I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful book. I really enjoyed reading it with my niece!

I’ve read a few middle-grade books about banned books before this one. I wasn’t really sure why I read this one since I didn’t enjoy the others. I’m generally fascinated (and infuriated) by censorship and book banning, but I haven’t read many books about it for this audience that do a great job (in my opinion) of exploring those concepts. I did consider this one of the good ones.

One of the things that would annoy me about other middle-grade books about banned books is that it was almost too focused on book banning or a particular book and not enough on the character’s journey. So often the books on censorship have so much rage or frustration that it overshadows good storytelling or character development. In this case, the story shows why book banning affected these characters so strongly. I think that is the value of a book on the topic. Moving from rage to movement is reflected in how this book is written and Molly’s journey.

In this book, it’s clear why the main character, Molly, cares so much (even when she doesn't always understand herself). She needs the support of the book club in a time in her life when her world is changing and scary for her. Books and the club where she read books and engaged in discussions about the sometimes difficult topics in the books were a lifeline when her world was hard.

Molly’s reason for being so upset makes sense for the character. It’s not too broad or too overwhelming. I liked that Molly, in many ways, is a pretty ordinary, unassuming person to take objection to book bans. We also, fortunately, get perspectives on the banning from kids of different minorities as they share their opinions as part of their book club and friendship group.

Molly is an intriguing character. At some points, she’s a little clueless. She’s focused on figuring out who did it and why rather than trying to figure out how to move forward. The efforts to handle the book banning mirrors her efforts to handle the other difficult things in her life, and she grows and changes with her discussions with other people. She learns to be more empathetic and tackle challenges even when encountering roadblocks.

Not Another Banned Book is about more than a banned book. It’s about grief and change, friendship and relationships, and about how important feelings and personal experiences are to have and be able to reflect. By going into more detail about how book banning affects the kids who need these books, it presents how censorship is so much more complicated than whether a book is allowed to be on shelves. It’s about not being alone or feeling like there’s something wrong with you because books about people like you are banned.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me an advanced copy to review in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I did not get to read this before it was archived but we are purchasing it for my library and I am so excited to read it when it arrives!

I'm not sure I would agree with all of the author's conclusions but I do love how this whole story was from the student's perspectives. It was excellently done, taking a heavy, hard issue and placing it in the hands of middle grade students who are probably experiencing this in their real life. I loved the characters and the grief that the main character is going through at the same time. These are not one-sided characters only made for the plot to move forward or for the author's views to be platformed. They are real and fun!

When I saw this book on NetGalley my immediate thought was "Not another book. about banned books!" It isn't that I don't have strong. feelings on the subject - I think it is unconscionable and reprehensible - but the number of books on the topic seems to be growing exponentially. See bandwagon, jump on bandwagon. I am not sure you can put a new spin on the topic, just change the characters, the setting and the list of books. And oh yes, the villain.

And so when I sat down to read this book I was already convinced that I knew how it would go. And to be fair, part of it was indeed another book about banned books. However, this book was about so much more. It was about the characters and their relationships to their now dissolved book club and also to each other, their families and to themselves. It used the banned books as a catalyst for the actual story about grief, about being different, and about how the kids saw themselves in the banned books. The main character, Molly, was buried in grief about her brother dying and about changes in her life that she felt were obliterating his memory. The book club was the only place she had to discuss her feelings and it got ripped out of her life. Suddenly the banned books became the reason she was so miserable. The rest of the group cared but they had other things in their lives to fall back on and so they didn't feel as committed as Molly; causing a rift to develop in the group and threatening their purpose.

I think it was a masterful use of the topic of book bans to tell a story of how kids need to see themselves in the books they read to know that they are not alone and how being told those books were wrong made them feel like they were somehow wrong too.

This was a cute story in terms of the friend group, but the book was FAR TOO LONG. It felt like the end of middle school was going on for months and months and months. I was thinking they were getting close to wrapping things up and saw I was only 60% through the book.

Banned books are a touchy subject and I fully agree is something we need to be talking about, even if I don't have kids. This author makes excellent points about contemporary fiction and the need for kids to see others like them grappling with the same situations and coming out ahead. I also thought the subject matter of the books the LBC was reading and sparking discussions was tremendous. Too bad someone had to ruin it for those kids.

I have to quibble a bit with some of the replacement books that show up when the banned ones are removed from Mrs. Lewiston's classroom. Two of them that stick out significantly to me were The Catcher in the Rye, which is a notoriously banned book and usually banned in high schools, so I thought it odd showing up in a middle school classroom, as an "approved" book no less. The other is the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, also another continuously banned book, especially given the repeated use of the "n" word?! That one is OK? Also, I read that one in high school too but... It just struck me as significantly odd choices for replacements.

