveys, quizzes, and so much more. Try it for FREE.

Did you donate to AABB in 2025? First, thank you! Second, you can get a free digital audio book from our friends @libro.fm Here's how to claim your free book:

Time & time again we see that very few people are responsible for the vast majority of challenges & bans. Here's another example about of Missouri. We are the majority. We will win. Read about it here: archive.is/RhMQl

Call to Action: The State Board of Education is considering a list of required readings. It's bad. We need your help to stop it.

We need Texas parents, educators, and citizens to chime in and share feedback with the SBOE before their meeting this Wednesday. Learn more about why we find the list problematic at our co-founder @frankstrong.bsky.social’s substack: franklinstrong.substack.com/p/call-to-ac...

Banning Books Is a Badge of Shame for Censors | Opinion Many people—authors and otherwise—consider the banning of a book a badge of honor.

Gayle Forman in Newsweek

M.T. Anderson to Mass. legislature: Support free expression - Cambridge Day The author of "Feed" calls on state legislators to support an Act Regarding Free Expression.

M.T. Anderson in Cambridge Day

An author responds: Why is sex so scary to book banners? • SC Daily Gazette Commentary from Malinda Lo, the author of one of the books the State Board of Education ruled must be pulled from K-12 library shelves.

Malinda Lo in the SC Daily Gazette

Throughout 2025 a number of AABB members wrote op-eds for newspapers. These pieces share information, provide frameworks for understanding the issues, and make powerful arguments around the right to read, making them a useful resource for your own activism. Here's a thread with a few of them...

Trump’s return chills embattled LGBTQ book industry: ‘They’re stepping back’ President Trump’s return to office has fueled the grassroots forces that have driven a spike in LGBTQ book bans in recent years, creating a notable chill in the market for queer stories, according to authors and others in the publishing industry.

Several AABB members spoke with The Hill about the impact of book bans on the industry. This piece raises big questions, not just for our leader in government, but for our leaders in publishing as well.

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Fellow Texans, it's a big state, but we can get this project done if we work together! Especially since some of our out-of-state neighbors are helping. Sign up with me:

Oh, fun, a redux of last year. On it.

TEXAS, Freedom to Read needs your help:

Texas Freedom to Read is looking for help collecting data on book removals across Texas school districts AND you don't need to live in Texas to help! Fill out the form to get all the info!

OK, all you NH Bluesky book lovers. Send the email.

New Hampshire House Passes SB33 - Another Book Ban Bill Help ensure that Governor Ayotte will step up again to support the Constitution, the self-determination of school districts across the state, and the right of every parent to make decisions with…

Heyyyyyy New Hampshire! Remember that time you pressured Governor Ayotte into vetoing a terrible bill? Time to do it again!

Alabama library denied funding because it won’t move classic book ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ This is the first time that the Alabama state library board has denied funding based on book placement.

Are you in Fairhope, Alabama? Reach out to your library board and thank them for standing firm against state pressure & ask how you can help support them.

How can you have the biggest impact? Always bring a friend! Calling your electeds? Get a friend to do it too! Writing a letter to the editor? Get a friend to do it too! Attending a school board meeting? Well, you get it. Multiply your impact. Bring a friend to every action!

Our primary goal this year, is getting the Freedom to Read bill passed! It's been passed in the Senate & now we need to move it out of the House. Sign up for your newsletter for updates & action items: www.massfreedomtoread.org

Good (but depressing) article on the impact US book bans are having on publishing and marketing of LGBTQ stories, particularly in kidlit. Thanks to @adibkhorram.bsky.social @beccapodos.bsky.social @missdahlelama.dahliaadler.com and others speaking up about this!
thehill.com/homenews/lgb...

Boosting.

It’s thanks to AABB that I got to join the successful fight to pass Rhode Island’s Freedom to Read law. They are absolutely worthy of a donation if you can.

We're over 10 days into 2026 & somehow also over 1000 years into 2026. That's enough time to get s a sense of a plan.

How are you going to help protect the right to read in 2026?

If you see moves like this and are incensed, get involved in your local Freedom to Read group, and/or if you're an author/illustrator/translator/editor/narrator/have your name on a book, join @authorsabb.bsky.social.

Don't have a local group? Start one. That's what we did in Northern Nevada.

PRESS RELEASE: House Lawmakers Push Yet Another Book Ban Bill | NEA-NH Vote on SB 33 Follows Sustained Veto on 2025 Book Ban Bill

New Hampshire! They're coming for your right to read again! This time around, let's see if we can stop it in committee. Contact your State Senators!

Fellow New Yorkers, we must band together and nag Hochul into doing the right thing!

Her contact information is here. Scroll down for her phone number. www.governor.ny.gov/content/gove...