The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale by Aya Khalil was such a sweet, important, and fun book! The illustrations were lovely. I was truly thankful to have gotten to read this before most people! I would like to purchase this one for my physical library!

Ohhh, this is so sweet.

This is a sequel to a book I'd never heard of, The Arabic Quilt, which also sounds sweet and important. This book is a direct response to the banning of that book around the country.

Our stupid, stupid, backwards thinking country.

The children in this wonderful story are absolutely horrified to discover that the Diversity section of their school library has been absolutely wiped clean. These children no longer see themselves, and Kenzi, our sweet and brave lead character, is devastated, and heartbroken.

But these children have gumption, and they arrange a bake sale to raise money to replace those books. Because representation matters.

Oh, this makes my heart soar.

The books in my local library are being attacked for a different kind of representation that is not seen in this book. And at first I was a bit miffed, but knowing that this is a follow-up that came due to the original being banned, I think it makes sense that this is the focus.

And I hope that the children who read and listen to this book will see how much representation matters, and that everyone deserves to see themselves in books.

Also that people who ban books are stupid.

I love a good book about banned books, especially one geared toward a younger audience. I think it’s so important to instill a love of reading and gaining knowledge in our kids and it’s even more important that they understand that censorship can be a detriment to knowledge gained. While it can cut some off from learning about other cultures and ideas, it can cut some off from connecting with their own cultures, which is never okay and is shown in this book.

3.5 stars = Good+

I enjoyed this quick introduction to diverse books and banned books that exposes kids to these concepts. The kids in the book were able to take kid-friendly action, and they saw a quick, positive response to their efforts. I think this is a great conversation starter for kids, classrooms, and families.

This follow-up picture book to "The Arabic Quilt", but also works as a standalone for ages 7-10. This empowering book's message is that speaking up is possible at any age. The story is a little disjointed and could have been m ore developed, but that does not distract from the message.

Wow, this book hit so close to home with my children's literacy 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization's mission; trying to bring diverse and inclusive books to all kids in all communities. After learning that diverse books have been banned by her school district, Kanzi feels hopeless. But her peers - with the help of a teacher- come together to hold a bake sale and use the proceeds to buy diverse books to donate to libraries. The event is a huge success. Prodded by her classmates to read the poem she has written, Kanzi starts softly but finds her voice. The ban is reversed the following week. BIG 5 STARS.

This book is SO important right now in our current social climate. Every library, every school, every classroom, every home should have or at least have access to this book. Books that represent different cultures and perspectives NEED to be read to our youth. When kids read and learn about different cultures and perspectives (seeing different clothing, reading new-to-them words, visiting different countries/cities, seeing different skin tones), this is what works on key concepts such as kindness, understanding, appreciation, acceptance, and empathy. Books are an essential tool to start having challenging, empowering, and important conversations. It's our jobs as teachers/caregivers/librarians to help raise these types of kids. Who will grow to be kind, understanding, appreciative, accepting, empathetic adults who will hopefully help change our world for the better.

This author needs to be on the auto buy for every school library and public library. This book is beautiful and timely. The art is beautiful. So well written.

This book is very much in the now. It’s about kids, discovering that books were pulled from their library because they were diverse. These books showed people of different races in different cultures. This is happening in our nation right now as more and more schools and private groups, try to limit what children can read. I do worry that this book’s answer is simplistic, but I love how the author explains why people ban books. Overall, I love this book, but it is long and wordy.

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

Loved this book! Sweet Kanzi is such an important character. Books are for everyone! There were so many impactful quotes in here especially at a time when books are being banned often. Representation matters!!

This follow-up picture book to The Arabic Quilt, takes readers back to Kanzi's school, but also works as a standalone for ages 7-10.  Addressing the hot topic of book banning, the fictional story brings the discussion down to an elementary level and shows kids speaking up and pushing back against something they don't agree with.  The main character finds a connecting thread to events in Egypt, and with her class and family behind her, she finds her voice and takes the lead.  The story bounces around a bit and feels a little rough and underdeveloped at times, but the subject matter is important and can be used to help guide discussions, encourage peaceful protesting, and taking action.  There is nothing Islamic specific in the text, the main character's mom and teita wear hijab and are in the illustrations (#muslimsintheillustrations), in a memory of Egypt there is a man holding a cross.  The author is Muslim and mentions it in the Author's Note at the end.

The book starts with Kanzi leading the class to the library, she passes the Arabic quilt she helped bring to life and walks a little taller.  She has promised her Teita she will bring home a book with Arabic words from the library, but when she walks in to the library, the "bookcase where the new diverse books were displayed has been emptied."  The librarian explains that the books have been banned.  That the school district, like many others around the country, have decided certain books are not allowed. Kanzi is upset, but her classmates "gather near (her) in solidarity. They want her to know that they care, too."

