An extremely timely and well written book about a teen fighting for the right to read in their small town. I loved loved loved this book. The author was spot on with her depictions of book banners-everything they said was verbatim. Everyone who believes in the freedom to read needs to read this book

Thank you for this arc!

Now I thought this was a different book. So I am not that interested in this book. I hope it finds its audience!

This book was so good! I had a lot of emotions while reading this YA novel about a young woman named Noor who was working with her friends to fight a school book ban. All of the obstacles that Noor and her friends faced were very extreme and the examples of racism were definitely frightening. The worst part is that the situations written about in this novel are still prevalent in the US today.

The principal in the book, and the character of Hawley, are the types of individuals who, in real life, have no business in the roles they had in the story. They are evil to the core. I how that readers can find a connection with the hero of the story and maybe some real life Andrews can learn what it really means to be anti-racist and an ally.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an eARC of #ThisBookWon’tBurn by #SamiraAhmed in exchange for honest feedback. -5 stars

I loved this book. It was poignant and handled the themes so well. Book banning is on the rise and more and more books talking about that is never bad.

I love Samira Ahmed. I have read all of her books and I am never disappointed, though this is one of my favorites.

This book is like a modern day Fahrenheit 451. The school library is banning books deemed inappropriate for students by a select group of adults in the community (i.e. rich, white, Christian-folk). All of the books that are being banned are by authors who are of color, homosexual, or incorporate non-white, non-Christian ideations. Noor takes a stand against the adults trying to ban these books and finds herself and those she cares about in a lot of dangerous situations.

Read this book! Ahmed writes beautifully and gracefully despite the difficult topics she covers. She deserves all the stars and then some more!

What a timely novel from Samira Ahmed. I had previously read Internment by Ahmed and most recently had heard her speak at AASL, where she did mention this upcoming book. During the panel Ahmed was part of, she talked about how active she is in her local government and school board. It was very inspiring. You can really see her experience and passion in this book. Much like Ahmed, the main character of the book Noor, was raised by activist parents and feels an obligation to do good in her community. At the start of the story we learn that Noor lives in the city of Chicago where her classmates and friends are all very progressive. This all changes when Noor's father leaves the family, leading their mother to move their family to a small suburb outside the city. In this new town, which is predominantly white, they are not so progressive. The mayor who is also part of the school board, is actively working to ban books in the local high school. When Noor discovers this she decides she can't stay silent. Joining with other students in the school who have felt rejected and ignored, she works to change things. The story does such a good job of truly capturing the experience of activism when you are, seemingly, part of a minority. You can really feel the fear Noor experiences as she is berated, threatened, and silenced by people in the town who want to maintain the status quo. They are, after all, a nice little town with good family values. But, she never gives up. I think this book will go a long way to educating students on their roles as American citizens with their first amendment rights. Especially when so many students are not aware that book banning is even happening. I plan to recommend it to my teachers for their curriculums and absolutely add it as part of our library. (Thank You to Netgalley and Little Brown, Books for Young Readers for the ARC)

Okay, wow. I'm not one for politics much myself, but this is such an important read and I (surprisingly) loved it despite it not quite being my cup of tea. I love how Ahmed deals with the heavy themes of censorship and fascism and book-banning and bigotry and racism in certain areas of America. Of course, to get these points across, some of the characters are complete a**holes, and they made me so angry but also upset that people like them actually exist. Overall, this is a very important book handling real issues sensitively and maturely and it's a story that everyone should read.

I’ve read a lot of books by Samira Ahmed, and since she Chicago-based, I’ve also met her in person before, at a bookish event. One thing that she excels at is writing justice-oriented novels for young readers that aim to both educate and motivate them towards meaningful action against oppression.

This Book Won’t Burn is a story about a senior in high school named Noor who is uprooted from life in Chicago and taken to a (much more conservative and much less diverse) small town in Illinois. Raised to fight against injustices, Noor soon finds herself at odds with the school principal as well as many other adults in power. While this battle starts with a small resistance against banned books, it soon spirals into much more than Noor initially bargained for, leaving her to decide what’s more important: her voice or her safety.

