Ban This Book By: Alan Gratz

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Recommendation: Grade 5+

Amy Anne is a quiet fourth grader who lives in a busy home with her two younger sisters and her parents.  Amy Anne doesn't often speak her thoughts, but when a parent gets Amy Anne's favourite book taken off the library shelves, Amy Anne must find a way to fight back.  With the help of a couple of friends, Amy Anne begins the "Banned Books Locker Library" where she circulates the books that have been removed from the library shelves to eager readers.  Things are going well until Amy Anne is inevitably caught.  Will Amy Anne find the courage to finally speak up about the banning of books?  Read this interesting story of friendship, standing up for what's right, and finding your voice to find out.  I enjoyed this book a lot and it's very eye-opening to learn that every one of the banned books in the novel have actually been removed from the shelves of American libraries at some point.  One criticism of the book is that Amy Anne is meant to be in the fourth grade.  I do not find it believable that students in grade four would be doing the things Amy Anne does.