77. Picture Books "Ogilvy" and "Worm Loves Worm": Why They're Banned and Close Readings

When you’re fighting censorship, the goal isn’t just to say “this is bad.” It’s to make sure kids can still find the books, the stories, and themselves. In our conversation with authors Ashley Hope Pérez and Elana K. Arnold, we talk about how the anthology Banned Together helps librarians, teachers, readers, and writers stand up for the freedom to read—and build community along the way. What are you protecting right now: a book, a voice, or a space? The following things came up during our discussion. Rogue Librarians Episode 10. Out of Darkness: Interview with Ashley Hope Pérez

Week, schmeek, we’re celebrating Banned Books Month and our freedom to read throughout October. This week we talk with author and poet Amber McBride about her novel in verse, The Leaving Room, which turns big questions about death, story, and spirit into something tender and human. Our conversation ranges from books and storytelling to censorship and the comfort literature can offer young readers. Amber reminds us that reading can be joy, resistance, and freedom all at once. And yes — the freedom to choose what we read matters more than ever. We are not saying read everything. We are saying people should have access, choice, and context. That distinction changes everything. You can find Amber McBride at amber-mcbride.com and on Instagram, Tiktok, and Threads @ambsmcbride Books and media we discussed during our conversation include: Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold

Join us as we kick off our celebration of banned books week and our freedom to read. We welcomed back our friend Sam Helmick, the immediate past president of the American Library Association, to discuss Susan Orlean’s marvelous book, The Library Book. During our discussion, we brought up a few prior episodes of Rogue Librarians, including: Episode 17. The Librarian of Basra (Part 1: Why It's Banned) Episode 18. The Librarian of Basra (Part 2: Close Reading) Episode 54. Fahrenheit 451 (Part 1: Why It’s Banned Episode 53. Fahrenheit 451 (Part 2 : Close Reading)

In this episode we welcome back our friend, Rogue name Undine, for a close reading of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. We decided to give this book the Sacred Reading treatment introduced to us by the incredible podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. We used the practice of Lectio Divinia and modeled our discussion after the “sacred reading” format used by Casper ter Kuile, Vanessa Zoltan and Matthew Potts in their podcast. Here is the link to their webpage, which explains the process in more detail. Harry Potter and the Sacred Text

Welcome to season 5 of The Rogue Librarians! We are opening with a discussion of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Published in 1986, this dystopian tale of a religious revolution in the U.S. only seems to get more relevant with time. In Part 1 we learn a little about the history of the book and of course, why it’s been banned. We are joined by a special guest, Rogue name Undine, who brings insight and art history to the conversation. Materials discussed during the podcast include: In Banned Bits: Article Why This School District Used A.I. to Help Determine Which Books to Ban, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Aug 2023.