Across the nation currently, there has been a wave of book bannings and control of classroom content taking place. Many of these books depict stories of Black Lives Matter, LGBTQIA+, and women’s rights. The importance of continuing to read and talk about these books can not be overstated, so here is a list to get you started.
- Maus
Maus by Art Spiegelman is a graphic novel that depicts the horrors of the Holocaust. Spiegelman journeys through this graphic novel by telling the story of his father, who is a Holocaust survivor. The art form depicts causes it to differ from other novels because it tells the story through different creatures, such as Jews as mice and Germans as cats. This book is important to read because it tells a grippingly honest account of what happened during the Holocaust.
- The Hate U Give
In The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, the protagonist Starr Carter watches her friend die due to police brutality. This book touches on all kinds of topics, such as racism, the justice system, activism, bias, and much more. This book is especially important for young readers because it shows how they can make a difference in their community through activism.
- Speak
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson tells the story of Melinda, a young girl who was raped at a summer party. Melinda calls the police on the party, but does not report the rape, and due to this, she faces ostracization from her classmates. This book explores the idea of rebuilding yourself after extremely traumatic events.
- The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margret Atwood is a classic that shows a world where women have lost most rights. In the novel, Offred is a handmaid, meaning she belongs to a family for them to have children. On the flip side, she is reflecting on her past life, wondering if her husband and daughter are safe. Through this book, we see how being apolitical can affect us all.
- 1984
1984 is a novel that discusses a society in which everyone’s minds are controlled. Today, in our society, it is frequently misquoted or taken out of context, which makes it all the more valuable for people to read. The novel looks at the ideas of censorship and how willing people are to be controlled.
- Fun Home
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel is a graphic memoir told in a nonlinear format that explores Bechdel’s process of coming out to her family. Along with this, it explores the suicide of her Father, who Bechdel has a complicated relationship with. This novel is a bildungsroman that explores the idea of feeling comfortable in your sexuality.