Uncensored: Summer (Banned) Reading List

School is out so before the party can begin we have to talk about censorship and the harm it's doing to authors.

Returning to school come September 2024 may start to look different as book bans continue to be on the rise. Authors who have worked hard to tell their stories and the stories of others are being removed from the shelves of libraries, and taken out of classrooms because they violate new state laws that ban them from being accessed.

That’s why here at DoSomething, young readers are taking the time to push back on censorship by joining Uncensored. Reading a banned book and then reflecting on how the story has shifted your perspective and the new characters you meet along the way. Members like Erica, 17, who said:

This Summer, we are asking you to add a banned book to your reading list. We’ve curated a list, pulled from Penguin Random House’s Banned Book database to show you all the stories young people across the U.S. will miss out on due to these state measures.

Whether you are enjoying the summer sun, jamming to Sabrina Carpenter's “Espresso” or Kendrick Lamar’s major diss track “Not Like Us” or avoiding the heat in a cool air-conditioned room, take some time during July and August to sit down and read a banned book and join Uncensored like Erica to share how you’d advocate against censorship. Plus, when you join you’ll be eligible to receive a $500 scholarship!!