Let Freedom Read: Banned Books Week

Each year, Banned Books Week reminds us that stories matter, and that the freedom to read is intertwined with the freedom to imagine, question, and belong. In recent years, book challenges have surged, but as noted in a Washington Post article (December 2023), 60% of more than 1,000 challenges nationally came from just eleven people. This amplifies that censorship tends to be a small effort with outsized influence. 

For the first time, our column highlights newly published children’s books (2025) that may face such scrutiny because they courageously address sociopolitical issues, belonging, climate justice, systemic racism, family structures, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, citizenship, and more. By annotating these selected texts, we aim to empower educators, caregivers, and readers of all ages to see beyond the rhetoric of censorship and into the transformative potential of stories and literature. We also want to remind readers that these books are not only for reading, but also for conversation. Educators and families can use them to spark inquiry, invite children’s questions, and connect stories to their own lived experiences. Together, we can stand as advocates for inclusive stories that honor children’s histories, identities, communities, and futures. Read on! 
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Editor’s Note: Because book banning impacts readers of all ages, and these titles speak to the universal right to read freely, we have chosen not to include age ranges in the recommendations. We see these books as invitations for readers, whether children, teens, or adults, to engage with their stories and reflect on the themes that censorship seeks to silence.

 Cup Of Quiet. Nikki Grimes Illus. Cathay Ann Johnson. (2025). Bloomsbury.
With lyrical language, A Cup of Quiet captures a small, loving moment between a grandmother and her granddaughter. In an effort to find a few moments of peace and quiet “to drown out the sound of Grandpa’s hammer,” the grandmother leads her fidgety granddaughter to the garden and hands her an imaginary cup to fill with the sounds of nature around her. The magical cup grows bigger and bigger as the granddaughter uses her imagination to scoop up the sounds of nature: “A soft wind whistles through the branches of a tree….I snatch the sound right out of the air and pop it in the cup.” The text blends seamlessly with the whimsical images of insects and birds flying around the garden, reminding readers of the healing power of quiet, soul-renewing moments in nature. This story offers a particularly delightful read-aloud opportunity with children ages three to six, especially when read with elders with whom they have a special bond. 

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A Kids Book About Systemic Racism. Jelani Memory. (2025). A Kids Book About.
Direct and accessible, this book creates space for children and adults to learn together about racism as more than individual prejudice. With clear definitions and concrete examples around systemic racism, it explains how inequities show up in laws, schools, stories, and institutions, insisting that “we need to change the system and erase the racist ideas that live in our laws, schools, stories, and other institutions.” The design is text-centric, using bold words and red, black, and white color scheme, making the content shine and allowing the words to lead readers. An intro and outro written for grown-ups provide encouragement and guidance, positioning the book as a tool for honest, hopeful dialogue across generations. Both straightforward and invitational, it gives readers of all ages a shared language to name and have conversations about injustice and imagine change. This book is geared for intergenerational conversation and best suited and read with children ages five to nine.

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Banned Together: Our Fight For Readers’ Rights. Ed. by Ashley Hope Perez (Ed). Illus. Debbie Fong. (2025). Holiday House. 
Fifteen authors of children’s and adolescent literature contribute to Banned Together to offer information for teens, and all readers, who are concerned with the increasing rise in censorship attempts across the US. Using a diverse and engaging range of genres, such as poetry, essays, fictional short stories, and graphic narratives, the contributors share their unique lived experiences with writing about challenging topics, while emphasizing the power stories have to support healing, stir questions, and cultivate empathy. The authors also remind young people about the fundamental right readers have to access stories and information that can help them as they grapple with wonderings and questions they face. Woven throughout each essay are resources to help youth understand the larger issues at play in our society, take action in their own spheres of influence, and cultivate hope amid a climate of increased book challenges.    

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Becoming Boba. Joanna Ho. Amber Ren. (2025). Orchard Books.
Becoming Boba is a playful yet powerful story about identity, belonging, and embracing difference. Set in Milk Tea Town, where tradition rules, Mindy’s bright colors and unique flavors cause a stir. At first, she tries to blend in by taking culture classes and even honoring classic milk tea history, but she soon realizes that sameness isn’t what makes a community strong. With help from her friends and some well-researched discoveries, Mindy uncovers a rich history of blending and mixing that has always been part of milk tea. Amber Ren’s lively illustrations bring warmth and humor to this deliciously layered tale. Back matter from both author and illustrator personalizes the story, tying it back to their own first sips of milk tea. A delightful reminder that true strength comes from celebrating differences, Becoming Boba invites readers age four to eight to savor diversity in all its forms.

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How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up. Ruth Spiro. Illus. Teresa Martinez. (2025). Penguin Random House.
This playful yet serious picturebook positions children as the explainers of climate science to adults, elevating their knowledge and expertise. The reversal validates children’s questions and concerns, showing them guiding adults through explanations, visual comparisons, and concrete examples. Using accessible dialogue and illustrations, Ruth Spiro and Teresa Martinez make complex concepts, like greenhouse gases and global warming, understandable without oversimplifying. Their work together balances humor with scientific accuracy, enabling readers to see that climate knowledge can be informative, engaging, and empowering. The book closes with the prompt, “What will you explain next?” followed by a glossary and age-appropriate actions, extending the learning beyond the story. Framing kids as teachers, this text becomes an invitation for intergenerational conversations and action. Written as a picturebook, this would be best suited for readers age six through eleven, though older and younger children may well be interested in the text.

