These themes will vary! It could be based off of some book mail I just received, pop culture, something personal to me, a headline from the news, a trend I noticed when I was buying books for my library system, etc. I hope you stick around to see all the themes and book recs I come up with!
Today’s Theme: Different Adaptations of Banned Books
Last year for Banned Books Week I did books by authors who have previously been banned. This year I realized there were stories out there that had been banned that had new adaptations out or coming out soon. And those deserve to be read and celebrated as much as the original stories. The original Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes was banned and challenged in different states like Florida, Nebraska, and California. All because they didn’t like the way they portrayed the cops. In the book, Jerome is shot by the police after they mistake his toy gun for a real one. He then meets the ghost of Emmett Till who helps him understand what happens. I barely made it through the original book, so I am so scared of this graphic novel. I know I’m going to cry my eyes out. But with the illustrator, Setor Fiadzigbey, who did Black Panther and the Bun Heads picture book, I know these images are going to break me. [This book is MG and comes out 12/05/25]
This one is the same book, but adapted for Younger Readers. In the original book, Clint Smith shows how America has now white-washed history. He takes the reader on the tour across America that shows places and landmarks and tells the real history behind them. The one that includes and doesn’t shy away from their ties to slavery. The original has been banned and challenged by parents trying to keep it out of classrooms. They said that it covered critical race theory. I am actually reading this right now. I just started it today and did a small flip through, and saw that one of the locations is actually the very place I was born and raised. I’m sure this is going to change me in a deep way and I’ve only made it through the author’s note. It’s adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul, the same person who adapted Stamped for Kids. This book is NOT sugar coated and doesn’t beat around the bush. Gave them the truth but still made it age appropriate. [This book is YNO and is out now!]
Well, there you go! Here I’m just going to talk about why I grouped these two books together. I hope you enjoyed a look at this small part of the books. For a full synopsis of the book or to add it to your TBR, click the picture and it will take you to their Storygraph. The link on the caption will take you to it’s Goodreads.
Have you read the originals? Will you read these? Let me know in the comments!