Might be my new favorite book! ( )

Narrated by Monika Felice Smith. June loves books and reading. She is one of school librarian Ms Bradshaw's "groupies," and June always looks forward to her recommendations. But her strict parents object to a fantasy book about witches that June has been reading and this kicks off a campaign that includes clearing objectionable books from the middle school library, suspending Ms Bradshaw, and requiring teachers to get approval to use non-textbook readings in class. In response, June covertly stashes banned books in the empty locker next to hers and loans them out to students. Timely reading given the current fever around book banning, with plenty of well-known challenged titles dropped in the story (backmatter includes a complete list of all titles mentioned). The message of the freedom to read is weakened by overwrought adult characters. It's somewhat improbable that there is no reasonable adult pushing back. Smith's youthful voice suits this middle school story and leans quite a bit into portraying those overwrought adults. ( )

June’s parents don’t want her reading any “scary witch books,” and when they find that she has checked one out of the school library, her Mom returns it to the library herself. That’s bad enough but then the librarian leaves with the police (that seems extreme?), and the library is closed for a while.

When it reopens, the collection has been culled only to include approved titles.

June starts her own library to circulate books she finds in a Little Free Library near her home.

I love books about books and readers. Here’s my elevator pitch: It’s kinda Middle-Grade version of the Footloose town with books being banned instead of dancing. I thought it was inspiring and set a great example of overcoming censorship and one person standing up and making a difference. ( )

I realize that I am a librarian, but I think it’s irrelevant to this statement: I loved this book!

June has strict parents. Like, really strict. She comes home from school to find her parents disappointed in her and grounding her. She has never been grounded, so this crime must have been bad. What did she do? She read a book. It had witches in it. June is not happy and she’s embarrassed. The next day she goes to her librarian at school and apologizes that her mother is coming up to the school to turn the book in after school. The stalwart librarian is unfazed and happy that June enjoyed the book. After school, June is out practicing with the band when she sees the librarian being lead away by security. This cannot be good.

June learns the library is closed indefinitely; no one knows what happened to Ms. Bradshaw; her dad is head of the PTSA and likes the power; and, she is unhappy and disappointed. June’s best friend, Emma, knows that June’s parents are strict and gives her a book to read, which is all June now has to read. She learns to read surreptitiously by hiding her books. Teachers are on the lookout, so it’s a dangerous activity. Reading requires stealth. Now add in some middle school hand-holding romance. June is not allowed to date or go with friends to the local eating hangout because it could be a date. Graham is cute, rich, and likes June. Emma likes Matt. Let’s recap--we have strict parents, a boy who likes the girl of said strict parents, two friends who like two different boys (should be fine), a daughter of strict parents reading books in secret, and a school that closes the library to remove books.

People have to read--books are too good to not be read. The kids are missing their books! June notices the locker next to her is empty. Matt helps June store books that she gets at a neighborhood Little Free Library. Matt agrees to June’s rules about borrowing books. Eventually, students figure out where the books are. Matt and June become targets of the teachers as they watch them closely. Not so many people should be hanging out at one locker that seems to look like a line. Further complications are that Graham tells June she needs to behave, more or less. Conflict ensues.

I was going to read for fifteen minutes and then go to bed. Two hours later I had finished the book, so it’s a quick read. I enjoyed the conflicts and, unlike typical middle school books, the characters are genuinely pretty good people, except one spoiled brat. June has to be brave to become the rebel librarian of the school when it’s her parents that spearheaded the book “banning.” Eventually, the adults and the students will have a collision of wills. I was sent this book by another librarian to read, so this book will be on our next order! I already know several people to recommend it to. ( )

This was a really great, thought-provoking book. The parents at Dogwood Middle School have decided to get involved with the library book selection in the name of "protecting the kids." Of course, the whole thing goes too far, the librarian is fired and the library collection is decimated. A seventh-grade girl named June, who's parents are leading the charge, decides to take matters into her own hands.

The book was well-written, but I thought a little heavy-handed. It is hard to imagine a school that could go to such extreme measures so quickly. I also read this within of year of reading Alan Gratz's Ban This Book, so I couldn't help but compare. That one has a similar premise, but felt much more real. Also, while Ban This Book happens with 4th and 5th graders in elementary school, Property of the Rebel Librarian stars 7th and 8th graders at middle school where relationships are starting to take on a new meaning as well.

Both are great book to start kids thinking about censorship and who should be in charge of what kids are allowed to read. ( )