I enjoyed the friendship aspect of this story but I could not get past that the book outstayed it's welcome and became monotonous after a while.

Thank you to Delacorte and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

Not Another Banned Book Review

Book Clubs are a safe space for readers to express their thoughts and feelings about a book, but what if your book club gets canceled in the future? Molly, in "Not Another Banne" Book" by Dana Alison Le'y, has to deal with just that, and to make matters worse, her favorite teacher is also forced to take a hiatus. 
Molly is your typical middle school girl trying to navigate life. The one thing she has is Ms. Lewiston's book. Lewiston's will change one day when the principal comes in and asks to talk to her. The club is worried but doesn't think much. Only on the test day do they learn that the book club has been canceled and Molly's world is down. Follow along as Molly navigates the school's policy on schoolbooks and friendship in the beautiful and powerful new book. 
Like Molly, reading has always been my escape; because of books, I have learned so many things. The best way to learn about the world is through literature, so I am against banning books. I hate that books are taken away from libraries for kids and teens. You never know when a book will help you better understand yourself or someone else's opinion. Do you know that the majority of books that are banned have LGBTQ+ themes in them? It's terrible that it is a thing. This book shows how a book can help someone. Molly is a great character because she asks all the hard questions and tries her hardest to fight for what she believes in. This world could be different if we all had a fraction of what Molly has. This book is excellent, and I love the issues it covers. While yes, it's a middle grade, we can get something from it even as adults.

This was a great read and an important one. Book bans are sadly all too common in today’s day and age so it was interesting to read about the fallout of one. What I liked most was how the students worked together to fight this ban and spread the important message that everyone deserves to see themselves in a book. This is a must read for everyone!

I think this is a beautiful book. Molly’s dealing with life seemingly falling apart all around her and still fighting to keep her teacher and their access to books safe is just a wonderful story. This book is a shout into the crazy that is currently happening with books. It is something that needs to be read and seen and for people to realize that it is through books and groups like the LBC that people can find ways to change the world. Books have power and limiting peoples access to them will not cause the situations discussed in them to disappear, they will still exist no matter how much people try to hide them. Everyone should have equal access to knowledge and books period. No matter who you are. Representation matters, as does equal and equitable access.
Thank you so much to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.

Fantastic read for our current state of book banning in the U.S. or anytime for lovers of books! A group of students are fighting book banning at their school. Their book club at school that means a lot to them is at stake and their teacher who leads it has been put on leave. Molly tries everything she can think of to help but it forces her to uncover some truths that are very hard to face.

Molly is still mourning the loss of her older brother, but knows she has a place to talk about things in Ms. Lewiston's book club. It is more than a book club; it is a safe place for her and her friends to not only broaden their horizons with books, but be able to have open discussion. When someone complains about the books being read in book club, Ms. Lewiston is suspended and Molly and her friends learn about the book banning movement. With everything else in her life falling apart around her, Molly is determined to bring back Ms. Lewiston and book club. Will Molly and her friends have what it takes to counter the people wanting books banned? Will Molly be able to find her safe place again? A great middle grades read that helps readers to look at the importance of books, activism, and learning for oneself. Highly recommend this book for class and home libraries.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Not Another Banned Book features a great group of diverse friends working together to handle a variety of challenges, including: grief, divorce, speaking up for yourself, and book-banning. Author Dana Alison Levy did a fantastic job crafting Molly's voice and shining a light on realistic steps kids can take to keep books in their schools and in their communities -- my kids are really going to enjoy this one!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Dana Alison Levy, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Molly has always loved to read. It's given her a place to escape while things are sad and in disarray at home with the passing of her brother. Things are getting better until her school book club is closed due to a title that a parent disagrees with. Molly and her friends are angry. They start to think of ways to get their club back. Will they be able to save it?

A great middle grade book about speaking up for what you believe in and for fighting for what really matters to you!

4.5 stars

A really important read about the impact of book banning, Not Another Banned Book explores the theme that everyone is fighting their own battles and the importance of empathy found in diverse books.

Eighth grade is almost over, and Molly and her friends are ready to move on to high school. But when their book club is canceled due to complaints about the books, the kids try to come up with a plan to fight back.

I loved the topic so much. I adored the friends and all their various situations they go through while working together to fight the banning. Molly was actually my least favorite character, especially (spoiler) after she threatened to out someone. It would have been 5 stars if not for that.

