This week is ALA’s Banned Books Week that brings awareness to challenged books across the US. Many challenged books are by authors of color or LGBTQ+ authors who are writing about authentic experiences. To learn more about Banned Books Week, visit the ALA Banned Books website.
In support, all of us contributors will be sharing a favorite challenged book and why we love it so. First up is Jessica.
This One Summer is a gorgeously illustrated and incredibly poignant coming-of-age graphic novel that came out in 2014. In 2016, the ALA named it the most challenged book of the year. Author Mariko Tamaki is quoted in a Washington Post article pointing out that 5 of the 10 most challenged books that year were challenged for their LGBTQ content. This One Summer is a must-read, and it’s absurd and just plain wrong that all too often, books that people deem “inappropriate” for children are books centering LGBTQ narratives and other stories of the marginalized.