Are there parents actually like this?! And if there are, I hope there are kids just like this also! Wow–the injustice behind the censorship in this book just takes my breath away and makes my blood boil. I hope this book helps show kids the importance of book importance and availability.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I think it shows kids the importance of reading and standing up for what you believe in. I don't think that a lot of people know that there are still books out there that get challenged and ask to be taken off the shelves. Kids will learn that words have power and books mean something!

I should have loved this book, but it reminded me too much of Alan Gratz's Ban This Book. I still enjoyed June's tale of rebellious readers willing to stand up for what they believe in.

Cute and brilliantly funny. Would recommend for any librarian looking for a book club read for their middle schoolers or anyone that is feeling a bit rebellious.

Set in a middle school with mainly 7th grade characters, Property of a Rebel Librarian is a fantastic book for upper middle grade readers. With plenty of humor, book references, and subplots containing first crushes, friendship turmoil, cliques, and even civil disobedience, this book carries the reader through the adventure of middle school - with one girl at the center who never wanted to be a troublemaker. This would be a perfect book for a book club, raising questions of how far one should go to defend their rights to choose, and is there a GOOD kind of trouble? I really loved watching June navigate her changing relationships with her sister, her parents, her teachers, her friends, and boys! She goes through so much growth as she finds herself, her voice, and the things that she believes in. Through June young readers also get to experience the fragility of imbalanced and toxic relationships, and the strength of solid friendships that are built on mutual respect, not manipulation.

I am with a lot of others with this book. First it felt like another book that is on the same topic but done much better. Second, I did not feel this book was believable in many ways. Many times in my reading history have I left a book because of it unbelievable state it got to in the story. I am one that does not have the time to read books that are not good enough.

Banned books are an important topic in any library, so this book is not only relevant to the profession but also to the community. June's character is the kind of fighter younger audience need to read about. As June's life is turned upside down after her parents find an "inappropriate" book, she's ready to take matters into her own hands.

This book allows for empowerment and as a librarian, I was cheering the protagonist on. This book automatically got onto my booktalking list for middle schoolers.

Well that was fun. This is just that ort of book. A fun romp kind of thing. If you put librarian in the title of anything Im instantly there for it. Between thatband the cover I was ready for this bad boy.

When in doubt, go to the library." And if you don't have access to a rich and exciting library collection, do what June Harper does -- build your own! June has always loved books, but when the adults in her life try to restrict her access to them, they become even more precious (and powerful).
Packed with *kid power* and super fun references to books middle grade readers know and love (or will want to get to know!) parts of this story actually had me cheering out loud.
Fast paced, full of twists, lots of opportunity for discussion -- I predict this book will be topping a lot of library piles!

Amazing! The topic is timely and will resonate with young readers. June makes a great protagonist going up against her parents and the school for what she knows is right. This book will naturally lead to reading lists and more book requests. Excellent.

Received from NetGalley
Completed 9/21/18
288 page ebook

This book was hard to read at times for me. For anyone who was told what to do, how to do it, how to live, and so on, this book may be hard for you to read. I felt June's pain so much as I felt transported back to my own childhood, but I was unable to be brave and fearless like June, as I had the added "you'll go to hell" if I did anything wrong. Sigh.

This book was so well done on many levels. You really feel for June, even if you've never experienced such things before. Her parents and her school is being beyond unreasonable and she's sitting there wondering why everyone is turning to idiots around her. All she wants is freedom to read, she's not asking to take over the world or be evil or do bad things, she just wants to read. And oh, how infuriating the parents and school is, and even some classmates.

But June stands up for herself and her books and it's wonderful that she does. You cry when she cries and cheer when she takes control.

It's a really good story. Fun but meaningful!

Setting = A
Plot = A
Conflict = B
Characters = A
Theme = A

As much as I wanted to love this book, being a rebel librarian myself and all, I ended up just liking it. It was cute, but I think it was too much like Ban this Book by Alan Gratz, another book that I recently read, to be considered unique and original...even down to the stash of library books in the locker and the PTA parent's kid being the one to lead the anti-book movement. I liked June, and her budding relationship with Matt and her new friendships, as well as Ms. Bradshaw, of course, but I'm not sold on the way the school and her parents handled things. Yes, I know it is a work of fiction, but there does need to be some reality in it too.

Conversations about censorship in any form, and specifically the right to read, are important. This is particularly true for middle graders who are just beginning to realize that they have rights and that they can take action when those rights are being restricted, that even kids can take action when life is unfair. Any book that starts that conversation is worth reading. That being said, this wouldn't be my first pick. I found the events too extreme, the time frame unrealistic. We go from a complaint about a single book to the complete gutting of the library in a matter of days. Suspension for possession of a book is an extreme punishment and is enacted overnight. It isn't believable. Now, the intent is sound. I just think other books get the message across better.

I loved this book, especially as a great means of getting kids to really understand what book banning is and how it works. And how to fight back. I know my students will find it a book to get them fired up for Banned Books Week. Oh, and I can't remember the last book I read with a contemporary setting that had a kid who wanted to be a librarian; teenage me would have be thrilled to see that!

