LUCY BURDETTE: I wanted to do something to mark banned books week, but I was on the road and hard put to come up with something meaningful. Fortunately, our friend Emily Berg, who is the manager of the fabulous Books and Books in Key West, has just the right words. Welcome Emily!
EMILY BERG: One of the great joys of working in an indie bookstore is the freedom to select which books we showcase. Being an independent store means we, the staff, get to decide which books go on the tables.
Most booksellers will agree putting up a new display is one of the most fun parts of working in a bookshop. Curating a themed table of books is a creative endeavor, drawing attention to favorite authors and titles that may otherwise go overlooked. Our Beach Reads table, for example, is an annual favorite with each staff member picking their favorite summer reads. It’s currently Hispanic Heritage month which means we have a table showcasing Hispanic authors.
There is one display in the store in which we don’t choose the books, and unfortunately, it’s growing: our banned books display. The books on this table end up there largely due to the efforts of pressure groups and in some case government entities. We decided to focus in specifically to books banned or challenged in Florida but that doesn’t really narrow it down. Florida has the most instances of banned books with 2,304 titles in 2024-2025 according to PEN America.
The number alone is concerning but what does it really mean? The display sparks questions from visitors. Here are the most common.
Q: “They made me read this in school when I was a kid. How can it be banned?”
A: More titles are banned each year. A book can be banned in one place and required in another. The list is growing exponentially. This means some of the classics that Americans read in school in previous years are no longer available to students.
Q: “Why is this banned?”
A: Whatever the book the answer is nearly always the same: “for no good reason”. It doesn’t take much for a book to be challenged and ultimately banned. Overwhelmingly books with LGBTQ+ characters, themes of race, and sexual content are the ones targeted for bans.
Q: “If it’s banned how can you sell it?”
A: Government entities and private organizations don’t have the power to control what a business sells… for now. We’re part of a free market economy which means we get to make decisions on what we buy and sell. Book banning in America mostly effects schools and public libraries.
Q: “As long as it’s available for purchase is it really a problem? Can’t the student just come buy the book from you if it’s not in their library?”
A: Perhaps some students have the resources to come to a bookstore and pick out whatever they like, but what about those who can’t? School libraries are available to those students who might not have an adult to take them to a bookstore and purchase their books.
Overhearing that last question is most likely to see me stop what I’m doing and come speak with the asker. I was extremely fortunate as a child to have parents that encouraged reading but the majority of my books came from the school library. Both of my parents worked long hours so a trip to the bookstore was rare. A trip to the school’s media center was not.
The display of banned books is one of the few that stays up year round in this bookstore. While other tables rotate and change this display never goes out of season. Hopefully, someday, it will.
Reds, let us know about your experience with banned books, or any questions you have for Emily!
Bio: Emily Berg is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound where she studied art with an emphasis on steel sculpture. After graduating in 2007 she moved to Juneau, AK where she worked in the non-profit world for several years before returning to the lower-48 to be closer to family. Originally from Minneapolis she moved to Key West in 2013 from Chicago. She has been the manager of Books & Books at the Studios since 2018. She serves on the board of Directors of the Friends of the Key West Library and Key West Literary Seminar.
This is all so interesting, Emily . . . thank you for taking the time to share this with us.
ReplyDeleteI am not at all in favor of banning books [one of my all-time favorites, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" spends far too much time being banned by one school district or another . . . makes you wonder if anyone actually read the book before deciding to ban it] . . . .
very good point Joan...
DeleteJoan, what is so often the case, particularly in stuff I've read about Florida book bannings is that the people demanding certain books be banned haven't read said book. And in many cases, that's not even a requirement to challenge the book in the first place.
DeleteOf course they haven't read them! I have a still irritating memory of barely avoiding losing my cool with another mother at my son's baseball game when he was in early elementary school. I mentioned we had been out late the night before attending a release party for one of the Harry Potter books, and she told me they were evil. I tried to engage her in conversation about why I disagreed, but it ended pretty quickly when she told me she had never and would never read any of them, she just accepted what her pastor told her. Sigh.
DeleteWow to your reply. I've found that when dealing with that level of fanatic, it is best to just get as far away from them as possible. I was once at a high school basketball game watching a former player play. While her parents were on one side of me, on the other side was a woman who thought it a good idea to try to get me to become both born again and a vegan. I looked at her in awe at how badly she targeted her efforts. When I told the parents of the player I'd gone to watch what had happened, the wife said, "She tried to convince Jay? Boy, talk about barking up the WRONG tree."
