Ban This Book
A Novel
by Alan Gratz
Recommended by Simon Smith and Todd Nesloney
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Reading Profile
Should I read this?
Ban This Book is a brisk middle-grade novel that follows a spirited fourth-grader who responds to her favorite book's removal by opening a secret library. It works best as an energizing introduction to censorship and civic action for young readers: short chapters, clear stakes, and kid-first humor keep momentum. Limitations: adults looking for nuanced policy detail or subtle character complexity will find scenes that tilt toward didactic speeches and neatly resolved outcomes. Best experienced with readers ready to discuss fairness and free expression.
Read this if...
- •elementary-school teacher planning a classroom conversation about civic courage: offers age-appropriate scenes and a clear plot hook to prompt discussion and activities.
- •parent of an 8–10-year-old who wants a readable way to introduce censorship and speaking up: short chapters and a plucky protagonist make hard topics approachable at bedtime or over a weekend.
- •middle-school librarian organizing a 'banned books' display or read-aloud: lively, issue-focused material that sparks questions and debate among younger listeners.
Skip this if...
- •you'll likely put it down when the narrative shifts into extended lectures about book banning and activism that feel repetitive — that mid-section can slow the momentum.
- •annoying if you prefer subtle character study or complex adult viewpoints; the adults are often simplified or sidelined in favor of a kid-led plot.
- •not for readers expecting a nonfiction treatment of censorship, legal nuance, or practical how-to campaigning — the book frames the issue through a simplified fictional story.
Readers, librarians, and all those books that have drawn a challenge have a brand new hero.... Stand up and cheer, book lovers. This one's for you. Kathi Appelt, author of the Newbery Honorwinning The UnderneathAn inspiring tale of a fourthgrader who fights back when her favorite book is banned from the school libraryby starting her own ill...
Before You Buy
Reading Specifications
Difficulty:hard
Audience Fit
- elementary-school teacher planning a classroom conversation about civic courage: offers age-appropriate scenes and a clear plot hook to prompt discussion and activities.
- parent of an 8–10-year-old who wants a readable way to introduce censorship and speaking up: short chapters and a plucky protagonist make hard topics approachable at bedtime or over a weekend.
- middle-school librarian organizing a 'banned books' display or read-aloud: lively, issue-focused material that sparks questions and debate among younger listeners.
- you'll likely put it down when the narrative shifts into extended lectures about book banning and activism that feel repetitive — that mid-section can slow the momentum.
- annoying if you prefer subtle character study or complex adult viewpoints; the adults are often simplified or sidelined in favor of a kid-led plot.
- not for readers expecting a nonfiction treatment of censorship, legal nuance, or practical how-to campaigning — the book frames the issue through a simplified fictional story.
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Why recommended
Recommended by 2 sources and appears in Fiction.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Simon Smith
“Just finished this FANTASTIC book!! This one was amazing & a must read for upper elementary and middle school. A great story about the power of books, the freedom of choice, and finding your voice. I also loved the diversity of the characters! Love Love Love it! #sparksinthedark | What a fantastic book this is. @AlanGratz nails the need for children to have the freedom to read what they want, even if we don’t particularly like their choices. It’s a brilliant book of quiet rebellion and I loved it very much. @GalwayMr there is so much I want to discuss”
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Appears In
Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider The Republic by Plato. Recommended by 13 sources.
“Plato stages an extended Socratic conversation that moves from concrete questions about justice into broad proposals about an ideal city, the structure of the soul, and what counts as reality and knowledge. Reading alternates brisk question-and-answer snippets with long, cumulative demonstrations that reward careful attention and annotation. Main value: a wealth of thought experiments for testing political and ethical intuitions. Main limitation: repetitive refutations, long policy sketches and dense metaphysical passages can feel abstruse and slow; patience and some philosophical background help.”
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Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.