Ban This Book

Fourth grader Amy Anne Ollinger is an avid reader, and when she learns that her favorite book, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, is on a list of titles removed from the school library, she decides to read the other books on the list, from the likes of Blume, Dahl, and Pilkey. Other students want to do the same, and so the Banned Books Locker Library is born. Amy Anne and two friends collect the books, store them in her locker, and organize a checkout/due date system. When their secret library is discovered, Amy Anne is suspended, the school librarian is fired, and her classmates (including the boy whose mother initiated the books' removal) come up with a plan to get the books restored to the library. Shy readers will recognize and respect Amy Anne's struggle to stand up for herself, and conversations about book banning, censorship, and the Bill of Rights are primed for discussion in classrooms and at home. Gratz (Projekt 1065) delivers a book lover's book that speaks volumes about kids' power to effect change at a grassroots level. Ages 8-12. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary. (Aug.)

Gr 4-6--Fourth grader Amy Anne is a "good girl" who does what she's told. She's used to being overlooked in her noisy family, keeping quiet at school, and not saying what she's really thinking. But when Amy Anne's favorite book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, is one of the titles banned from the school library by the overzealous PTA president, she can't swallow the injustice. When she is too scared to speak up at the school board meeting, she decides she can at least find and read all of the banned books. Soon other students are requesting to borrow them, and before long, Amy Anne; her friend Rebecca, an aspiring lawyer; and Rebecca's crush, Danny, are running the Banned Books Locker Library out of Amy Anne's locker. When the underground library is discovered, Amy Anne is suspended, and Dr. Jones, the librarian, is fired. Help comes from an unexpected source: Trey, the PTA president's son, who suggests a way to show the board what happens when one person's opinion affects access for everyone. The story of Amy Anne's personal triumph is also a celebration of literature, free speech, and finding one's voice. A reading and activity guide is included. VERDICT An excellent addition to all middle grade collections. Hand this to book lovers, aspiring librarians, or any kid who wants to make a difference.--Laurie Slagenwhite Walters, Brighton District Library, Brighton, MI