DeleteOOPS, the above reply was mine, I accidentally typed in the "Susan" in the name part because I'm a dumbass and wasn't paying attention. Anyway, here's the reply under my actual name.
DeleteWow to your reply. I've found that when dealing with that level of fanatic, it is best to just get as far away from them as possible. I was once at a high school basketball game watching a former player play. While her parents were on one side of me, on the other side was a woman who thought it a good idea to try to get me to become both born again and a vegan. I looked at her in awe at how badly she targeted her efforts. When I told the parents of the player I'd gone to watch what had happened, the wife said, "She tried to convince Jay? Boy, talk about barking up the WRONG tree."
Loved your explanation of why the comment showed up as Susan, Jay. I look at it this way: we all mostly comment in the morning, and some mornings, no screwup is beyond the realm of possibility. Thanks for a good laugh!
DeleteSusan & Jay, I've often wondered how some of these folks demanding books be banned would feel if I requested that the Bible be banned? It seems they tend to be rather narrow-minded, frightened folks who lash out at anything or anyone that is "other." Of course, they wouldn't read the book in question. Heaven forbid! Someone told someone who told someone who told them it was a terrible book. No, they don't know why, but it should definitely be banned. I fear these folks will always be with us. -- Victoria
DeleteIt's sad bordering on criminal that there are so many banned books. I love your table and that you take time to answer those important questions.
ReplyDeleteI'm also someone who grew up in both the school and the town library and in a home full of books and readers. No book on my parents' shelves was off limits (which is why I gave myself nightmares reading Poe and Sherlock Holmes at a very tender age...). May the need for your banned books table go away and soon!
And thanks to Lucy for highlighting this important topic.
DeleteLOL on the nightmares, Edith. You're very welcome, but I doubt this will go away soon!
DeleteOMG, Edith, I couldn't put down the anthology of Poe stories. The nightmares were inevitable. I didn't discover Holmes until I was a teen, so much less disruption of sleep.
DeleteI didn't give myself nightmares reading Sherlock Holmes as a kid. Heck, it is one of the primary reasons I am a mystery fan.
DeleteKeep up the good work, Emily.
ReplyDeleteI also grew up depending upon my public library for books. There was no library in my school. There wasn't a bookstore in my little town. I knew that my mother bought some books that were controversial for their explicit sexual content and she told us we shouldn't read them because we weren't ready for them. My brother would sneak them and peruse them for "the good parts." Oh, my.
A couple days ago I asked my favorite librarian if we had any trouble with someone wanting to ban books in our library. She said that our library had not been targeted but the libraries in nearby towns had a problem with on particular woman. We both shook our heads. I wonder if the complainant even reads the books first. I am sorry that Florida has so very many issues over banning books.
Judy, your post highlights the issue of people trying to ban books. While a parent certainly has the right to tell their own kids what they can read (until the age of 18 when hopefully the kids tell their parents to go take a flying leap when it comes to what they read), those same parents have ABSOLUTELY no right or business telling others what they can let their own kids read. It's when they cross that line that they do indeed become the enemy they are looking for.
DeleteJay, couldn't agree more. I'd add that parents telling their kids they can't ready something usually just means they'll read it in secret and then not come to them when they have questions. They're missing a great opportunity to open the door to the important conversations.
DeleteBless you, Emily Berg, you are my hero!
ReplyDeleteWhen I read that your display on banned books on view year-round, I began humming a line from "Casey Would Waltz with the Strawberry Blonde" -- "and the banned played on..."
Thank you for all you're doing, Emily. The book banning trend is so troubling! And Florida is trying to rush ahead with it. My parents were both librarians-- for many years our Saturday mornings included swimming lessons at the YWCA and then a visit to the library. More recently my sister got us all shirts that read "FREADOM" with the letters READ in a different color and an image of a shelf of books. I wear it proudly.
ReplyDeleteI would love that shirt!
DeleteDebRo
My favorite meme at the moment is one where a woman stops by a table to pick up a copy of a banned books list; in the next frame she's standing in front of her class saying, "here's your reading list." Part-time library clerk here in a small town--so far so good on the banned book issue. In 6 years I can only remember one complaint about a book display; the woman who made it to the clerks did not repeat it to the director.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Emily. I've found that a lot of books that end up getting banned for reasons passing actual understanding are ones that I don't generally have an interest in reading. However, I would never presume to tell others that they can't read them.
