Library and Book Ban News 7-11-2025

Two good news stories and two bad.

Hello Friends,

I hope you’re making through this crazy week in good health! Once again, I’m going out of town for a few days. (Again, it’s about books [and schools!]—Riverside County Office of Education’s Arts Lift Conference.) This round up of library and book ban news only goes through Wednesday night.

Good News

I’ll start with a few positive things. I’m including this article about Kelly Jensen being honored because I’ve mentioned a number of times that she has a wonderful newsletter that gets into the weeds on school libraries and books. It’s great to see her appreciated and recognized.

AASL President Becky Calzada Honors The Librarians Filmmakers and Book Riot’s Kelly Jensen with Presidential Commendations from the American Library Association

About Book Riot and Kelly Jensen

Book Riot is dedicated to celebrating diverse voices and perspectives in the world of books and reading. Known for its smart, inclusive, and deeply engaged content, Book Riot offers podcasts, newsletters, reviews, and commentary that reach millions of readers each year. Among its standout contributors is Kelly Jensen, a veteran editor, author, and former teen librarian, whose work focuses on young adult literature, censorship, intellectual freedom, and the intersection of books and social justice. As co-host of the Hey YA podcast and a frequent voice across Book Riot’s platforms, Jensen brings insight, advocacy, and a deep passion for teen readers to every conversation. She is also the editor of influential anthologies including Don't Call Me Crazy and Body Talk and is widely recognized for her reporting and commentary on book bans and challenges across the United States.

And here’s something positive for former Librarian of Congress Carla Haydn, whom the library world just loves!

Former Librarian of Congress, fired by Trump, vows to improve public information in new Mellon role from Local 10 (WPLG)

NEW YORK – The former Librarian of Congress abruptly fired by President Donald Trump has found a new position with the country's largest philanthropic supporter of the arts.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation exclusively told The Associated Press that Carla Hayden will join the humanities grantmaker Monday as a senior fellow whose duties will include advising on efforts to advance public knowledge through libraries and archives.

The year-long post places Hayden back at the center of the very debates over American culture that surrounded her dismissal. The White House ousted Hayden, the first woman and the first African American to hold the title, after she was accused of promoting “radical” literary material by a conservative advocacy group seeking to squash Trump opposition within the federal government.

Bad News

Georgia Librarian Fired After Displaying Book Featuring Transgender Child from Truthout

A 15-year employee of a library in southern Georgia was fired from her position last month over her inclusion of a book featuring a transgender child in a display.

The display created by Pierce County Library Manager Lavonnia Moore was part of a statewide “color our world” summer reading program. Moore said that children contributed to the display, which featured media of varying colors.

“There were books, DVDs, games, and each and every one of them had at least a hint of a rainbow on it,” she said, speaking to The Georgia Recorder about her termination last week. “Because all the kids went to find rainbows. I was just happy that the kids knew where the books were. They even took the time to go into the card catalog to find books.”

One child asked Moore if she could include a book called “When Aidan Became a Brother,” by Kyle Lukoff, in the display. Moore said she was unfamiliar with the book, which features a transgender boy whose family is about to welcome another child.

“All I saw was Aidan becoming a big brother,” Moore said. “I saw a family with a kid wearing a rainbow sweater and the mom pregnant. It was a mixed family. I was like, ‘OK, sure, put it on the table.’”

The book’s inclusion in the display caught the attention of a far right religious organization called the Alliance for Faith and Family, which waged a social media campaign against Moore, calling on its followers to email the Three Rivers Library System and Pierce County elected officials demanding action against her. The group claimed the book was part of a “mental manipulation” to teach children “God made them incorrectly,” Georgia Public Broadcasting reported.

More books challenged in Beaufort County School District. Board mulls options from Yahoo News

Fifteen more books — including the No. 1 New York Times bestseller “Thirteen Reasons Why” — have been formally requested for removal from shelves across the Beaufort County School District by a parent behind half of South Carolina’s book bans this year.

Under Regulation 43-170, school districts must publicly review and vote on any instructional material complaints — including classroom and library books — that contain descriptions or images of sexual conduct. Parents or legal guardians may file up to five complaints per month, provided they have made a good-faith effort to resolve their concerns with school or district staff.

Beaufort County School District currently maintains that books already reviewed — even those reviewed before the regulation took effect — do not require another vote. Instead, the district forwards those titles directly to the South Carolina Department of Education when challenged again.

What happens Tuesday could mark a turning point not just for Beaufort County, but for the state. If the board reaffirms its position, it will likely continue bypassing public votes on previously reviewed titles — a decision that has contributed heavily to South Carolina’s lead in book removals nationwide. If the board agrees to change course, it could reintroduce public oversight and slow the pace of removals.

That decision carries added weight because at least 14 of the 22 books banned or restricted statewide this year were challenged by one Beaufort County parent, Elizabeth “Ivie” Szalai. Her influence has sparked growing debate about whether one individual should have the power to limit access to books for students across the state.

The following books were challenged in recent months by Szalai. Several are award-winning or widely taught in schools nationwide:

• Shine” by Lauren Myracle — a young adult novel exploring hate crimes and LGBTQ+ identity

• “Skin” by Donna Jo Napoli — a teen novel about vitiligo and body image

• “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison — a classic literary novel about race, trauma, and identity

• “The Carnival at Bray” by Jessie Ann Foley — a young adult coming-of-age story set in 1990s Ireland

• “The Duff” by Kody Keplinger — a teen romance about self-esteem and labels

• “Like a Love Story” by Abdi Nazemian — a historical young adult novel set during the AIDS crisis

• “The Freedom Writers Diary” by The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell — a nonfiction collection of student essays about overcoming adversity

• “The Infinite Moment of Us” by Lauren Myracle — a teen romance exploring sexuality and independence

• “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini — a bestselling novel about friendship and betrayal in Afghanistan

• “Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins — a novel in verse dealing with teen struggles around sexuality and relationships

• “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen — a historical novel with romantic and adult themes

• Sold” by Patricia McCormick — a novel about human trafficking based on real accounts

• “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher — a young adult novel that sparked national debate over mental health and suicide

• “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold — a novel about the aftermath of sexual violence and grief

• “The Black Flamingo” by Dean Atta — a coming-of-age story about a biracial, gay British teen

• “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein — a literary novel told through the eyes of a dog, touching on themes of family, loss, and love