Freedom to Read Project

@freedomreadproject.bsky.social

Parent-led nonprofit dedicated to protecting access to information in our schools and public libraries. www.freedomtoreadproject.org

Today’s featured book is FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury, a dystopian novel about a society where books are outlawed and burned to prevent people from encountering challenging ideas. Ironically, the novel itself has faced challenges and censorship over the years.

Fahrenheit 451 has been challenged for profanity, references to drugs, violence, and discussions of controversial social and political issues. Ironically, a novel warning about censorship and the suppression of ideas has itself faced attempts to restrict or alter its content.

FreedomToReadProject.orgSpeak up publicly!

The freedom to read needs people willing to defend it. Send an email to your school or library board, attend a meeting and make a public comment, write a letter to the editor, or simply share why access to books matters to you on social media.

Today’s book is ANNE FRANK’S DIARY: THE GRAPHIC ADAPTATION. The graphic adaptation brings Anne's experiences hiding from the Nazis during the Holocaust to a new generation of readers. The book has faced challenges over sexual content & its visual depictions of passages from Anne’s diary.

banned book: Anne Frank's diary, the graphic adaptation. The graphic adaptation brings Anne’s experiences hiding from the Nazis during the Holocaust to a new generation of readers. The book has faced challenges over sexual content and its visual depictions of passages from Anne’s diary.call to action:Support an organization defending the freedom to read!

Organizations working against book bans rely on donations to provide resources, support local advocates, track censorship, and defend access to books. Choose an organization doing this work and make a donation today.

What can Frederick Douglass, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and The Handmaid’s Tale teach us about censorship? Our latest article explores how writers have long warned us about efforts to control information, restrict ideas, and silence voices. freedomtoreadproject.substack.com/p/they-told-...

They Told Us What Censorship Looks Like. We Should Listen.

There is a reason dystopian novels so often begin with control over information.

freedomtoreadproject.substack.com

Today’s featured book is THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas, which follows 16-year-old Starr Carter after she witnesses a police officer fatally shoot her childhood friend. The book has been challenged for profanity, violence, drug references, and its discussions of racism and policing.

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Banned Books Week continues! Today’s featured book is ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE by George M. Johnson, a memoir about growing up Black and queer and finding your identity. The book has been frequently challenged for its discussions of sexuality, sexual experiences, and LGBTQ+ identity.

All Boys Aren’t Blue is a memoir in which George M. Johnson shares personal essays about growing up Black and queer and finding their identity.

All Boys Aren’t Blue is frequently challenged for its discussions of sexuality, sexual experiences, and LGBTQ+ identity.
Librarians do so much more than put books on shelves. They help readers find information, build collections that serve their communities, and navigate challenges to intellectual freedom.

Take a few minutes today to email, message, or stop by and thank a school or public librarian for the work they do. A little support can go a long way.

FreedomToReadProject.org

At a time when access to information is increasingly under threat, independent journalists are doing essential work investigating censorship, tracking book bans, and telling stories that might otherwise go uncovered. How and why to support: bookriot.com/how-and-why-...

How and Why to Support Independent Media: Book Censorship News, October 2, 2026

Maintaining a robust media landscape requires understanding how and why to support independent media.

bookriot.com

ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY has been introducing young readers to the Logan family & the realities of racism in 1930s Mississippi for nearly 50 years. Through Cassie’s eyes, readers encounter injustice, courage, family, dignity, and the determination to stand up for yourself & the people you love.

cover of roll of thunder hear my cry

Reading for pleasure benefits brain health, cognition, and well-being. Yet book restrictions and funding challenges continue limiting access. If we want lifelong readers, we need to protect their freedom to read. freedomtoreadproject.substack.com/p/reading-is...

Reading Is Good for Our Brains. So Why Are We Making Books Harder to Access?

For years, those who defend the freedom to read have argued that access to books matters.

freedomtoreadproject.substack.com

The freedom to read movement is stronger when we work together, and advocacy can be fun too! “Show Up, Speak Up: Vote for the Freedom to Read” is a chance to connect with fellow book lovers and advocates from across the country, celebrate the freedom to read, and turn that energy into action.

1 day until show up, speak outshow up, speak up, vote for the freedom to read. september 24th 2-4 pm ET. a virtual community action telethon featuring judy blume and kat radley.logos of organizations involved with the event

Haven’t had time to take action for the freedom to read? This is your chance. We know life is busy. Maybe you’ve been following the headlines, worrying about book bans, and meaning to contact your representatives or get more involved, but you just haven’t gotten around to it.

two days to go. get ready to take action for the freedom to readShow Up, Speak Up! September 24 from 2-4 pm ET. A virtual community action telethon featuring Judy Blume and Kat Radley from the Daily Show.a grassroots event organized by a long list of organizations

Show up. Speak up. Stand up for the freedom to read. Join freedom to read advocates from across the country on Thursday, September 24 at 2 p.m. ET for “Show Up, Speak Up: Vote for the Freedom to Read,” a FREE virtual event celebrating books, authors, readers, and the power of civic engagement.

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This new report from Book Riot takes a look at the past five years of censorship and the ongoing fight for the freedom to read. We’re proud that two members of the Freedom to Read Project team contributed to the report, sharing insight from our work on the ground. bookriot.com/book-censors...

“We Need To Tell The Story”: Literary Advocates Nationwide Reflect On Five Years of Relentless Attacks on the Freedom to Read

Advocates for the freedom to read across the country share their wins, challenges, and opportunities as the work enters year six.

bookriot.com

Feeling overwhelmed by threats to the freedom to read? There are things you can do right now. Show up. Organize. Demand good policies. Support librarians. Follow the legal battles. You don’t have to do everything. Pick your piece and start there. freedomtoreadproject.substack.com/p/what-can-i...

What Can I Do Now to Protect Our Schools and Libraries From Threats to the Freedom to Read?

For the past five years, we have watched threats to the freedom to read evolve.

freedomtoreadproject.substack.com

MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD is a beautiful picture book about imagination, empathy, and the assumptions we make about other people. Challenges have cited its depiction of an incarcerated parent and an illustration in which Milo imagines two women getting married.

cover of milo imagines the world

Book banning can be confusing, especially when terms like “challenge,” “removal,” “parental rights,” and “First Amendment” get thrown into the same conversation. So we’re answering five of the most common questions about book bans. Knowledge is one of our best tools against censorship.

Too often, protecting young people is used as a reason to limit what they can read. But books give teens a safe place to encounter difficult realities, explore unfamiliar experiences, and better understand the world around them. Young people don't need to be shielded from every complicated story.

“Too many adults wish to ‘protect’ teenagers when they should be stimulating them to read of life as it is lived.” -Margaret A Edwards