Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.

This was a fascinating read, especially as a Canadian librarian. Book banning breaks my heart, because I don’t understand why adults would want their children to grow up without all the knowledge at their disposal.

I enjoyed reading this book, because I feel it gave me tools in case I face some book challenges, which I wouldn’t be surprised happens soonish.

I want people to love to read, and recognizing themselves in books is step 1 to falling in love with books and reading.

'Banned Together' is a powerful and necessary YA anthology that examines the growing wave of book bans and their impact on readers, authors, and communities. Featuring a range of personal essays, fiction, poetry, and graphic storytelling from 15 diverse, award-winning contributors, this collection is an empowering, accessible resource for those fighting for the freedom to read.

I was really touched by the vulnerability of the writers accounts —many of whom have seen their own books banned—sharing the emotional toll of censorship and the labor of bringing their stories to life. Their reflections highlight not just the personal pain of being targeted but also the broader consequences of silencing marginalized voices. The book also shines a light on the resilience of teens and librarians who continue to advocate for intellectual freedom.

Beyond its emotional weight, 'Banned Together' equips readers with practical tools and strategies to push back against censorship. It’s an essential read for young activists, educators, and anyone invested in the power of stories to challenge, heal, and inspire.

I echo the positive feedback given by several librarians and educators who have given reviews. I enjoyed the author's perspectives on their particular book and especially liked the mix of graphic novel and narrative.

What I did not like or appreciate was the lack of trigger or content warnings on one of the author's personal story. It hurt me so much, I have anxiety as I write this, because I went through the same experience. I did not wish to re-live it. I stopped reading, skipped the rest and went to another author in the anthology. (Please don't say I should go to counseling. I have but reading/seeing a similar sitch creates anxiety if I'm not prepared).

I have read several of the banned books contained in the anthology and books with similar subject matter (sexual assault) but these book's had an author's note of the subject or other content warning. I appreciated that and had a chance to prepare myself and choose if I wanted to read the book.

This is such an important and necessary book for teens. Not only is it an anthology of essays, poetry, short stories, and comics from banned authors about how bans have affected their lives and what it means for the children and teens who are losing access to so many books, but it is also filled with facts and information for readers to learn about what is truly happening within the U.S. and what book bans really mean. I especially loved the addition of reading lists that suggested various banned books for readers to check out. This is such a comprehensive introduction to book bans, and I learned so much from it! It should certainly become required reading for middle and high schoolers, and I hope that many young people feel empowered after reading to take action against any book challenges or bans in their area. However, this book truly can be beneficial to people of all ages, and I hope it will be able to transcend its target audience.

It's so sad that this book needs to exist. That makes it an important book. And it's a must read for every young reader out there.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

"I chose to be this light, over and over, rather than be engulfed in darkness - or perpetuate it. To me, that's everything."

This book is so relevant and necessary right now. It's got the potential to make a lot of people mad but I loved the boldness and dedication these authors have to making sure that stories about all walks of life are accessible to young readers. I think I highlighted about half the book, but what struck me most was not necessarily the statistics, but the author's stories. Even if you don't see eye to eye on every issue or personally would choose not to read certain books, Banned Together does such a great job of revealing the hearts of the people behind the pages. People whose works are inspired by their lived experiences and who want to help others see themselves. There are times when these books save lives, bringing awareness to the silenced, harmful realities experienced by teens which are called too 'taboo' by those trying to ban them. It reeks of privilege when you think you can choose the standard everyone else should live by, and I hope one day these people will wake up and realize that this agenda will only continue to divide us. The contributors of this book say it better than I do, but lets continue to educate ourselves, seek to understand outside perspectives and know that we don't always have to agree but we do have an incredible opportunity to make others feel loved and seen regardless of personal beliefs. Buy this book and support authors and librarians who are fighting tirelessly to protect the rights and liberties of readers across the US! Happy Reading :)

Banned together is an anthology of Sixteen authors describe their personal experiences with book banning. Their stories are told through their experiences in a multitude of different formats, which include verse, comic strips, graphics, short stories, etc. They provide recommendations that young adults can take to combat book banning and provide a plethora of book recommendations for readers to devour. The authors provide the reader with the knowledge and inspiration to take what they learn from this book to read banned books across a wide range of topics, such as LGBTQ and racial disparities, and to take action to bring these topics to the attention of their community. Very well-written and timely important. This book is a wonderful call to action for fighting against book bans.

