Massachusetts Authors Against Book Bans

Got friends & family coming over for the holidays this year? Prep postcards with a stamp & a message to support the right to read legislation that's currently in the House for them to send to their Representatives.

Donate - Authors Against Book Bans Thank you for donating to Authors Against Book Bans. Your donation directly supports the freedom to read by powering our work with our partner organizations, bringing the author muscle to the fight…

What can your #GivingTuesday donation to AABB accomplish? A few examples:
$25: One regional leader email address for coordinating local action
$50: 250 stickers for a national conference
$500: Travel for one author to speak to state legislators

Little things that add up to big wins

We've been a little quiet as the House, our next focus is on vacation. While we wait for the next stage you can also support our efforts by donating to Authors Against Book Bans.

Uneasy About Sexual Content in a YA Novel? ‘Read the Whole Book,’ Urges Author Malinda Lo “That’s why there is sexuality in my books: because it is part of life. There’s no nefarious purpose,” says author Malinda Lo.

More than 1,800 banned titles in the 2023–2024 school year contained sex-related content. In a new interview, bestselling YA author @malindalo.bsky.social explains the necessity of reading those works in full before considering pulling them from shelves: pen.org/malinda-lo-i...

Our next goal is getting the freedom to read bill out of the House. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter for updates & actions. www.massfreedomtoread.org

Our next goal is getting the freedom to read bill out of the House. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter for updates & actions. www.massfreedomtoread.org

Thank you! Couldn't let you have all the fun! :)

Senate Passes Bill Guarding Against Politically Motivated Book Bans <p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><em>Bill guards against political bias in library decisions, protects librarians from reprisals</em></p> <p><strong>(BOSTON&mdash;11/13/2025) </strong>The Massachus...

Congratulations MA! #FreedomtoRead bill with protections for authors now moves to the House! Call your MA reps!
Great work @massaabb.bsky.social ! malegislature.gov/PressRoom/De...

UPDATE! An Act Regarding Free Expression passed the Senate yesterday WITH ALL OUR AMENDMENTS! Huge thank you to everyone who contacted your Senators on this tight timeline! Stay tuned for when this moves to the House. HOORAY!

One more bump for the deadline today! Let's make sure we have the best law possible!

I know @jocomerford.bsky.social supports this but I emailed her anyway! Constituents' voices are important.

Action needed from Massachusetts voters! #FreedomToRead @authorsabb.bsky.social

Hey, local friends! If you care about keeping MA school libraries safe from the right wing book-banning contingent, please take five minutes to contact your senator before Wednesday.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who contacted their Senators over the weekend! Positive change like this doesn't happen on it's own but IT DOES HAPPEN! 5/5

Amendment 6 ensures that the book must be considered as a whole, rather than a single excerpt. (Which, you know, kinda is the ONLY way to consider a book!) 4/5

Amendments 4 & 18 include book creators in those who can challenge a book ban. (This was a big one for us!) 3/5

Amendments 1 & 5 Limit who can challenge books to those who live in the district served by a public library or have a student in the school...2/5

UPDATE! Several senators have filed amendments that, if passed, will significantly strengthen the bill! Please urge your senator to vote for Amendments 1, 4, 5, 6, and 18. This must be done before Wednesday, so the sooner the better. More details...1/5

One more bump of this! We'd don't have to settle for a bill that does pretty good work. We can push for gold-standard protections.

URGENT Call to Action: The Senate version of the S.2696 is moving out of committee BUT this version does not include any protections for book creators and only contains weak first amendment protections. The timing is tight: please email your senator before Wednesday, Nov. 12! More info:

URGENT Call to Action: The Senate version of the S.2696 is moving out of committee BUT this version does not include any protections for book creators and only contains weak first amendment protections. The timing is tight: please email your senator before Wednesday, Nov. 12! More info:

Republicans have made it easier for book bans across the country. Massachusetts Democrats are looking to curb them here. - The Boston Globe The Massachusetts Senate will vote Thursday on legislation that would create a set of rules and restrictions for school districts to follow when adding or removing school library materials.

The MA Senate will be voting on An Act Regarding Free Expression on Thursday 11/13. This Boston Globe article touts this as a positive development, but while the protections for libraries are welcome, this version of the bill strips all protections from authors. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/08/m...

Alas, we don't have an official list. (Just not something we have the capacity to produce right now, but maybe in the future!)

Local elections are happening all over Massachusetts next week, including for school boards! You know what happens when you assume, right? Do your research now to make sure you're voting for candidates that support the right to read

Mass Freedom To Read Mass Freedom to Read is a coalition of Massachusetts parents and readers, authors and creators, libraries, booksellers, and publishers. We believe that freedom of expression, including the freedom to…

Have you signed up for the Mass Freedom to Read Coalition newsletter yet? That's the best way to stay up to date on efforts to pass the Freedom to Read legislation in Mass

Hello ##BookSky Your assignment this week! Adopt an upcoming election! That could mean, volunteering for your preferred candidate, making candidate score cards for a race, or making a donation. Focus is important to effective activism & preventing burnout! Reply with your adoption so we can amplify!

Battling book bans in Beantown and beyond - The Tufts Daily I consider myself to be generally aware of the state of book banning in the United States. I read about the fights going on in school districts and libraries throughout Florida, Tennessee and Texas. I...

Thanks to The Tufts Daily for covering #MassFreedomToRead and An Act Regarding Free Expression! www.tuftsdaily.com/article/2025... @massaabb.bsky.social @authorsabb.bsky.social @danaalisonlevy.bsky.social

Reposting this video from the summer because every now & then it's important to remind yourself what is at stake. Have a great weekend!

They’ll have postcards you can fill out supporting anti-book banning legislature in Massachusetts!

Boston Book Festival 2025 — Mass Freedom To Read Mass Freedom To Read will be at the Boston Book Festival! Come see us at the Beacon Press Booth #55 and write postcards to your legislators urging them to support An Act Regarding Free Expression.

If you're at the Boston Book Festival this weekend, make sure to visit us at the Beacon Press Booth 55