I definitely recommend for kids, parents, teachers, and librarians to read this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Actual rating - 4.5

I've read several middle-grade books about book banning, and I wasn't expecting anything from this one. But I was pleasantly surprised. I think what I appreciated was that the author added a layer of depth to the story. This could have just focused on the outrage over book banning, but she gave us characters who so clearly needed those books. They were all dealing with quite a lot in their personal lives, which showcased just why such books are necessary.

I also appreciated that the author gave kids constructive ways to deal with their outrage. This story is about activism and finding ways to channel one's rage into something positive.

Molly was a great protagonist, and I liked the friend group—they felt authentic. Overall, I thought this was great, and I hope the kids who need to read it can!

Dana Alison Levy's Not Another Banned Book is a timely and relevant exploration of censorship, grief, and the chaos of adolescence. Centered around a group of middle schoolers whose beloved book club is abruptly shut down, the novel delves into the power of literature to foster empathy, understanding, and social change.

The story’s protagonist, Molly, is a compelling character whose grief over her brother’s death provides a poignant counterpoint to the book club’s fight against censorship. Levy skillfully intertwines Molly’s personal journey with the larger issue of book banning, creating a narrative that is both emotionally resonant and thought-provoking.

While the novel effectively captures the ups and downs of adolescent friendship, and the challenges of navigating middle school, the pacing feels uneven. In the initial chapters we meet Mik, Kait, Alice, and Alex, a diverse cast of characters, but struggle to develop them beyond surface-level traits. However, the narrative gains momentum as the plot unfolds, and the characters begin to reveal their depth and complexities. Levy’s decision to focus primarily on Molly’s perspective limits the reader’s ability to fully connect with the other characters. While this gives readers an incredible view of Molly’s internal world, it also prevents the reader from experiencing the story from multiple viewpoints.

Despite its pacing issues, Not Another Banned Book is a valuable addition to the young adult canon. The novel’s exploration of censorship, grief, and the power of friendship is timely and relevant, and the characters are relatable and engaging. By highlighting the importance of diverse voices and perspectives, Levy encourages readers to question the status quo and to advocate for intellectual freedom.

Ultimately, Not Another Banned Book is a powerful story about the resilience of young people and the transformative potential of literature. While it may not be a perfect novel, it is undoubtedly a book that deserves a place on the shelves of middle school libraries and classrooms. A solid 3.75 stars.

I wanted to enjoy this book more than I ultimately did. Sure, as a Youth Services Librarian who lives in a state with major book banning attempts, I see myself in both the students wanting justice and in the librarian herself. It's ultimately a book that teaches kids what can happen when they take a stand. Sometimes the ultimate outcome doesn't occur but change still happens.

However, I found that there were two many characters in this book. Problem with having a bookclub that is vibrant and has many students. LOL As a result, I was getting some people mixed up. I cared about some and not others. And ultimately it wasn't too shocking who was the first complainer of the books. Because it is always someone who has a "reason" for hating the material (usually indicative of who they are and they are in denial

I know my library will purchase this book and it will be read. I hope educators use it in their libraries!

In her last year of middle school, Molly finds solace in LBC - her book club - where the students in the club read different books, discuss the hefty topics from gun violence, prejudice, and LGBTQIA+. Until someone reports the books as "offensive" and Mrs. Lewiston, the best treacher ever, is suspended and the books are removed from the classroom. Now, Molly and her group of friends go on the hunt on how to bring the book club back and find out the mystery of who reported the issue. They go to great antics - writing the author of one of their favorite books, sleuthing throug the school to see what information they can find, including breaking into the principal's office. They finally learn that book banning is a nation wide issue and they are set to find a way to stop it in their small, home town and bring the book club back for the next year even though most of them will be in high school. Molly is bright, determined, and riddled with the emotions of the death of her older brother and the pending move to a new home she feels is leaving him behind. She hides a lot of that information and emotions from her frineds, throwing herself into the book banning issue, and keeps everything hidden from her parents. Some of the plot threads, such as dealing with ex-friend, now mean girl Amelia, doesn't get wrapped up, but the look at book banning, why it's happening, and how kids can fight it with their parents help s well thought out and engaging.

Accurate and appropriate. A very important book for this time in society. This is a middle grade novel that brings forward marginalized voices and will open doors to important conversations.

This book has so much going on that at times it was hard to follow. There is the middle school drama, the banning of books, the favorite teacher being put on leave, the death of a sibling, the selling of the family home, and the LBGTQ+ issue - all in one book. I am sure it would be a good selection for a large public library with a large budget.