Did you know that Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn was once banned in the United States and is often challenged today? Since 1982, over 11,300 books have been challenged in America. In 2014 alone, 311 books have been challenged and it’s only September! Every year the United States celebrates Banned Book Week and the freedom to read.

The truth is, banned books have shaped America. For example, who remembers reading To Kill a Mockingbird? Supporters of censorship argue that Harper Lee’s use of language and themes of racial oppression make To Kill a Mockingbird inappropriate for readers. However, how will we learn from past mistakes if we do not get to read and learn about them? Shelby Day, teacher and librarian, uses To Kill a Mockingbird in class to show students that “No matter how close-minded and intolerant the world can be, there are always those who will stand for what’s right.”

Junior Tome offers tribute to Banned Book Week with their September Book of the Month, I Kill the Mockingbird. This novel, by Paul Acampora, tells the story of three young kids who thoroughly enjoy their summer reading list. While they are thrilled to read To Kill a Mockingbird their classmates do not share the same feeling. In order to get the community to fall in love with Harper Lee’s classic, the kids decide to make the book “hard to get”. Their plan works when people want to know more about the book and its sudden disappearance from bookshelves around town. However, their book revolution begins to gain traction and things start to spin out of control.

I Kill the Mockingbird is perfect for teachers wanting their students to get a new take on the classic To Kill a Mockingbird. Discussion guides can be found here, http://www.tomesociety.org/2015-2016-jr-tome-it-list-nominees.html , to help foster classroom conversations. 

Listen up book lovers! Drop everything that you are reading and pick up Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. Once I started reading I was unable to put it down and finished it in less than two days. I didn't even mind depriving myself of sleep in order to finish it in the wee hours of the morning!

Red Queen takes place in a world where silver bloods and red bloods co-exist. The silver bloods possess super human powers and rule with an iron fist over the commoners with red blood. The heroine, Mare Barrow, has red blood and scrapes by in life by stealing what she can for her family. One fateful day, after meeting a mysterious stranger, Mare is taken to the capital to work for the Silvers. While in front of the royal family, nobles, and servants alike, Mare discovers she has an ability of her own. In order to keep the color of her blood secret, the king forces her into a marriage arrangement with his own son. As Mare learns more about the Silvers she decides to use her new identity to help the Scarlet Guard, the rebellion led by a group of Reds. Mare is forced to walk a tight rope of deception where one wrong step could lead to her death. Will she be able to keep her balance or will she fall victim to betrayal?

"Why is this book worthy of my attention" you ask? If the above awesome teaser didn't get your attention, here is a list of reasons why Red Queen is a MUST read:

1. Action PACKED: There is never a dull moment and you will constantly be on the edge of your seat.
2. Lovable characters: It's easy to fall in love with the characters, whether you just plain love them or love to hate them!
3. Awesome world building: Victoria Aveyard does a fantastic job of providing a new take on fantasy as well as creating a world that is believable and fresh.
4. Suspense: Talk about a PAGE-TURNER! Not knowing what will happen next keeps you reading with abandon.

So, grab a cup of coffee, find a comfy chair, and start reading Red Queen TODAY!