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(Spoiler: A lot of good, actually.)
Recently, I saw a post about the White House hosting a summer reading challenge. I’m all for that—libraries across the country are running their own reading programs, so the more the merrier! But what really caught my attention was the person who shared the post. They said they planned to read banned books with their children this summer—and proudly list those titles as part of their summer reading challenge log.
And honestly? I think that’s awesome.
Because while The Mummy’s Evelyn once famously declared, “What harm ever came from reading a book?”, real life is showing us that some people still believe books are dangerous.
They’re not.
Books don’t bring doom—they bring light. They build brains. They broaden horizons. And right now, as the country faces a growing literacy crisis and an alarming rise in book bans, we need stories more than ever.
The Literacy Crisis No One’s Talking About Enough
Let’s start with something we can’t afford to ignore:
Reading scores in the U.S. are slipping. Badly.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, reading proficiency among 13-year-olds has hit its lowest level in decades. Fewer kids are reading for fun. Fewer adults are picking up books. And it’s not just about school performance—this has long-term, life-wide consequences. Literacy impacts everything from health outcomes to financial stability, from civic participation to emotional resilience.
So at a time when we should be doubling down on getting books into hands… why are so many people trying to take them away?
Yes, Book Banning Is Really Happening
This isn’t fake news or some fringe panic. It’s very real—and very now.
According to PEN America, more than 3,000 instances of book bans were documented in the 2022–2023 school year alone. That number increased to over 10,000 in the 2023-2024 school year.
Books are being pulled from school shelves, classroom collections, and even public libraries. The trend is accelerating, not fading.
So What Is a Book Ban, Really?
A book ban happens when a title is removed from access—usually in schools or libraries—because someone objects to its content. That could be a parent, a politician, or a community group. The reason is often vague: it’s “inappropriate,” “too political,” or “controversial.”
But let’s be honest—book bans usually target stories that:
- Center LGBTQ+ characters or themes
- Explore race, racism, or U.S. history
- Discuss mental health, trauma, or abuse
- Reflect the voices of people who’ve been historically marginalized
It’s not about keeping kids safe. It’s about keeping them silent.
Banning ≠ Parental Choice
There’s a big difference between choosing what’s right for your own child and deciding what no one should be allowed to read. Parents do have rights—but so do readers. Book bans take away that freedom from everyone.
It’s not about protecting kids from harm. It’s about denying them the chance to grow.
Books Teach Us How to Think—Not What to Think
Books don’t tell us what to believe. They invite us to explore.
They let us try on different ideas, walk in someone else’s shoes, and wrestle with big questions. They encourage critical thinking—a skill we desperately need more of, not less.
And yes, sometimes books make us uncomfortable. That’s not a flaw. That’s part of their power. Growth doesn’t come from comfort zones.
Reading Builds Empathy, Imagination, and Possibility
Reading fiction—especially literary fiction—has been shown to improve empathy. Nonfiction helps us understand the world more deeply. Memoirs open windows into lives we might never experience ourselves. Picture books can teach emotional intelligence to kids who haven’t even learned to read yet.
Books build bridges. They expand minds. They spark joy.
They don’t need to be “safe.” They need to be available.
What We Should Be Doing Instead
If we’re serious about improving literacy and giving young people the tools they need to thrive, here’s what we should be focused on:
✅ Making books more accessible, not less
✅ Supporting librarians and teachers, not targeting them
✅ Encouraging pleasure reading—not just performance-based reading
✅ Giving kids choices and trusting their curiosity
✅ Valuing diverse stories and voices in every format
In short: we need to make reading irresistible. Not forbidden.
No, Evelyn. No Harm Ever Came from Reading a Book
Books don’t destroy people.
But banning them can.
When we pull books off shelves, we send a message that certain stories—and by extension, certain lives—don’t belong. That’s not education. That’s erasure.
We should be fighting to expand access to books, not restrict it.
We should be giving every reader the chance to find their book—the one that lights them up, shows them they’re not alone, or gives them the courage to speak.
Because the only real danger a book poses…
is being unread.
Want to protect the freedom to read?
📚 Support your local library
📖 Read a banned book this summer—maybe as part of your own reading challenge
🗣 Speak up at school board meetings or community events
📬 Share this article and start a conversation
Books matter. Stories matter. And so do the people who read them.
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