ReplyDeleteAnd I usually loathe the idea of taking part in any kind of organized movement against one thing or another. But I am planning to pick up one of the banned books this month and read it. I am quite in love with the idea of thumbing my nose at those who incorrectly presume they have the right to tell me or anyone else what is okay to read. From ignoramus parents to false prophet religious groups and clearly evil government bodies, to hell with them all.
I will say it over and over til the day I die. If you are in favor of banning books, you are the enemy you are looking for.
I agree with everyone else commenting here. Book banning is deeply troubling, and disproportionately harms kids of limited financial means. And it is just another drop in the bucket of building a divided, ill-informed society. I also think it is generally counterproductive, or at least I hope so. It is human nature to be drawn most strongly to forbidden fruit. That's where displays like Emily's can be so effective.
ReplyDeleteOn the rare occasion that I get to engage on the topic, I always advocate for allowing children to read anything they want to, just making sure the parent also reads it so they can discuss with their child any themes or topics where they disagree with the author's view or presentation. But that requires a lot more ongoing work on the parent's part than just throwing hissy fits. (But it also offers a lot more opportunity for interacting with your own child.)
Such a good point Susan, that parents should be prepared to discuss anything their child reads or wants to read...
DeleteWhat a great display, Emily. I don't remember a lot of banned books growing up - but then I was in Western New York. My parents certainly never prevented me from reading anything and while I knew about banned books, I don't remember encountering them in school or the public library (except displays that said they were banned elsewhere, like yours).
ReplyDeleteNo, people calling for banning rarely read the books - whatever they are. All they have to do is hear the books contain themes or language "they" find unacceptable. Classics, modern works - doesn't matter. I remember someone being horrified I'd read Harry Potter: "You're Catholic - doesn't the Church have a stance about magic?" Well, the books aren't really about magic and if you read them, you'd know that.
That's interesting Liz. I read that the Chronicles of Narnia is an approved Christian read. And it is "set in the fictional realm of Narnia, a fantasy world of magic, mythical beasts, and talking animals."
DeleteThis is from me above ^
DeleteI was just reading in the newspaper a very interesting article. Maybe Harry Potter isn't so magical after all.
"Heiner Linke, chairperson of the committee that made the Noble prize award in Chemistry, compared the structures called meal-organic frameworks to the seemingly bottomless magical handbag carried by Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series."
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DeleteAnon, that is fascinating!
DeleteAnonymous, C.S. Lewis is known as a Christian apologist and although Narnia is often called allegory, he referred to it as "what if." And yes, lots of his writings deal with Christianity.
DeleteA Catholic bishop was asked about Harry Potter and his response was basically, "What's more Christian than a book about loyalty, friendship, love, and good triumphing over evil?"
It's not that the Catholic church doesn't believe in magic or the arcane - but that such things are not toys for party entertainment. You shouldn't play at calling spirits or demons. You just might get one - and he might not be friendly.
I now remember one instance of a book caution, but only in my own family. My brilliant eighth-grader was totally bored with books for his age group and started inhaling Tom Clancy novels. I tried to read them just before he did, and there was one where the bad guy was slicing off women's breasts. I said, "Allan, this book is very disturbing and I would prefer you not read it until you're eighteen." We had a good relationship and thankfully he didn't pick it up to defy me.
ReplyDeleteSmart of you to read the books first and you explained to your eighth grader WHY.
DeleteGreat work Emily! It's interesting to me that the co-owner of Books and Books is none other than the great children's author Judy Blume who wrote one of the greatest children's book, Are you There God, It's Me Margaret which is a banned book in many places.
ReplyDeleteYes! We are proud to have Judy as our co-founder because we are a non-profit!
DeleteA relative, who was not a reader, loved Are You There God? It's Me Margaret and The Outsiders. I finally read The Outsiders just before she died of cancer so I had a chance to tell her that I read the book. I have not started reading the Margaret book, though I plan to read the book.
DeleteI worked in my local library after school and on the weekend. This was in the sixties and there were books kept behind the desk and not out on the shelves but you could ask the librarian for them and check them out. Lady Chatterly's Lover was one of them and of course as soon as I graduated to working behind the desk, checking out books for people, I checked it out and read it. But otherwise I read anything I wanted and like many others immersed myself in Poe and Conan Doyle.
