Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

BAN THIS BOOK by Alan Gratz is intended for younger readers (grades 3 to 6), but I absolutely wanted to include a review here since it does a superb job of addressing censorship in school libraries. I read it in one sitting and highly recommend it. Introvert and fourth grader Amy Anne Ollinger finds her voice and the courage to stand up for reading when a parent begins a campaign to ban an ever increasing list of books. Amy Anne creates the B.B.L.L. (Banned Books Locker Library) and is joined by her classmates in an inspirational show of unity that could lead middle school readers to take action in their own communities.  In many ways, BAN THIS BOOK is reminiscent of the award winning Frindle by Andrew Clements and I think young readers will be equally captivated.  One of the most fun aspects was the frequent reference to favorite titles like From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler – BAN THIS BOOK will also introduce young readers to many worthwhile titles. Excellent!