Extremist politicians and outside groups are attacking our kids’ education. In fact, they’ve become SO extreme that they’ve resorted to book banning. They’ve even tried to ban books about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks.
Well, suburban women aren’t having it. This is not the 1950’s. Every kid should be equipped for the 21st century, and that means learning real history (not fairy tales) and respecting people across our differences. It means ensuring every kid feels safe to learn and thrive at school.
Join us to make sure our kids get an honest and accurate education.
Conversations with Banned Book Authors
Becky Albertalli
Ibi Zoboi
Dashka Slater
Elana K. Arnold
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INTRODUCING THE LITTLE BANNED BOOK CLUB!
Red Wine & Blue has launched our Little Banned Book Club, where we focus on childrens’ books that are being targeted by extremists and being banned or challenged in communities across the country. Are you a parent, grandparent, auntie, educator, or awesome friend who wants to learn more about why kids’ books are being banned? Are you trying to figure out how to talk with kids about these books? This is the place!
Join us as we read The Moon Within by award-winning author Aida Salazar, whose writings explore issues of identity and social justice. Together we will learn about Celi Rivera as her life swirls with questions. About her changing body. Her first attraction to a boy. And her best friend’s exploration of what it means to be genderfluid. But most of all, her mother’s insistence she have a moon ceremony when her first period arrives. It’s an ancestral Mexica ritual that Mima and her community have reclaimed, but Celi promises she will NOT be participating. Can she find the power within herself to take a stand for who she wants to be? Let’s talk about the “taboo” topics in this book and why they are being banned.
What We Are Reading Next:
Join us for our May Banned Book Club as we read and explore milk and honey by Rupi Kaur. Published in 2014, milk and honey is a collection of poetry and abstract fiction, and is a New York Times best seller. It is divided into four sections: the hurting, the loving, the breaking, and the healing and covers topics like violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity. milk and honey is one of the most banned books in the U.S. because it addresses topics like sexual assault and violence. Kaur’s response to this, “I remember sitting in my school library in high school, turning to books about sexual assault because I didn’t have anyone else to turn to. This is the reality for many students. We all find comfort in literature that reflects our experiences.” Banning books that talk about sexual assault won’t make it go away. Let’s talk about it.
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Watch Our Latest Discussion
June Banned Book Club – Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
Felix Laneri and Susan Kuklin chat about ” Beyond Magenta”
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Books We Have Previously Read
The Perks of Being a Wallflower: The 14th most banned or challenged book in 2022. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction.
Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison: For Mike Muñoz, a young Chicano living in Washington, life has been a lot of waiting for something to happen. Not too many years out of high school and still doing menial work—and just fired from his latest gig as a lawn boy on a landscaping crew—he knows that he’s got to be the one to shake things up if he’s ever going to change his life.
Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin: This groundbreaking work of LGBT literature takes an honest look at the life, love, and struggles of transgender teens. Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison: The Bluest Eye is one of many novels on the ALA’s lists of challenged books, appearing as 15th out of 100 of the most challenged novels in the most recent decade. Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse, sexually explicit material and racism.
Special thanks to Dr. Tasslyn Magnusson for the hours and hours and hours she has put into researching these book bans. Learn more about her here.
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