What happens when someone else dictates what is or is not allowed to be read?

In this episode, we explore the history and purpose of Banned Books Week, why book challenges and censorship have become increasingly common, and why the freedom to read matters to readers, writers, educators, and communities alike. We share the books that have shaped us, discuss why so many enduring classics continue to be challenged, and highlight the authors, librarians, and organizations working to protect access to diverse stories. Whether you agree with every book or not, this conversation is a reminder that stories have the power to educate, challenge, and connect us, and why preserving that choice is worth defending.

SHOW NOTES:

History

This Year

Why are we Bringing Attention to it?

Books we support and would like to address

Manifesto Library

Authors Against Book Bans

History:

Banned Books Week takes place annually, at the end of September to the beginning of October depending upon the calendar. In 1982, it originated as a call to attention to the rise in the number of books being banned across the US by Judith Krug of the American Library Association and the Association of American Publishers

This Year:

Dates: October 4–10, 2026

Theme: “Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read”

Focus: Raising awareness about censorship and supporting public access to diverse ideas and stories.

SOURCES & LINKS

American Library Association https://www.ala.org/bbooks/banned

Banned Books Week https://bannedbooksweek.org/

Pen America: Banned Books https://pen.org/banned-books-week/

Manifesto Library https://www.service95.com/manifesto-library-launch

Authors Against Book Bans https://www.authorsagainstbookbans.com/

DO NOW: Create your own awareness by educating yourself, determine what you can do to promote choice in reading and the prevention of book banning.

Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode.

Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com

Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/

Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you