Back in class the teacher opens up the discussion, and Kanzi can't find her words.  Kareem says it is unfair and when the teacher explains that people are responding by protesting, writing letters, and buying more copies of banned books.  Kanzi finds her voice and suggests a bake sale.  Kareem suggests they raise money to buy books that are banned and call it "The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale and Protest." Molly adds that they can put the books in Little Free Libraries. The class agrees that Friday will be the day, that baked foods inspired by books that are banned will be sold to raise funds to buy more banned books, and the local news station will be invited to broadcast the protest. 

Kanzi tells Teita as they make baklawa from a book they once read while her grandma tells her stories of protesting in Tahrir Square.  Teita held a banner and demanded rights for the people of Egypt. Friday comes, and the kids are determined to be heard, as the crowd grows, Kanzi's nerves also grow, but her strength comes from those that support her and who have also spoken up to be heard.

I enjoyed the illustrations and the backmatter.  The inclusion of a baklawa recipe and insight to how this story came about with the banning of The Arabic Quilt, definitely adds to the book's appeal.  I felt a little disconnect though from the emotions of the book, and oddly enough, little connection to the characters. 

I wish it would have shown her joy when she first saw the diverse book display.  How it made her feel seen and valued and important to see books that reflected her and her classmates.  Then we, the readers,  would feel the pain now that it is gone.

I also was a little unsure of the scene when all the kids gather around Kanzi in solidarity, why is she the only one upset? Is it that they care about her or that they care that the books are no longer available? Sure it can be both, but again, as it is written, it isn't particularly strong. 

I'm not sure why the three characters named in the book Kanzi, Kareem, and Molly, do not have their names shown on the Arabic quilt pictured in the illustrations, and I also don't know why it bothered me that the book banned that had baklawa/baklava was not named.  I don't care that it isn't a real book, but I wanted a title to make the case of how ridiculous this ban is more articulate.

I love Little Free Libraries, but it seemed tossed in without much fleshing out. The book doesn't explain what Little Free Libraries are, so I'm not sure that kids will even understand the plan.

The book is a decent read, I don't know that the climax or characters will be memorable on their own, which is unfortunate because connection with the success or failure of this fictionalized book ban really could have radiated out of the book and deeply inspired kids.  The reversal of the boards decision doesn't directly link to the kids' actions.  I had to provide that link to my own kid when I read the book to him (he is almost 8).  It is implied, but a line or two about how the kids protest encouraged other people to also speak up, and write letters, or that the school board attended the bake sale, would have shown that when voices amplify it is hard to ignore them.

This is a picture book and inclusivity and diversity is shown through the illustrations. People of color, people of different religions, different ages. It shows how students are empowered by their frustrations that specific books were banned from their library and how adults teamed with them and supported them to raise money to buy new books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a important book. We should not be banning books because it makes a few people uncomfortable.

I honestly never thought of filling our local little libraries with banned books. I think I found my new summer hobby...

Lovely book that will find it's way into my local little libraries. It's not banned, but carries a great message for a multicultural neighborhood

As a public librarian, seeing the banned books list get bigger and bigger is so disheartening. This book is a nice way to get children involved in the fight for the right to read ALL books.

“Some books are so powerful, they intimidate people.”
“Books are for everyone. Am I not important? Am I invisible?”
What a powerful book. I’ve been reading about the diversity book bans in the news and they make me so incredibly angry… but this book really puts it into perspective through the eyes of young Kanzi and Kareem, who are attending school and find that all the books with characters who look like them are banned. How awful and isolating that must feel, to see beloved books banned in front of your eyes!
I loved seeing the community rally around these kids to protest book bans.

"Some books are so powerful that they intimidate people."

This is a wonderful book for children to understand a big topic in today's society. I love that it provides actionable solutions and a sense of community. There's even a recipe for Baklawa in the back of the book!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I received an ARC of this children's book from NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fantastic book that will inspire kids to get involved and make a difference. And the pictures are really well done!

Inspired by current events and banning of another of the author’s books, this book shares the story of a group of students devastated when diverse books where they feel represented are banned in their school library. They hold a bake sale and protest to raise money to put these books in Little Free Libraries.

A great picture book for third grade and up. An important topic that kids should think about, talk about, and hopefully take action about. In the story, diverse books are banned from a school library. Kanzi and her classmates are upset and want to take action by having a bake sale to purchase banned books to add to local little free libraries. Watch as they take a stand and hopefully you'll be inspired by their actions too!

A perfect story to explain not only what banned books are but also show the power of standing up for your beliefs in a productive way!

I thought this was a good book and very well illustrated. So many schools and libraries are experiencing having books banned or requests to pull from shelves right now, and I like that this explains why to kids. Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book for review!