Held from September 23 – 29, Banned Books Week is an annual event that brings together the entire book community—readers, librarians, publishers, booksellers, educators, and journalists –in shared support of the freedom to read. Launched in 1982 in response to a tide of challenges to books in schools and libraries, Banned Books Week highlights the

A story across countries, generations, and time, Dream Country follows one single African-and-American family pursuing an elusive dream of freedom from Liberia to America and back. Told in five different sections, Shannon Gibney spins a riveting tale of the nightmarish spiral of death and exile connecting America and Africa, and of how one determined young

Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy has a powerful message and is a frequent choice for first year and community-wide reading programs. In his book, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative delves deep into the broken U.S. justice system, detailing his many challenges and efforts as a lawyer and social advocate, especially on behalf of America’s

Character units are a part of many lesson plans across schools. Kids are often looking for heroes and character units are a great way to introduce young readers to not just heroes, but how important character is and that it can help everyday people turn into heroes. Welles Crowther did not see himself as hero.