October 4 to 10 is Banned Books Week. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the joy of reading and stand up for the right to read. Will you join me in taking action?

About Banned Books Week

Although it has been in the news more lately, banning books isn’t new. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. We’ve seen a similar surge in recent years as our society becomes increasingly polarized.

In the United States, the Banned Books Week website reports over 4,000 challenges to books in 2025. Almost all (92%) of the challenges were initiated by pressure groups, or government officials and decision makers. Over one-third (39%) of the challenged books represent the lived experiences of LBGTQIA+ people or people of colour.

This type of censorship isn’t only a problem in the United States. The desire to censor or restrict access to certain books makes headlines here in Canada as well. PEN International reports book banning escalated significantly here in 2025. The Province of Alberta led the charge but it’s happening here in Ontario too. Toronto Metropolitan University’s Canadian Library Challenges Database lists close to 2,000 titles.

And in the UK, Index on Censorship, the UK partner for Banned Books Week, reveals more than half of school librarians had been asked to remove books from their shelves. Further, more than half of bookshop owners say they have noticed an increase in intimidating behaviour toward them or their staff.

We must protect the freedom to read

Books can transport us to distant times and places. By allowing us to see the world from different points of view, books can foster empathy and compassion for the plight of others.

When I hear of special interest groups wanting to ban books, I have to wonder what they are afraid of. These bans often target young adult fiction titles, and many of the challenges refer to shielding children from explicit content. The word “indoctrination” comes up a lot in book banning discussions as if exposing young people to different points of view will lead them astray.

Let’s give our young people some credit. In a world where young people read less and can access harmful and hateful content online in seconds, parents and educators should celebrate that kids want to read at all, rather than try to censor them.

In an earlier post about the Rainbow Fish controversy, I discussed how banning or cancelling books takes away the opportunity for conversation and learning. Here’s an idea for parents: Instead of sheltering your kids, why not encourage them to read? Better still, read along with them and then have an open conversation about what you read.

Take action this Banned Books Week

The simplest thing you can do this week is read a challenged book. Here are some lists to help you find titles:

• The American Library Association’s Top 11 Most Challenged Books of 2025
• Freedom to Read Canada’s Challenged Works list
• Index on Censorship’s Banned Books Week UK Reading List

Beyond reading, the best thing you can do is keep the conversation going about the importance of literary freedom. Here are some more ideas on how to do that:

• Talk to friends and family about the importance of protecting the freedom to read.
• Add a banned took to your book club’s reading list.
• Visit your local library to see if they’re hosting any events related to Banned Books Week.
• Share a banned book in your local Little Free Library.
• Visit a local independent bookstore.

In an increasingly divided world, we cannot allow the lived experiences of people from marginalized groups to be silenced out of fear or prejudice.

Will you join me in celebrating Banned Books Week? I’ve chosen a book to read from the list and will share a review next weekend. Drop me a comment below to let me know what you’re reading.