Why I Read Banned Books

I’ve always been one of the lucky ones. 

As a kid, my parents never gave it a second thought whenever I came home with any books, and because of that I got to live a thousand lives I never would have encountered in my midwestern suburban town. They were my lifeline to the rest of the world.  

That’s why I find adults wanting to censor children’s reading habits so scary. 

I’m sure they are thinking they are doing it with the best intentions. But what I’ve found as a children’s book writer is that children are drawn to the books they need most. 

What about the gay kid who has never met anyone openly queer in their life?

What about the plus sized girl who is being bullied and needs characters showcasing body positivity?

What about the kid, like myself, who needed an escape from a really hard home life?

I often hear about what happens if a kid gets their hand on the wrong book. Perhaps reading the Shining at the ripe old age of twelve (like my sister did). But what happens if a kid doesn’t find the right book they need? 

That to me is far more terrifying.