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Author George M. Johnson’s Family Fights Back Against Book Bans: Today in Books

Amanda Gorman Announces Second Children’s Book Something, Someday

Amanda Gorman has announced her second children’s book Something, Someday, which will be released on September 16 by Viking Children’s Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers. With her second children’s book, Gorman hopes to send a message to young readers that everyone has the power to make a difference and create change. “I wrote Something, Someday to show that though it might be difficult, when we work together, even the smallest acts of kindness can lead to the largest positive change,” said Amanda Gorman in a statement. Something, Someday follows Gorman’s debut picture book, Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem. For her new book, Gorman is partnering with Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Honor-winning illustrator Christian Robinson. Of the book, Robinson said, “This book was an honor to illustrate, and it’s my hope that it encourages young readers to be the change they want to see in the world.”

How to Train Your Dragon Live-Action Adaptation Coming in 2025

A live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon is heading to theaters in 2025. Dean DeBlois, who wrote and directed the animated trilogy, will be returning to write and direct the new adaptation, based on the books by Cressida Cowell. The new film is slated to release on March 14, 2025.

Author George M. Johnson’s Family Fights Back Against Book Bans

Queer Black author George M. Johnson’s memoir All Boys Aren’t Blue has seen their memoir banned in at least 29 school districts. But when Johnson’s family found out the author’s book was facing a ban at a public library in New Jersey, they showed up to fight against it. Last week, Glen Ridge United Against Book Bans invited Johnson to attend its library board of trustees meeting. Unable to attend, Johnson instead asked their mom and two aunts to appear in their place.

At the meeting, Johnson’s mother, Kaye Johnson, read a statement prepared by her child to defend their work: “Our books are not introducing teens to hard topics. They are simply the resource needed so they can understand the hard topics they are living out day to day… As a Black queer person, I know what it’s like to read books that don’t tell my story. So in this hunt to protect teens, does it ever cross your mind that removing or restricting this life-saving story for LGBTQ students only harms them more or how removing this life-saving story for Black teens harms them? Or do you not care? That’s really what this fight is over — removing LGBTQ stories and Black stories. If you don’t want your child to read it, that’s fine, you have every right to allow your child not to read, but you don’t get to trample on the rights of parents like my mother and my aunts.”

The statement was met with applause from the audience. After hearing from Johnson’s family and other community members, the Glen Ridge Public Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously to keep Johnson’s book and the others in circulation. 

The Dark Corner of BookTok: All the Horror Books That Scare the Sh*t Out of HorrorTok

Love BookTok? Love horror? Find the best books on HorrorTok now to scare the sh*t out of you and make you say “What did I just read?!”