As with most books on subjects like these, this novel includes many topics that might be triggering to some people, specifically those who identify with Noor and her struggles. It gives readers some good ideas on how to fight back against unjust systems, but it doesn’t shy away from the harm that these fights can cause. Noor is fighting an uphill battle where she often can’t tell the difference between friend and foe. I really appreciated Samira Ahmed’s transparency with this, as it’s important that people understand the sacrifices that so many activists are forced to go through just to have their voices heard.

There were a few side plots that I wasn’t a particular fan of, including her father’s absence and the overwhelming amount of fire-imagery sprinkled throughout. The former wasn’t ever really explained, and didn’t seem to have enough affect on the plot for me to consider it worth including, and the latter happened so much in the beginning chapters that I got annoyed with it very quickly. The use of fire metaphors and puns does quiet down for a good middle chunk of the novel though.

That being said, Samira Ahmed is always an author that I keep an eye out for on shelves every time I visit a local bookstore. If you’re looking for books for younger audience, be sure to check our her middle grade series: Amira & Hamza!

Noor's family moves out of Chicago and to a small town. Well, most of her family moves. Her dad leaves one day and abandons his family and crushes everyone. In this new small town, Noor's school is facing a lot of book challenges from one group of parents. She's not going to keep her head down and just deal with it.

This book felt like it was written more for the adults in a teen's life versus the actual teens. The message is clear, books shouldn't be banned (as most of us can agree). I don't think we needed over 380 pages to get that message across. Most of the book felt boring and like we were going over the same points over and over again. Also, that love triangle was stupid.

THIS BOOK WON'T BURN by Samira Ahmed (Hollow Fires and Internment) is filled with anger. The main character, Noor Khan, is a high school senior whose family circumstances force a change in schools in the last quarter of her senior year (yes, hard to believe that other options would not exist in real life). And Noor is understandably upset when she, her Mom, and her freshman sister move from suburban Chicago to a small town in downstate Illinois where they are one of the very few families who are not white or Christian. It is an adjustment for everyone, but Noor channels some of her anger into publicly reading banned books – and faces detention, multiple threats, and physical violence as a result. Fortunately, she is supported by new friends, Juniper with her girlfriend Hanna, plus Fasi, another student with desi heritage. One of the best aspects of Ahmed's novel is the way she casually introduces many books that have been challenged such as Anger is a Gift, Monday's Not Coming, All Boys Aren't Blue, When the Moon was Ours, Fahrenheit 451, and many more.

Too bad that the preview for THIS BOOK WON'T BURN did not include a list of all of those titles. It also seemed rather unrealistic that 500 books would be simultaneously removed from a single school library. Even in Texas (the state with the dubious honor of hosting the most book challenges recently) where a school district near San Antoino pulled 400 books at one time, it was noted that "Most of those [titles] are appropriate and will stay on our library shelves as is." Ahmed's novel is set in Illinois with an activist librarian who would also likely have had a more robust review process in place. Ahmed raises a very important issue, but she tends to employ caricatures (a school board President who would try to run down a student with a car?). For example, she explicitly calls out MAGA supporters and Liberty Moms, but even though the book's publication coincides with this week's celebration of the second annual Little Free Library Week, Ahmed does not give her readers any information about groups like Little Free Library or mention recycling a used newspaper kiosk; even AARP offers suggestions to create these yard libraries. THIS BOOK WON'T BURN would benefit from an appendix of related resources -- like the ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom or PEN America (and PEN teaching guides) or the Texas FReadom Fighters or even the lawsuits brought by other publishers who devote web pages to the topic and provide links to an action toolkit. [SEE BELOW for some of these links]

THIS BOOK WON'T BURN received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus summarized it as follows: "A timely story about silence as complicity, defending freedom, and the courage to fight against hate." Readers may also wish to investigate The Asian American Foundation and their annual STAATUS Index Report.

Just a few Relevant Links:
https://littlefreelibrary.org/
https://www.aarp.org/home-family/your-home/info-2021/little-free-library-guide.html
https://www.ala.org/news/2024/03/american-library-association-reports-record-number-unique-book-titles
https://pen.org/issue/book-bans/
https://www.txfreadomfighters.us/
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/banned-books/
https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/toolkit/
https://www.taaf.org/our-work/staatus-index-2024

A powerful and timely story with a message of hope and triumph! Noor’s strength and resilience are a perfect backdrop to this tale of injustice and activism.