ReplyDeleteBefore my freshman year at university, we had been sent a list of books to read for Freshman English which we all took. The first one was Rabbit Run. The mother of one of my high school classmates who was going to the same university was horrified. I don't know if she, the mother, even read the book but she was not going to let her daughter read it. So the mother burned the book and sent the ashes to the school. I have no idea what the girl did in her Freshman English class. I know that in my section I realized the as the naive 18 year old that I then was, I hadn't understood all of it. The girl lasted one year only at the school and transferred to a small much less liberal college. She married and had seven children and never stretched herself intellectually. Sad because she was smart.
Atlanta
As a public librarian for 22 years, I got to deal with book banning all the time. Mostly, it was one patron taking issue with a book they didn’t like (because of their own religious bias, racism, homophobia, or misogyny). We had forms to fill out so the library could consider the issue. As far as I know, we never removed a book from the shelves. The Mapplethorpe book in the 90’s was held behind the desk and we took ID (over 18) for it, but that was it. I have no tolerance for book banners.
ReplyDeleteWhen I took a children's literature class at Uni, our professor told us about how some books like Show Me, which taught children where babies came from, often were stolen from the libraries.
DeleteDid your library have to deal with book thefts ?
One of my sisters is a middle school teacher at a small private school. More than one parent has complained to her over the years that her classroom library contained “evil” books. The books are fairytales. They said they did not want their children to be exposed to stories about witches or fairies because witches are evil and fairies are not real. The books are still in her classroom library.
ReplyDeleteDebRo
Deb, do you remember the big fuss about the Harry Potter books because they had witches in the stories? One of our local booksellers had a very creative response to the protestors outside the bookstore. The protestors objected to "witches". The bookseller dressed up as a witch and quietly walked into the bookstore. She was Not going to let the protestors dictate what the bookshop could and could not sell.
DeleteI don’t remember hearing about that particular incident. How creative!
DeleteDebRo
I’ve been making a special effort to read banned books, especially contemporary ones, during this week. Last year it was ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE by George M. Johnson. This year I’ve downloaded several, including GENDER QUEER by Maia Kobabe and OUT OF DARKNESS by Ashley Hope Pérez.
ReplyDeleteThese days it looks like any of the books could be banned if someone did not like a book? That is my takeaway from this kerfuffle about books. My question is WHY would a book be banned?
ReplyDeleteThere is a story, which I wanted to share. This happened Before I was born. My Mom taught English literature to high school students. She assigned her students to read the Canterbury Tales by Chaucer. The principal decided to ban these books because of the Wife of Bath chapter in the book. To my mom's surprise, this very conservative English teacher supported my Mom and other English teachers in assigning books like the Canterbury Tales. What happened after the Principal removed copies of the Canterbury Tales was that my Mom bought copies out of her own pocket. That was in the 1960s. That was the first and the last time the Principal did that because the entire English department supported my Mom.
the county I live in that has an approximate population of 155,000 people. there's a small number of residents who try to ban certain books like those for LGTB+, considered racist, etc., even going as far as getting the county library to not renew the Bookpage magazine because the books it highlights are too liberal or LGBT or whatever reason. The same library system that got scrutinized for having a pride month display, heaven forbid they should put up a banned book display. I get I moved into a conservative county, but banning books just because you don't like a part of that book is just plain dumb.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first started working at a public elementary school library, there was a challenge to a book. The process was to pull all copies of the book throughout the School District while the challenge was reviewed by a committee at the District Office. All I knew was that the principal came in, got the book, and about a month later returned the book because the challenge was denied. The book in question was “Let’s Get a Pup!” Said Kate by Bob Graham. Were the people protesting because of the book’s theme (a little girl wants a dog and, when presented with the choice between a cute, little puppy and an older dog, must make a decision)? No. Were there overtly religious or anti-religious sentiments being espoused? No. The reason the parent(s) protested this particular book was its artwork. Kate has two parents, a mother and a father. The mother is drawn having short hair and a tattoo on her upper arm and the father has an earring. The protesting parents decided that the short-haired person was a man and thus, Kate had two fathers. That book would have been banned if the protesting parents had had their way. Luckily my District had a plan in place for evaluating book challenges. Unfortunately not all school districts do.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Emily, for all of the good work you and others are doing to fight the good fight. — Pat S
Thanks Pat!
