Photo credit (above): Penguin Random House. Bestselling, award winning, and frequently banned author Jason Reynolds kicks off PRH’s Save Our Stories Supper, October 6, 2025. Speaking on a lesser-discussed impact of reading banned books, Reynolds spoke from an author’s perspective, stating, “One book begets another book. …If it wasn’t for Judy Blume’s Forever, I wouldn’t have written Twenty-Four Seconds From Now.”
This blog post is by Lisa Varga, Associate Executive Director, Public Policy & Advocacy Office at the American Library Association
On Monday, October 6, I attended the Save Our Stories Supper, hosted by Penguin Random House (PRH) at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C.
The gathering marked a powerful kickoff to Banned Books Week 2025, the American Library Association’s nationwide campaign that unites the book community around the freedom to read. It also launched PRH’s third‑annual Banned Wagon Tour and its Save Our Stories donation initiative, both designed to bring banned titles to readers across the country.
The Save Our Stories Supper drew authors, journalists, policymakers, creators, and institutional leaders together and renewed our collective resolve in the ongoing fight to read freely.
Highlights from Unite Against Book Bans Partners
In addition to speeches from incredible bestselling authors and others, attendees heard from some of Unite Against Book Ban’s partners representing libraries, educators, authors, and publishers.
David Levithan, author and national leader with Authors Against Book Bans, described the mounting anxieties writers are facing due to bans, including fears regarding income, personal safety, legal exposure, and the very right to write freely. He acknowledged the exhaustion so many are feeling but urged us all to fight anyway, emphasizing collaboration and solidarity as non-negotiable, essential weapons.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, read an excerpt from her new book Why Fascists Fear Teachers. It detailed the story of a ten‑year‑old girl who escaped sexual abuse after reading the frequently challenged title It’s Perfectly Normal, highlighting the life changing power of books. Weingarten stressed that defending young people’s right to access the information they need to stay healthy and safe is a core component of the fight for intellectual freedom.
Deborah Caldwell‑Stone, former director of the American Library Association‘s Office for Intellectual Freedom, shared a recent encounter in an Idaho public library where signage tied to House Bill 710 barred anyone under thirty from entering the adult section without parental consent. Her story, which was met with laughter that turned to disbelief in the audience, underscored the radical nature of today’s pro-censorship movement and the urgency of preventing such policies from continuing and proliferating.
Kyle Zimmerman, president and CEO of First Book, cited the organization’s landmark study on the impact of diverse literature in classroom libraries. The findings show that diverse books boost both reading frequency and standardized‑test scores, while also addressing students’ fundamental human need for belonging—a factor that Zimmerman insightfully linked to the nation’s deepening political divides.
The Impact of Shared Stories on Morale and Resolve
Together, these voices and others reminded us that the fight against book bans is not abstract—it protects lives, nurtures learning, and sustains the democratic fabric of our society. As we move forward beyond Banned Books Week, the solidarity displayed at PRH’s Save Our Stories Supper offered respite and fueled our collective resolve to protect the freedom to read for all.
As PRH CEO Nihar Malaviya declared, “[D]efending the First Amendment and the freedom to read has never been more urgent.” We share this urgency and invite you to join us.