While banning books is often couched as protecting young readers, the importance of representation and diversified perspectives trumps that argument every time, mostly because the books that are challenged are almost exclusively those by and about marginalized peoples. I think one of the other incredibly important points made in this novel is that there are people out there willing to fight against fascism, bigotry and racism. You are not alone in your fight!

Thank you to TBR&Beyond Book Tours, NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

This Book Won't Burn is a timely and powerful YA book about activism against book banning. The story centers around Noor Khan, a high school student who finds herself moving to a small-town in central Illinois after her father up and leaves the family. As Noor must grieve and learn to cope with his absence, she always discovers her new school is banning books in the school library. And specifically books by BIPOC and queer authors!

Noor, not afraid to speak up and stand against injustice, is swept up in a fight to stand up for what's right! This book is a fantastic read for students, especially as book banning is occurring in so many schools and cities across this nation currently. It is powerful, enraging, and inspirational!

Samira Ahmed has created a story similar to what is being played out in an increasing large number of school districts in this country today. It's all about censorship, book banning, and standing up for a student's right to read. This book is definitely going to be controversial but brings to light what is happening and how some students feel about it. Only through knowledge of what is happening can change start to occur. Ahmed makes the story relatable to youth with high school life and a little romance thrown in. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Noor's father leaves their family, Noor, her mother, and her sister move from Chicago to rural Illinois. Here, school board members remove books from the library, claiming that certain books contain inappropriate content. Despite adult threats, Noor and her small group of friends stand up against the book ban and fight for their right to read those books.

I love how Noor channels her father's activism, even though she's grieving his loss. Her new friendships become a found family, and together, they fight bigotry, fascism, racism, microaggression, censorship, and book banning. The story contains a budding romance triangle, which isn't necessarily my favorite trope. But the romance feels innocent rather than angsty. I appreciate how both boys help Noor work through residual feelings regarding her father's abandonment. Teens will love the balance of a sweet, budding romance and activism.

I want to give a special shoutout to @hachetteaudio. Yesterday, I took an unexpected road trip and listened to an audiobook. The narration by Kauser Mohammed is simply perfect. She portrays Noor's sarcasm and inner turmoil brilliantly. I highly recommend this format!

Read this if you love:
❤️Book about books - especially banned books
❤️Social justice
❤️Speaking up against censorship

Samira Ahmed references a potential law in Illinois regarding outlawing banned books. I'm happy to report that HB2789 passed, protecting schools and libraries from external restrictions to book collections.

If you plan to read only one YA book this year, I recommend This Book Won't Burn unless you hold ultra-right-wing conservative views. Although I still believe you should read it, I doubt you will appreciate it as much as I do.

When I saw the tour advertised for This Book Won't Burn I knew I wanted to be a part of it as Samira isn't afraid of writing about important subjects.

I've always wondered what it would be like to live in a Country that banned certain books and Samira took me on a journey seen through the eyes of Noor who was such an amazing character when she moved to a small town to and fought for the right to read even if it meant being thought of a troublemaker but she knew how important it was for people to see themselves in books.

This is all I am going to say but I will say that this book should be on every curriculum as it raises important issues and would make a excellent discussion tool

For all the above reasons This Book Wont' Burn receives 5 stars.

It is clear that this 384 page contemporary YA book is about the hot topic of burn banning in America, and I would imagine most are aware that the overwhelming number of books that have been recently banned or pulled because of objection, are by BIPOC and queer authors about BIPOC and queer themes.  So I read it not so much to see the Muslim author's perspective, but more to see how the Muslim identifying characters in the book approached the topic.  The book is very black and white, book banning is wrong, Republican right wing MAGA members are fascist, and liberal freedom of speech supporters are LGBTQ+ identifying and allies and upholder of first amendment rights.  Islam and the character's Indian heritage is ingrained in the characters being, and a label they are comfortable with, unfortunately, it has no impact on how they act, think, or the lens in which they view their world. Every 50 pages or so some vague mention of Ramadan, or a tasbeeh, or mosque forcefully appears, only to disappear just as abruptly. The Muslim protagonist, Noor, likes two different boys, is often alone with them, nearly kisses them, and with the support of her family attends prom. Her younger sister, Amal, is unsure if she wants a boyfriend or a girlfriend, it is not a major part of the story and is just mentioned in passing.  A major side character is lesbian, and starts a bit of a relationship with another girl, they hold hands, and there are a few kisses on cheeks, nothing overly detailed.  Their is profanity in the book, arson, threats, racism, and stereotypes.