Banned Together: Our Fight for Readers’ Rights, edited by Ashley Hope Pérez and illustrated by Debbie Fong, is a young adult anthology that provides the views, thoughts, and recommendations of fifteen banned authors as they relate to book banning. Their stories are told through their experiences in a multitude of different formats, which include verse, comic strips, graphics, short stories, etc. They provide recommendations that young adults can take to combat book banning and provide a plethora of book recommendations for readers to devour. The authors provide the reader with the knowledge and inspiration to take what they learn from this book to read banned books across a wide range of topics, such as LGBTQ and racial disparities, and to take action to bring these topics to the attention of their community. The writing is well done and their stories paint a good picture of their lived experiences and why they continue to push out books that will most certainly be banned. I enjoyed having all of these points of view and a lot of resource lists as they will provide young adults with recommendations that they may not have even known about or considered. This book easily allows the reader to pick up the book and stop at their leisure as the “chapters” are fairly short and they stand alone. I would recommend this book to young adults who want to learn more about the real life issues of diverse individuals. I would recommend this to individuals of diverse backgrounds who want to be inspired and find books that they can relate to. I would recommend this book to those who want to inspire change and bring the issues of our diverse world to the attention of our neighborhoods. This book is relevant to our current time and I thank the editor, illustrator, and authors for this work. I want to thank Holiday House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!! As a librarian, it can be hard to see the difference we are making or if our job even really matters. Books like these show our job is incredibly important. I know just how challenging book bans are and how they drain the fight out of librarians. Eventually, you hit a point of exhaustion. Everyone says libraries are important, but when it comes to the librarians needing people to help them stand, you'll find an empty crowd. Not too mention the lowest pay with a job that requires a master's degree. This book is like a crutch showing authors care and are a little boost. I hope people will read this and realize they hold all the power over a small minority.

Powerful and very timely collection of YA authors and illustrators sharing works of fiction, memoir, poetry, graphic narratives, essays, and other genres which shows how book bans impact many of the teens who need it the most. Not only did I enjoy the writing pieces, many of which were deeply personal, I absolutely loved the recommendations of banned books to read that many of the contributions to this anthology included. All of the contributors have banned books themselves, and have experienced their books being targeted by conservative and misinformed groups, often times parents. I'm of the position that we shouldn't censor or ban any books, and the ones written by these authors are especially important, as it gives marginalized and often underrepresented teens a sense of belonging and being seen.

Highly recommend for high school and middle school classrooms. Recommended for ages 12+ and all adults.

I read a digital e-galley of this on a kindle so it was difficult to see some of the illustrations and graphic narratives. This doesn't take away from the book but I think a physical copy would be better suited. I plan on compiling a list of all the recommended banned books and reading them too (many I've already read).

Sixteen authors describe their personal experiences with book banning. Interspersed are suggestions for students, multiple resources and organizations to consult and assist. Comic-style illustrations. Back matter. Timely and well-written.

I am so glad that "Banned Together," an anthology by Ashley Hope Perez exists. This book includes a variety of perspectives and formats, such as graphic narratives, memoir, and poetry, as well as practical tips such as how to start a banned book club. Holiday House and Ashley Perez have given 15 banned-authors' stories a unified voice that is sure to inspire teens to take action. I hope that this book finds it way into libraries across the country.

This was such a fun and informative anthology about the rise in book banning in America. It is made up of a mix of stories, articles and cartoons which covered the topic from a variety of points of view. All of the authors featured have had books of their banned and it was so interesting to gain and understanding of the experience of having your book banned is like for an author. It was very easy to pick up read one authors contribution and dip in and out of the book.

Immensely important and topical for this time of rampant book banning, this collection of essays comes from authors of Young Adult and children's books who are directly impacted by the book bans. As is pointed out in a couple of these essays, banning books isn't just removing the books from libraries - it's sending the message that people of the global majority or who are queer or disabled are not welcome. This book is a wonderful call to action for fighting against book bans.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Ahhhhh!! I’ve been waiting for this book forever! And I feel immensely privileged to get an advanced copy of this book. I cannot wait to have this book come out and to share it with all my friends, my teaching peers, and my students! This was such a beautiful time!

There have been several books published recently on the subject of censorship. This one stands out because it illustrates the perspective of the authors whose work has been challenged and what that does to a writer's psyche. Beyond the bravado usually shown in public when these incidents happen, the authors in this anthology are able to speak to the hurt caused and the damage to their very identities. Could build some sorely needed empathy, should the right person read it.

Banned Together is an important look at book banning in America. Everyone considering banning a book should read this one - twice.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free arc!

This is an excellent collection of essays written by authors whose books have been banned. It features a diverse group of authors of a variety of races, ages, genders, and sexualities, who write about a variety of topics found in banned books. Not only do you come away with a window into the mindsets of the authors, but you also takeaway what you as a reader can do to support banned books and authors. Sprinkled throughout the book are also great resources and recommendations of banned books to read on a variety of topics.

This was a unique nonfiction title in that it blended elements of graphic novels with “traditional” writing styles. I loved that the main message is that book bans focus on censoring valid and valuable lived experiences by the authors who lived them.

There were a wide variety of stories dealing with different topics related to book banning. From dealing with book banners charges of grooming and pornography. To dealing with the effects of book banning on the larger community. This book also shares many resources about diverse books after each story.

Two of my favorites included Groomer by Bill Konigsberg. I found Groomer important because the author talks about the topic of grooming. Konigsberg talks fact that book banners call him a groomer. This is especially hurtful as he was a victim of grooming himself. As someone with a similar experience I find that it isn't often talked about. I feel like this issue should be brought up more. Especially since it's a charge book banners like to throw around for shock value when it needs real insightful discussion.

The other story I especially enjoyed was Word Warriors by Padma Venkatraman. The story talked about a teacher bringing books into the school and expanding the students worldview. The story deals with the effects of book banners and those like them trying to stop teachers and others for expanding young people's worldviews.

Overall this piece was one of my favorites this month and I'll happily share it with others. Five stars because of the diversity and breadth of the collection as well as the resources provided within. I'll be sure to put copies of this in my Little Free Library.