Why Ballantine & Jodi Picoult Partnered With Unite Against Book Bans
**Jodi Picoult with Tyler Hahn. Photo credit: Andrew Dobin | GH Prime Media
Ballantine author Jodi Picoult is a fierce advocate for the freedom to read and has long spoken out against book bans through viral op-eds (“What Florida Doesn’t Want You to Know About Its Book Bans”—The Daily Beast) and national media such as Good Morning America.
While touring the country for her most recent instant #1 New York Times bestseller BY ANY OTHER NAME, it was imperative to Jodi that her readers learn about the current state of book banning in the US and what they could do to support the freedom to read in their own communities. Ballantine forged a partnership with Unite Against Book Bans, a national initiative to empower readers everywhere to stand together in the fight against censorship.
Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada (former president of the American Library Association, current Assistant Director of Glendale Library, Arts & Culture in Glendale, CA) speaking at Jodi’s event at Barnes & Noble in Huntington Beach, CA. Photo credit: Tom Gallo | GH Prime Media
To start, UABB provided local librarian speakers to open events on Jodi’s BY ANY OTHER NAME nationwide book tour with a presentation on the importance of fighting book bans. Speakers joined Jodi at 12 of her 22 tour markets, including many states where book bans are unfortunately rampant, including Iowa, Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin.
These presentations were incredibly powerful and inspired thousands of event attendees to take action fighting book bans in their communities. Ballantine hope it inspires you too.
For more information on Unite Against Book Bans and how you can get involved and take action, click here.
Click on below to see Jodi on Good Morning America:
**Jodi Picoult with Tyler Hahn (Library Director, Cherokee Public Library; Midwest Representative for the Association for Rural and Small Libraries; Parliamentarian for the Iowa Library Association) who spoke at her event with Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa. Photo credit: Andrew Dobin | GH Prime Media