New coalition against book bans starts with support from Judy Blume and Julia Quinn

A nationwide coalition against book bans has over 1,500 members, including New York Times Bestselling authors Judy Blume and Julia Quinn.

The goal of the organization, called Authors Against Book Bans, is to “organize authors at the national and local levels to support grassroots groups already fighting book bans and challenges across the United States.”

The organization’s members include authors, illustrators and creators of all genres.

In addition to Blume and Quinn, who are each known for their books Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret and the hit Bridgerton Series cast members include VE Schwab, Elizabeth Acevedo, Alexander Chee, Dhonielle Clayton, Oghenechovwe Ekpeki, Lev Grossman, Daniel Handler, Maia Kobabe, Emily St. John Mandel, Kate Spencer, Emma Straub, and Raina Telgemeier.

AABB works with other organizations across the United States that work to combat book bans and related challenges.

Author and member of AABB’s national leadership team Maggie Tokuda-Hall said in the press release obtained by PEOPLE: “We know that the number of book bans is increasing exponentially across the country. From Idaho and Utah to California and New York City, the appeals are specifically targeting BIPOC and LGBTQ+ authors.”

Hall continued: “The censorship of these books sends a devastating and unacceptable message to members of these communities. Every reader has the right to see themselves and their families reflected in the books in schools and libraries.”

LGBTQ+ novelist David Levithan, also a member of the national leadership team, further emphasized the importance of the coalition. “Authors know the power of books,” he said. “We know that the freedom to read and choose books for ourselves and our families is critical to the thriving of our communities.”

The organization supports authors in participating in local projects, advocates against book bans at the legislative level, calls its members to action and supports educators, parents, students and authors who work against censorship.

The number of book bans has skyrocketed in recent years. On Tuesday, June 25, a new rule went into effect for South Carolina schools that prohibits materials containing “descriptions or visual depictions” of “sexual conduct” in public schools, reports CBS affiliate WLTX.

The rule has been criticized for its vagueness, which could potentially lead to the banning of many age-appropriate books. American Civil Liberties Union executive director Jace Woodrum said in a statement obtained by the newspaper: “By crafting and promoting a sweeping new book ban policy, Superintendent Ellen Weaver has given her ideological allies in the censorship lobby a blunt instrument. We still believe in academic freedom and will join teachers, librarians, students and parents in fighting tooth and nail against the ongoing campaign of harassment and intimidation in public schools and libraries.”

Earlier this month, The Guardian reported that a school district in Florida had banned a 2017 book that advocates against book bans.

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In September 2023, 175 Hollywood creatives – including Ariana Grande, Gabrielle Union and Guillermo del Toro – signed an open letter denouncing the recent rise in book bans in schools across the country.

The letter, endorsed by Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton and political action organization MoveOn, denounces the “restrictive behavior” and “chilling effect” that book bans have “on the broader creative field” and how they “run counter to free speech and expression,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

For more information about Authors Against Book Bans, visit AuthorsAgainstBookBans.com.