New York Public Library makes banned books available for free
In response to more than 1,500 books challenged to be removed from libraries in the last year, New York Public Libraries launched an initiative called Books for All, which aims to make some banned books available to everyone (regardless of library card-carrying status) for free. The initiative allows readers 13 and older to access commonly banned books through the library’s app through the end of May — free from wait times or fines.
How to see Amanda Gorman and much more as the Festival of Books returns
Amanda Gorman, the nation’s youngest inaugural poet, will return to her hometown Festival of Books L.A. Times Main Stage as the headliner on April 23rd. She will be discussing her latest poetry collection written during the depths of the pandemic, Call Us What We Carry.
Utah high school students turn a YA novel into a musical
Students at Olympus High School in Holladay, Utah are creating a musical based on Marissa Meyer’s YA novel Heartless. The students started to work on the project in 2019, emailed Meyer’s assistant, and less than a month later, got a response expressing support. Now, the production will hit the stage of CenterPoint Legacy Theatre in Centerville on April 22.
A Picture Book About Unicorns Was Banned in an Ohio School District
Picture book author, Jason Tharp, was invited for a visit to an elementary school in Buckeye Valley School District in Ohio. However, he was told not not to read from his book It’s Okay To Be a Unicorn! after a parent complained assuming the book had LGBTQ content because there was a rainbow on the front cover.