The universe works in mysterious ways, and on a chilly day in November, our little anarchist bookshop found itself in possession of 22,500 children's books pulled from schools in Duval County, Florida, by small-minded book banners. With heavy hearts for the kids who might never get to read these stories, we committed ourselves to getting them into the hands of young folks. In early 2024, we're sending Banned Books Back!
There is a direct connection between the books that are being banned and the escalation of violent or even deadly assaults on the people whose lives are reflected on their pages. Finding good homes for these books, some 45 different titles exploring topics ranging from racism, and colonialism to radical history and visionary organizing, is one of many ways to defend kids and fight for a far better world.
Our Goals
Alongside volunteers, we'll ship free banned books directly to 2,000 kids living in US states where their freedom-to-read is under attack. We'll also be seeking partnerships with organizers, educators, and librarians to deliver larger donations for community-wide impact.
Our Plan
We're asking kids and their supporters to submit book requests through the link on the left. Members of our community will then package and ship 5 to 6 books per request—either picture books for ages 4–8 or chapter books for ages 8–12—along with other goodies, like stickers and zines. In the first phase of the campaign, we will only be taking requests from Florida, but plan to open it up to additional states quickly.
Shipping free books gets expensive! Help us cover costs with a donation to our crowdfunding campaign. 90% of your donation will be used for printing, packaging, and postage.