When June brings home a book from her school library, she doesn’t think anything of it. After all, she’s an avid reader and adores her librarian – Ms. Bradshaw has yet to steer June wrong when it comes to books! June’s parents, however, take one look at the title (The Makings of a Witch), say it’s much too scary for their 7-grade daughter, and immediately march down to the school to an emergency PTA meeting. From there, a full-scale investigation is launched; Ms. Bradshaw is put on leave and books are tossed into industrial-size garbage cans. What’s worse, June’s books at home have undergone the same treatment: her parents have taken all of her books, refusing to give them back until they’ve been read and deemed appropriate (and thoroughly edited – her parents have ripped out pages, blacked out sentences, re-written entire endings). June refuses to stand by silently and, with the help of a Little Free Library, becomes the Rebel Librarian, running a full-scale library out of an empty locker.

Oh, this book was great. Characters and scenes saw me seeing red. It was bad enough that the school was banning books, but to have June’s books at home confiscated?? I can’t imagine. There’s some filler with crushes and her best friend, but I was far more intrigued by the library June created. This was a one-sitting read and I have never been more thankful my parents never tried to censor what I read.

I was so ready to love this book. June’s parents suddenly decide that it’s time to pull “inappropriate reading material” off the library shelves, and avid reader June fights back by starting an underground library that she runs from her school locker. It’s a great idea, but it doesn’t make sense—especially the part where June’s parents suddenly care so much about her reading material that they start abridging her books at home (which she has already read multiple times without them worrying about it) to be more “appropriate” — and the resolution is, frankly, ridiculous. (Spoiler: June’s parents still do not see the value in reading banned books, but that’s okay?) I’m still itching to read the book I thought this was going to be — someone write it for me?

I’m a rule follower to a fault. But this is one type of rebel I could align with – a Rebel Librarian! Before we get into what I love about this book, let’s get one minor distraction out of the way. It’s not really that negative and most middle grade students will likely not even notice the improbability surrounding the magnitude of books banned . Very drastic measures were taken in the library with regard to removal of “banned” books, which were challenged by parents in the school. In reality, librarians have additional resources that would have been implemented compared to what the librarian in the story was able to accomplish. But as I stated, I don’t think it detracts from the moral of the story. Now to get to it! This book made me want to stand up and cheer for the main character, June Harper. She respected authority while also challenging it. She had to make important decisions about who to align herself with. She asserted herself and stood up for what she believed – the right to read books of all kinds. I think this is a great read for 5-7th graders, although it is listed as middle grade. There is a bit of relationship drama that is more early YA, but nothing a mature middle grader can’t handle. As a book lover, little library hunter and mom to two daughters (age 6 and 10), this book is one that I will be purchasing for them to read. This would also make for a great discussion book for classrooms, families or kids book club. It introduces many topics that are important in our current culture, but brings them to a level that is understandable for middle grade to young adults. It has themes that embrace empowering young girls to stand up for what they know is right, encourages reading of diverse books and developing unlikely friendships. After reading this book, I would like to cheer aloud for the Rebel Librarian in us all! Stand up for the freedom to read!

This is a great book for middle-schoolers to introduce the danger of censorship. The strict role the parents and school take in this seems unrealistic to this liberal librarian, as does the lack of fighting back among the teachers and school librarian. But kids may see their perceived restriction reflected here and relate to the unfairness and the rebellion from the kids. If nothing else, the list of "banned" books -- name dropped throughout and then presented in bibliography form at the end -- should give interested kids some ideas about what to read next!

I enjoyed the premise of Property of the Rebel Librarian. Reading it felt like a great way, personally, to kick off Banned Books Week. However, there were some issues, especially with the characters. I just found them weak. They did things that seemed entirely bizarre; I can't say they were out of character, because it's hard to peg what they're like. Take Emma, for example. She's June's best friend; they rarely fight, if June is to be believed; and yet she begins seeing Graham behind June's back, while she supposedly has a crush on Matt? Graham, too, was strange.. He must know that June is a voracious reader; yet he thinks she'll choose him over books? And June's parents! They had no redeeming qualities; I kept waiting for June to tell them off, but she never really did. I wanted to like this book, but the characters and the relationships between them make it hard for me to recommend it.

Just in time to celebrate Banned Books Week and the #FreedomtoRead !

I really liked June as a character and to see her struggle with being "a good girl" and obeying her parents versus doing what she knows to be right and thus being labeled a "rebel" or "bad" kid. Reading about June's plight, I am so grateful I had parents that didn't discourage my love of reading and didn't censor anything. If we want children to grow up as critical thinkers and active participants in society, we need to foster a love of knowledge and learning. I know others have been critical of the ending, but it is realistic. I appreciate that about this book and I don't think others realize how small towns work and how realistic this situation can be and is.

I would recommend this for middle school and possibly even high school libraries (along with public libraries). Varnes even provides all the lists of titles banned in the book (and have actually been banned in real life) for readers to follow up on. Would also make a nice display, along with this book!