It is not lost on my that one of the toughest years of my life (aka last year) my reading was on the high side for me. Sure there were lots of factors. I have generally had little interest in TV during the pandemic, which has freed up a lot of time. I started a new job and the schedule has often meant that I have reading time before I start, which has also been great for my reading time.
All of this is a long way to say, books are incredibly important to me, not just because I am an author, but because I was and am a reader first.
Watching wave after wave of book banning is incredibly disheartening. Every book removal means many people, many of them kids, won't have access to that book. Sure some people who watch the news, may hear about the book. Sure some people who are very plugged into social media will hear about the book.
As a kid I mostly found books by literally scanning the shelves in the library. And yes, I am an old, but many kids do not have control over their own money, do not get to spend freely in bookstores, may not even live near a bookstore. So they are finding books in libraries, be they public or school ones. Books that aren't in those places are unlikely to be on their radar.
I recognize that this is like cycle 278 of book removals, challenges, and bannings in this country, but every time the hypocrisy stings. These books are not being removed to protect the children, they are being removed so children won't get ideas, so children won't ask uncomfortable questions about a society that allows atrocities and does little to prevent them. The idea that children don't know the world sucks is honestly only something someone who doesn't listen to kids thinks.
Please pay attention to your local school boards and library boards and keep reminding them that you are in favor of kids being able to read books about the world we live in.
