We Won't Be Silenced by Sydney Salter

I live in Utah, a book banning state. Just last week our legislature passed a law that students cannot possess banned titles on school grounds. It's all a bunch of posturing. I truly doubt most teachers would recognize the banned books, and a good teacher would never discourage reading of any kind. I know that my niece's English teacher is part of the resistance--and that my niece is carrying a banned book in her backpack every day. 

I get why books scare people. Stories make us feel empathy, show us that we aren't alone, show us the possibilities for changes in our communities. Fiction is a relatable, accessible art form often creates societal change.

The top books banned in Utah range from hugely popular series like the Sarah J. Maas A Court of Thorns and Roses series to really old titles like Judy Blume's Forever. Two of Ellen Hopkin's verse novels are banned. 

I've had the opportunity to watch Ellen Hopkins sign books throughout the Mountain West. I'll never forget the teens who waited patiently at an indie bookstore in Boise, Idaho to tell Ellen how her stories changed their lives. I watched her spend time with those kids, giving them her full attention. Teens need books about tough topics. Teens need books that feature all sorts of representation. 

Our voices are powerful and they matter more than ever right now. We won't be silenced.