SYNOPSIS:
Noor and her family move to a small town from Chicago when her dad abruptly abandons the family.  It is the end of Noor's senior year, and with the grief, stress, and emotional upheaval of her family, Noor just wants to get to graduation.  Quick friendships with Faiz and Juniper, and realizing that she is the daughter of her activist parents though, thrusts her into making enemies her first week in the conservative town by questioning the school's book banning policies. Add in her strained relationship with her mom, her conflicting feelings for Andrew and Faiz, and her sisterly concern for Amal, and Noor has a lot on her plate as she shakes up a small town.

WHY I LIKE IT:
The first chapter is incredible writing, no doubt.  I hated the dad, more than that I was so disappointed in him, and so concerned for Noor, Amal and their mom.  To feel such strong emotions for characters just introduced is a testament the author's abilities.  Sadly, insight into why their dad left never came, and  perhaps no answers is something the characters had to grapple with, but as the reader, I felt it wasn't really explored, or articulated, it just was unresolved, and I really wanted some closure.  In terms of literary quality, the book went down hill pretty quick.  the middle was slow and repetitive with the heavy handed views on book banning.  Some shades of gray, or some discourse would have prodded the readers to maybe think about the implications of banning books, but the narrative never allowed for that.  It is right vs wrong, us vs them from the start.  There really is no growth of the protagonist, she doesn't have much of a character arc, and the supporting cast is not fleshed out.  I wanted to see more of Noor and her Mom, not just be told repetitively how absent she is, I wanted to see Faiz as a full person, not just the only brown Muslim at the school that cooks. Where are his parents, do they support his activism, that he is going to prom? Truly, there is no Islam in practice it is just a label that gets dropped when it furthers the notion of raging against a bias system.  I'm not saying they need to be praying and reading Quran on every page, but I don't know that the story would be much different if the family was not Muslim Indian American, really the catalyst is that they are a new family, and a visible minority. 

FLAGS:

Straight and LGBTQ+ relationships, arson, threats, stereotypes, racism, bullying, cursing.

Samira Ahmed’s books are an auto-read for me! We’ve entered a scary time in history (again) where book banning has become a prominent tool for ensuring ignorance and engaging in suppression. Ahmed’s latest book addresses one girl’s response to book banning in the town she has recently moved too. ⁠

A Shattered Family
Noor is not in a good place when her mother moves what remains of her family to Bayberry, Illinois. Her father has unexpectedly abandoned them after years of them being a happy, loving family. Relocation from Chicago is Noor’s mother’s way of giving her and her sister Amal a fresh start. But the trauma of the loss of their Dad is a heavy cloud. It makes it hard to trust as Noor makes new friends.

⁠Small- Town Politics
The shift from a super liberal and diverse environment to a small-town currently being run by Liberty Moms and Dads is too much for Noor to keep her head low and to keep quiet like her mom advises her. She only has a few months until graduation, but banning books is not something she can just stand by and watch.

I always find it interesting how the “outsider” is always better able to shake things up. But I believe it comes down to perspective. Noor as “the outsider” (both as a desi teen and as the new kid in town) has different perspective and experience of the meaning and value of student choice with reading books. Noor could have easily of made the choice to keep her head down. She doesn’t have to have an investment in this town that she will literally be leaving in a few months to go to college. ⁠
There is a lot to dive into with This Book Won’t Burn. It’s about family relationships, mental health, student activism, student voice, risk-taking for your rights, the freedom read, the freedom to be seen in what you read, and much more. There is also some romance, which also serves as a vehicle to discuss allyship.