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Mixed Feelings. Llana Finck. (2025). Rise x Penguin Workshop.
Acclaimed cartoonist Liana Finck uses gel pens and printer paper to bring her signature wit and honesty to the complexities of growing up and navigating identity. Through a series of expressive illustrations and short, poignant reflections, Finck captures the contradictions of wanting to belong while needing independence, craving love while guarding vulnerability. The book doesn’t shy away from difficult emotions, instead validating them as part of the human experience. Its format, part graphic memoir, part reflection, invites readers to pause, reflect, and see themselves in the messy, beautiful reality of “mixed feelings.” This book, best suited for readers age three to five, serves as a powerful reminder that it’s ok to feel more than one feeling at a time.

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My Abuela Is A Bruja. Mayra Cuevas. Illus. Lorena Alvarez Gomez. (2025). Knopf.
Vivid images and rich language capture the indelible memories Mayra Cuevas has with her Puerto Rican grandmother, who she affectionately calls a bruja - or witch - because “there is magic in everything she does”. The story illuminates everyday moments of connection between the two as they sing, plant seeds in the garden, walk in the forest, and cook together. The story celebrates language and a sense of place by weaving Spanish words throughout the book, such as “She makes music with her chancletas” and “When we stir the sofrito in the guisado, it tastes like the warmth of an island sunrise.” The book concludes with a “Glossary of Abuela’s Spanish Words” along with recipes for Sofritos and Flan. The story is a celebration of heritage and family, and an invitation for readers around four to eight years of age to conjure up loving memories and moments of connection they’ve had with elders in their own family and community.

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Pride. Eric Huang. Amy Phelps. (2025). Quarto Publishing Group.
Pride offers a heartfelt look at family, history, and celebration through the eyes of Brian, a child preparing to join his dads at a Pride parade. As he learns about the history of Pride Month and the LGBTQIA+ rights movement at school, Brian also wrestles with a big question: what to wear. His creative solution, designing shirts that form a rainbow when his family stands together, captures the spirit of unity and self-expression. The illustrations highlight the joy of community while the detailed endpapers provide rich back matter, from the Stonewall Uprising to global Pride celebrations, plus hands-on activities like making a Pride flag and cookies. The book is recommended for readers age five to seven and includes back matter that serves as a springboard for learning about LGBTQIA+ history and traditions. 

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Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United States. Rajani LaRocca. Illus. Huy Voun Lee. (2025). Candlewick.
This picturebook offers young readers an expansive view of what it means to belong in the United States. This book portrays the diverse journeys people take as they work, study, and build lives in new communities through an informational narrative structure. Rather than presenting citizenship as a single, uniform path, the story and multimodal art highlight multiple ways of contributing while honoring heritage and identity. The back matter provides personal and informational grounding, encouraging readers to view citizenship as both a process and a practice. In a moment when immigration and belonging are often politicized, this book affirms that democracy is enriched by the varied experiences and commitments of its people. Written in accessible language this book is recommended for young readers ages five through nine.

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The History of We. Nikkolas Smith. (2025). Penguin Random House.
Opening with the invitation, “Let us travel back to the start, so far back that all of our roots begin to tell the same story. The origin of humankind. The history of WE,” this beautiful picturebook positions children within the long, connected arc of human history. Represented with bold, emotive paintings, Smith highlights collective resilience, affirming that our roots and futures are shared. In his author’s note, he reflects on how omissions in school history lessons shape what children learn about society’s values and explains that he often creates art as a voice for the silenced. Rich back matter, including a timeline reaching 233,000 years and detailed illustrator’s notes, invites deeper engagement. Poetic, inspiring, and political, this book offers readers an expansive vision of belonging and solidarity. The picturebook uses clear language making it a thoughtful text to read with children ages four through ten.

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Under One Rainbow. Chris Ayala-Kronos. Illus. Sol Salinas. (2025). Clarion Books.
Through vibrant digital illustrations and simple, rhythmic text, Chris Ayala-Kronos and Sol Salinas invite readers into the colorful world of a Pride parade. Children see the many ways people gather, whether it’s by biking, rolling, walking, or skipping, each adding to the spirit of inclusivity. The story captures not just the celebration but also resilience, as the parade continues even when storm clouds threaten. At its heart, the book reminds us that joy, acceptance, and belonging are found when we come together “under one rainbow.” In a time when LGBTQ+ stories are frequently challenged, this book offers young readers (age four to eight) both representation and hope, making it an essential addition to homes, libraries, and classrooms.

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Water Is Life: The Ongoing Fight for Indigenous Water Rights. Katrina M. Phillips. (2025). Lerner.
Historian and Ojibwe author Katrina M. Phillips introduces readers to the central role of water in Indigenous lifeways and the continuing advocacy to protect it. Photographs ground the narrative in specific people and places, while informational features and “Reflect” prompts invite readers to pause, question, and connect to their contexts and knowledge. One chapter focuses on the Stories of Water, illustrating how cultural knowledge and lived experience intersect with science and history. This framing affirms water as more than a resource—it is sacred, relational, and alive. Back matter and source notes extend the learning, positioning the book as both an entry point for inquiry and a call to care. In a climate where Indigenous histories and perspectives are often excluded, this book honors resilience while empowering readers to imagine a more sustainable future. Written in a traditional informational text format, this book would be best read with children aged seven through twelve.

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Erica Holyoke, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in Responsive Literacy Education at The University of Colorado Denver. Her research focuses on justice, equity, and belonging in literacy teaching and teacher preparation.​

Lori Elliott, Ph.D., is an associate teaching professor in the Responsive Literacy Education program at The University of Colorado Denver, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in children’s literature.
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Chelsey Bahlmann Bollinger, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Early, Elementary, and Reading Department at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She teaches graduate and undergraduate literacy courses.