DeleteAt my library, would-be banners are politely asked to fill out a form that asks for the "offensive" pages and whether the banner has read the book. It is amazing (and of course, sad) how few have read what they want to ban!
ReplyDeleteEmily, I think it's wonderful that you and the bookstore are highlighting these books. Didn't I read somewhere that A WRINKLE IN TIME is on some "banned" list? I guess because "witches?" So silly, so small-minded, and so damaging.
ReplyDeleteYes, a Wrinkle in Time has made it on many banned lists. As mentioned they often don't need to give a reason but anything with a magical element is often challenged. It's on our table!
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ReplyDeleteThis is reminding me of my *English* teacher in 8th grade confiscated my copy of GONE WITH THE WIND. She had no idea that, with my parents' blessings, I was also reading PEYTON PLACE.
ReplyDeleteIf a teacher tried to confiscate a book from me, I'd have raised holy hell and refused to give it up.
DeleteWhen I got my Masters in Library Science a little over twenty years ago, two of my top interests were banned books and young adult lit, which so often go together. What was most disturbing was stealth censorship practiced by of all people, school librarians. I saw Perks of Being a Wallflower disappear from the shelf in a high school library. I'm assuming the librarians hadn't read it until it was brought to their attention, and they thought it easier to just disappear it than have controversy over it. I feel guilty about that one because a student had asked me about the book, saying it was always checked out. Well, with some investigation, it was found a student had it in her locker and was returned to the library. That's when it was apparently read by one of the librarians and pulled from further damaging young minds (this last bit is sarcastic, just in case you think I agreed with them). I had to tell the student that it was no longer available in our library, but the public library had it, as well as the bookstore. What I ended up doing was giving my copy to the student whom I swore to secrecy, and it was given back in that meeting place where all covert operations take place, the hallway between classes. The other school library instance was a mother of a middle school student complained to the librarian about one of the Babysitters books, and since this was an influential, outspoken mother, the librarian just took it off the shelf. What that mother didn't realize is that particular little girl probably knew more about sex than her mother. But, book challenge procedure was not followed, and I wasn't in a position to enforce it.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Emily, I'm sure you're aware of just how much Key West's own Judy Blume's books have been challenged and banned. I was wondering if you had her first book, or at least one of her first books, that addressed book censorship, Places I Never Meant to Be: Original Stories by Censored Writers (2001). Eleven young adult authors give their thoughts and experiences with censorship, along with a story. Judy writes about her experiences in the beginning of the book. I think the book is timeless, and I hope you have a copy on your Banned Books table. And, let me thank you for having the Banned Books table in the bookstore. Such important work.
Oh, one more experience during those years I was working on my Masters was going to my public library during Banned Books week and seeing nothing, no displays or signs, about it. I asked at the desk about what they were going to put up about Banned Books week and got a blank stare. She directed me to one of the library techs floating around, and when I asked her, she said they hadn't made any plans to put anything out about it. I will say that the next year the library did recognize it. Given today's atmosphere of censorship, I think I need to pay a trip to our public library and see if they are giving any recognition to the Banned Books week this year. I'd also like to do some research on whether the library is putting out the LGBTQ+ books being battered and banned so much. Unfortunately, I do not live in a town with progressive thoughts on offering banned material, and we no longer have a bookstore.
My local library, the Wareham Free Library, has a display up of banned books. I believe it is up for the whole month of October.
DeleteApparently, my granddaughter's school district has a new rule that teacher's cannot have personal libraries in their classrooms! Just in case they might have something someone might find offensive! My daughter and some other parents have formed a committee to try to come up with some alternatives, but I think that so far that's a non-starter.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear.
Delete"might have something someone finds offensive" is code for offending morons, idiots and the patently absurd. Your granddaughter's school district needs to grow a set.
DeleteOh that’s awful, Debs! I admit that I had a teacher who didn’t think it was so bad when our principal moved the already-too-small library into a classroom by saying, “Well, all teachers have a classroom library so do we really need a school library?” (My response was that maybe she had a good classroom library, but what about the kids in some other teacher’s class who was just starting out and didn’t have a very big selection in his/her room?) And I just sent a fun kids’ book in Spanish to my daughter-in-law for her classroom library! (It’s a dual language school.)
ReplyDeleteOops, that was me, Pat S
ReplyDeleteI was at two public libraries the other day, and neither of them had a Banned Books display!!
ReplyDelete