This is a poignant and timely exploration of book banning, activism, and the power of speaking out. When Noor's father leaves her family, her mother decides to move them from Chicago to a more rural Illinois town. Facing a new environment, Noor finds herself confronted with a disturbing reality: the censorship of books by queer and BIPOC authors in her school library.

Ahmed skillfully navigates the complexities of Noor's journey as she grapples with the injustice of the book bans and the importance of standing up for what she believes in. Not to mention her personal grief for her father, the conflict between she and her mother, her protective nature for her sister, and some hints of romance. Through Noor's eyes, readers are reminded of the power of anger and the significance of using one's voice to effect change, even in the face of adversity. One of the book's strengths lies in its portrayal of familial, platonic, and community bonds, all of which are given space to flourish amidst the turmoil.

This serves as a crucial reminder of the impact of book banning on marginalized communities, particularly in smaller towns where voices are often silenced. It confronts the casual aspects of racism and challenges readers to confront their complicity in perpetuating systemic injustices. This book discusses the more casual aspects of racism and holds those who think it's easier to look away or to not make waves accountable while also not demonizing those who are complicit in their silence. It IS easier to look away and to let the louder voices speak, but the point is that those communities who are the most affected are tired too, but they aren't given the same choice. It challenges those with privilege to stand up for what's right.

This is a compelling and deeply important read, especially for younger audiences grappling with issues of censorship and identity. Ahmed's powerful storytelling and thought-provoking narrative make this a standout addition to the conversation surrounding book banning and activism. Highly recommended for both those seeking to broaden their understanding of these vital issues and for younger readers.

This review is based on a complimentary copy and it is voluntary. Thank you to the author, TBR and Beyond Tours and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the physical copy. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review.

✨ Review ✨ This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed

Thanks to TBR and Beyond, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

Favorite Quotes:
💜 "You don't want to run yourself ragged. But for me, at least, hope keeps me going. Hope is an act, not just a feeling. Hope is a choice. So are hate and cynicism and silence. Every day I have to think about what I'm going to choose. And so do you."
❤️ "You know I bet there are more people that agree with us than you think. The other side has the loudest voices, and unfortunately, the system is built for them." - I love how both of these quotes by the librarian Ms. Clayton shared message of hope even when all seems lost.

Previously I read Internment, Ahmed's stellar 2019 release that felt just a little too real in that moment (and still, I'm sure feels prescient in this particular moment as well). I knew I had to read this book that speaks out against book banning in a rural Illinois setting.

Noor, her mom, and her sister all move from Chicago to a small town where suddenly they were surrounded by a much more conservative community. When Noor quickly discovers efforts by the school board to remove books from the shelves "for review," she begins to take increasing efforts to push back against this policy. While I'll leave the details of her struggle for you to find out, it was such a compelling story that really resonates in this moment, especially in states like my own where books are coming off shelves.

Noor and her friends in this book fight fiercely for what they believe, even when everything seems against them. I loved how she found support and love through a variety of teens and adults in the spaces around her. This has some strong found family threads as well throughout.

Parts of this book are sad as Ahmed lays bare the hypocrisies and hate that exist in the US, but beyond that, this book is filled with hope and celebrates the small victories and the fight people put forward each day to try to advance what is right.

Not least: this book has some incredible YA book recs nestled in its pages, highlighting work by authors of color and queer authors who are often the first to be pulled from the shelves.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: YA fiction
Setting: rural Illinois
Reminds me of: Ahmed's Internment
Pub Date: May 07 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ activism and fighting book bans
⭕️ teen friendships and fledgling love
⭕️ little free libraries
⭕️ books

Noor is the daughter of two activists, and when she joins a new school midway through her senior year, she isn’t able to just let things slide when she sees injustice happening. She quickly befriends others who feel the same way and together they try to stand up to the principal, school board, and a group of parents wanting to ban books. Things in this small, central Illinois town escalate and turn nasty with hate crimes, vandalism, and even a bombing, but the high school students stay strong for their cause.
Everything in this book is current, including the books that are “under review”, and while the ending is a little too quick and perfect, this is a very timely addition to any bookshelf.