Banned Together Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Spotlight on a Banned Author: Maia Kobabe and our BookBrowse Review of Banned Together.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Maia Kobabe has met librarians who say they know exact patrons who would benefit from reading Gender Queer: A Memoir. How is matching the right book with the right patron the role of librarians? What has happened that causes some librarians to cease serving patrons in this way? Discuss the following quote from Robin Stevenson: "When authors and librarians are thinking about possible backlash rather than thinking about what books teens need, we are doing the work of book banners for them" (p. 26).
2. Define pornography. Many censors claim books that deal with LGBTQ+ issues are pornographic. How are they using the word loosely or subjectively? Craft a statement that explains why books that deal with these issues aren't pornographic.
3. In some cities and towns, politicians have threatened to defund libraries that purchase diverse books. What do these politicians fear? Public schools and libraries exist to serve everyone. How are segments of populations being left out when libraries don't purchase diverse books? Why is it important for all patrons to have access to books by and about people that don't look or live like them? Debate the issues related to funding and defunding libraries from the perspective of all tax-paying citizens.

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Holiday House. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.