Same Page by Elly Swartz tells the story of Bess Stein who fights a book ban happening in her school. After being elected to class president, Bess decides to add a book vending machine to her school. She wants to make sure all students have a book that they see themselves in in the book vending machine her school has. She is doing this with her friend, June, by her side. Soon after the book vending machine debuts, certain books start being questioned. It seems like Bess and June might be on different sides of the issue. With the help of friends and the Book Warriors, she uses her voice to stand up for what she believes in. This is a wonderful story about advocacy and being true to yourself.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Same Page is a great book. The reflection of what's happening in the world right now makes for strong discussions with students. They need to read books like this to help them understand the world. I can't wait to share this one with students!

Same Page by Elly Swartz, set to release in January 2025, is a middle-grade novel that explores the timely topic of book bans through the eyes of sixth grader Bess Stein. Bess is an ambitious student running for class president, with exciting plans like a book vending machine to foster a love of reading among her peers. However, her friendship with her vice-president, June, is put to the test when some of the books Bess champions come under scrutiny. Complicating matters, June’s mother leads the opposition against those very books.

This story addresses relevant issues such as censorship, freedom of expression, and the complexities of friendship during challenging times. Bess finds herself at a crossroads—standing up for what she believes in or preserving her friendship with June. Readers will relate to Bess’s internal struggle, making this a thoughtful and engaging novel for ages 10 and up.

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

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Bess Stein is very excited to find out that she has been elected class president, and new student, June, is her vice president. In addition to a panini maker in the cafeteria, Bess is excited that Mr. Jasper has been able to work with the PTA and get a book vending machine in the library. Students will get a coin on their birthday for a book, and June's brother Knox is one of the first to pick a title. Bess' mother is an equine therapist, and her her father owns the Blackbird Cafe in their small town. Her younger brother, Avi, is in kindergarten and has an invisible friend named Penelope. When Bess notices that many of the titles that she and her friends helped pick out for the vending machine aren't being included, she finds that someone has challenged them. She goes to a Book Warriors meeting with librarians and others concerned about book bans, and decides to leave books around towns with sticky notes describing what the book is really about so that people can learn about them instead of just banning books. She is distraught to find that one shop owner she really likes won't have a book in her shop. When Bess finds out that June's mother is the one who got the books removed, she's angry, and doesn't understand when June won't stand up to her mother even though she doesn't believe in the book banning. The issue goes to the school board, and while the books are reinstated, Mr. Jasper is put on administrative leave and there is a substitute. He eventually leaves to take a job at a nonprofit promoting literacy. Eventually, June speaks her mind and stands up with her own opinions, and the Book Warriors seem to be successful.

This can be added to the list of recent books that address the current issue of book bannings, like Gratz' Ban This Book, Varnes' Property of the Rebel Librarian, Yang's Finally Seen, Levy's Not Another Banned Book, and King's Attack of the Black Rectangles. I do wish that Bess had been more understanding of June's situation; the mother could have been abusive, and June could have been in danger had she stood up to her. Also, not all librarians are in a position to get a new job, as Mr. Jasper was.

6th grader Bess, loves books and has a great idea to have a book vending machine in the school library. On their birthday, students get to pick a book to keep. The plan is to have books that reflect the lives of all the students in the school. That brings out the book-banning adults and many books disappear. Bess joins with other students and adults to take on the issue of book-banning. Along the way there are friend conflicts, a hint of romance, and lessons learned about how to navigate differences of opinion. Highly recommend.

A phenomenal book by a phenomenal author! Same Page is a book that ALL humans need to read. On the surface, it's a beautiful story about a young girl, Bess, navigating friendships in 6th grade. But really, it's so much more than that. Bess is a book lover. She believes that kids can handle more than they're given credit for and that families can decide what books are right for them, but families should not be making that decision for other families. Bess joins a local group of librarians called the Book Warriors and works to stop book banning in her school. She has to muster up the courage to speak out for what she believes in and learns so many important lessons along the way.

In addition to standing up for libraries, librarians, and books, Bess also helps her friend (and readers) learn how to center themselves with positive thoughts and mindful breathing and also how to speak up, even when staying silent is easier. Bess deals with bullying, antisemitism, and supporting a friend through tough times. This book is such an important one for the world. Thank you, Elly, for another powerful book that will support MG readers as they navigate the world around them.

Thank you to Netgalley for the free Arc!

I really enjoyed this book. The main character, Bess Stein, is very relatable as she goes through several transformative experiences including book bans, standing up for the rights of students to read the books they want to, and losing her dog. The author does a good job of portraying the different perspectives of the people at the school board meeting in regards to the book bans. The reason why I gave this book a 4 instead of a 5 is because it felt like everything got resolved very quickly within the last 5 pages of the book, tying everything up with a neat bow. It would be great if life really worked like that, but it. came across as a bit unrealistic.

I love the trend of exploring book bans. I think it is a great way for kids to learn their voice and see political action relevant to them in action. Cute story. Well written.