The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale

"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!

After learning that many diverse books have been banned in her school library by her school district, Kanzi and her classmates hatch a plan to hold a bake sale protest. The proceeds from the bake sale will then be used to buy new diverse books to donate to the school’s library.

During the current environment of book bannings across the country, this book touches on a social issue that many students are already witnessing in their own classrooms. The book provides an example of social action at the school level and provides an avenue for hope and change. The book’s illustrations are beautiful and engaging as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tilbury House Publishers for providing this advanced copy for review.

Although I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley, Anait Semirdzhyan, and Tilbury House Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel.

As a white girl, I never felt what it was like to have no books in the library with characters like me, but in this book the library has a bunch of their diverse books banned. This makes for many children who no longer feel represented in the library. In talking about the decision in their classroom, they all come together and decide to have a bake sale/protest to try and get the books put back into the library.

I found this to be a very relevant book. There are so many schools and libraries battling censorship right now and it is even more important for children and the adults who love them to stand up and make sure all kids feel represented. One page that I loved is a "speech" one of the kids makes during the protest (after all the baked goods are sold):
Books are for everyone.
Am I not important?
Am I invisible?
Books make us think.
Books make us compassionate.
Books make us creative.
Books make us LOVE.
You have banned important books, but you can't ban my words.
Books are for everyone.

Such a powerful poem. This book goes right along with that poem. Very powerful. A great way to teach kids that even they can make a difference.

The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale by Aya Khalil and illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan is a sequel to their book The Arabic Quilt, though you don't need to have read that to follow this book. Main character Kanzi and her elementary school class are shocked and saddened when books with diverse voices are banned from their school library. This book shows the effects bans have on children who need to see themselves represented in media and how people can fight against cruel censorship in their communities.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

As an author who is local to me, Aya Khalil is a great story teller. Her works are important to the local and worldwide community. The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale shows that all voices, even those from kids, are important to be listened to. The art is representative of a diverse and beautiful community.

Aya Khalil, author of this book, wrote a book with the same characters called “The Arabic Quilt”, because she wanted something for all the children out there that did not have a story with them in it.

When she found that her book was banned by a school she and others who had had books banned started letting people know, and people started to protest. That is what this picture book is based on, where the children said they needed diverse books, and raised enough of a fuss, as well as funds to buy the books that had been taken, that the books were restored to the library.

It is a good book on political action, at the school level. And unfortunately, a hot topic, as books are banned, often for not being about white, English speaking, characters.

Easy to understand, and great pictures. Plus there is a recipe for Baklawa (also known as baklava), in the back of the book. (The sweet treat that Kanzi and her grandmother make together, in the book.).

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. It comes out from Tilbury House PUblishing 1st of August 2023.

Kanzi loves the library. She especially loves all the books that feature girls that look like her. One day her class goes to the library and see that a bunch of books are missing. The librarian informs them that the books have been banned. The children then decide to do something about the ban. I really enjoyed this book... No one better than a child to bring light and sense to something an adult decides is a problem. The illustrations are also wonderful and engaging.

This incredibly relevant picture books will help educate kids and adults alike about the dangers of banning books and how it negatively impacts diverse communities. Every child deserves to see themselves represented in the books they read and in the media they consume. The author, Aya Khalil, faced her own book, "The Arabic Quilt", under a brief ban and this details her story and her fight to get it reinstated.
The book follows Kanzi who finds out that diverse books in her school library were banned including books featuring kids that look like her. The students rally together to support her by holding a bake sale and using the money to buy diverse books to donate to libraries.
"The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale" serves as a reminder of the importance of fighting to protect our right to information and books.
#TheGreatBannedBooksBakeSale #NetGalley

A very brave and inspiring read showing kids coming together to help friends and others feel welcome. It is wonderful to include and learn from many different cultures, races, traditions, and ways of life. Wonderful book.

I was given this book for review purposes.

This is a very important and relevant book to current events! It is so important to have books that children can see themselves in. Kanzi's teacher says "Some books are so powerful that they intimidate people." and I thought that was such a great way to explain what's happening to children.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

The great banned- books bake sale is a moving story about Kanzi and her classmates that adore the diversity of books within their school library but when they visit their school library and come up empty handed, what do you do ?

There are so many important underlying issues that are discussed with in this story but my favorite issue is how kanzi went about Handling her emotions, she didn’t cry or kick and scream instead she sat down and journaled her emotions and put how she was feeling on paper.

The great banned books bake sale is a phenomenal story pieced together with love for books of all types and generes that will represent a wide range of little girls and little boys .

This beautiful book is so timely. A must for every classroom and library, it shows the importance of community, compassion and the impact of passionate students mobilising to right wrongs in their world. I loved that they were so community-minded in their approach, donating books to free little libraries rather than just focusing on their school.

If only it was this easy to overturn book bans in real life.

The storyline is important in our ever changing society, I just wasn’t a huge fan of the imagery. However, this is a great resource for ones to have and to use.

I loved this story, and it is so important and timely. It shows the impact of book bans and intellectual freedom on children and schools. This is an important story, and I hope it makes its way into a lot of readers' hands.
I also like the illustrations, and how the author includes a recipe at the end. It's nice to see both intercultural and intergenerational connection in books!

I received an electronic ARC from Anait Semirdzhyan, Tilbury House Publishing through NetGalley.
Powerful message about standing up to those who want to dictate what can be read.
Kanzi looks forward to library class each week. She appreciates seeing characters in books that are similar to her. However, this week, the class learns that whole shelves of books have been removed. Any books that shared diverse viewpoints were removed. The class discusses their thoughts and decides to do something about this. They hold a bake sale to raise money to purchase banned books for Little Free Libraries in their community. They combine this event with a protest to stop banning books. Readers see this work and learn the books have been returned. The ending pages show the next week's trip to the library with a much different tone.

This had such an important message and I loved how it was handled. The characters were great and it shows us that we need to change what's going on in our real world. It has something we all need to read for ourselves.

This is a great representation of how you can help create change in schools that are dealing with books being banned.
I liked the characters and how they stood up for the books they loved and helped others understand why books of all kinds are needed.

A must read for people of all ages.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

Such an important message that books are for everyone and books matter! I related with the main character Kanzi as I am middle eastern as well. Books have a significant impact on everyone and it is important that everyone is represented in books. This book shows kids to stand up for what they believe in and show who they truly are. And most importantly that everyone matters. Such a wonderful book, I highly recommend it!

As cases of banning books in the United States rises, it is so important to continue fighting against it. This book is a wonderful tool to educate and inspire our young readers. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's note at the end and her own personal accounts of what seeing herself in books means to her. I highly recommended reading this book and learning more about book bans.

Aya Khalil's The Great Banned-Books Bake Sale is an important, wonderful book about a young Egyptian girl who excitedly arrives at her school library only to discover that all of the.multicultural books have been banned. Her classmates are as disheartened as she is, and together they create a banned-book bake sale to raise money and awareness. This is a beautiful story that emphasizes the power that books have in the lives of our young readers. It will also remind children of all ages that their voices and opinions have value.

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.

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 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.