Banned Books, Crop Tops, and Other Bad Influences
by Brigit Young
Middle School    Roaring Brook    320 pp.
9/24    9781250901514    $17.99
e-book ed.  9781250901521    $9.99

There’s a new student in Rose’s eighth-grade class in small-town Michigan—and she’s from New York City. Rose can’t believe how mature Talia is, or how brazenly she disrupts the status quo, challenging teachers and wearing dress code–defying clothes. When Talia invites Rose to join a secret “Banned Books Brigade” to protest the recent removal of books from their school library, Rose is hesitant. She knows that neither her parents nor her best friend would approve, and she doesn’t want to get into trouble. But her desire to be included and her strong emotional response to one of the challenged books, about a Jewish refugee ship during WWII (Rose and Talia’s families are Jewish), convinces her to join the group. Reading the books, and befriending Talia and the other members, encourages Rose to question what her parents and teachers tell her and inspires her to develop her own perspective on what’s right—one that is tested when the club is found out. This nuanced story personalizes the issue of censorship (one of the would-be banners is Rose’s best friend’s mom, whom she adores) while also addressing antisemitism and racism (Brigade member Bree is Black). The middle-school friendship dynamics are relatable, as is Rose’s desire not to “rock the boat” with authority figures—making her ultimate decision to speak up feel especially meaningful.

From the March/April 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.