We’re excited to announce the launch of the new Penguin Random House Banned Books Site to address the sharp rise in book bans and challenges across the country. The site is a centralized destination featuring customized resources for everyone who is interested in taking action against book bans, from librarians and teachers to authors, illustrators, booksellers, parents, and students. Whether you have ten minutes or ten hours to dedicate to this cause, we outline clear ways to make a difference in your community.
The Banned Books Resource Site also features a selection of banned books, grouped by category, that will be rotated regularly—a small sampling of the hundreds of titles being banned daily across the country—along with details around what Penguin Random House is doing to get books back on shelves and into readers’ hands.
Each resource page has an introduction from an advocate for free expression, starting with Penguin Random House CEO Nihar Malaviya, who introduces our “Resources for Everyone” section. Additional sections and advocates include:
- Resources for Authors and Creators: Jacob Tobia, PRH author of the memoir Sissy
- Resources for Parents: Keiawnna Pitts, a community activist in Round Rock, Texas; a mother of four; and a director of Round Rock Black Parents
- Resources for Students: Karly Shepherd, a student at Baylor University and a contributor to the youth-led history podcast UnTextbooked
- Resources for Teachers and Librarians: Becky Calzada, district library coordinator in Leander, Texas, and co–founding member of #FReadom Fighters
- Resources for Booksellers: Mitchell Kaplan, the owner of Books & Books independent bookstore and a co-founder of the Miami Book Fair International
We hope you’ll share the site with the people in your life who are as passionate as we are about protecting free expression and the right to read.
With appreciation,
The Intellectual Freedom Taskforce