At Macmillan Publishers, we deeply believe in the power of books to connect people, amplify diverse voices, create meaningful change, and make a lasting impact in the world. We are committed to combatting book banning and remain steadfast in ensuring everyone has access to read whatever they desire.
In an era where the issue of banned and challenged books continues to provoke heated debates, publishers play an important role as defenders of literary freedom. As book bans and challenges continue to disrupt the literary landscape, publishers stand on the frontlines, defending the right to read and protecting the freedom of expression that fuels creativity and knowledge.
Macmillan's Yours to Read committee is our employee resource group dedicated to providing education and resources to combat book bans. We sat down with two members of the committee to ask about their thoughts and perspectives on the issue. Their insights offer a powerful reminder of what’s at stake—and why we must continue the fight for the freedom to read. Below are a few key insights.
Catherine Marvin, Senior Director
Communications
Is there a banned book that you feel especially close to—or one that changed your perspective?
Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. It was the first Macmillan book I read as an employee thanks to a colleague’s recommendation, so it’ll always be special. When I found out it was banned, it felt like a personal attack on the characters and everything they stood for from kindness to resilience to finding your voice.
Why do you think it’s important for us, as a publisher, to champion banned books?
Because kids, teens and adults deserve options and voices. Stories help people feel less alone and more understood. Taking certain books away doesn’t protect, it limits.
What role do you think books play in protecting freedom of expression and access to ideas?
My daughter just started Kindergarten where she’s learning to read and figuring out who she is. Every book she opens shapes how she sees herself and the world around her. Making sure all kinds of stories are available means she gets to explore and learn herself without someone else deciding what’s “acceptable” or “right” for her.
What’s one misconception people have about banned books?
That they’re dangerous or inappropriate for kids. The truth is, most banned books are just honest stories about real life. They don’t hurt kids, they teach them.
If you could recommend one banned book that everyone should read, what would it be and why?
I’d recommend If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo. It’s about a transgender teen, but more than that it’s about friendship, love, and the universal feeling of wanting to fit in. It’s heartfelt and relatable, which is exactly why readers connect with it and why it deserves to be widely read.
Eleanor & Park
by Rainbow Rowell
Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits-smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you'll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.
Mary Van Akin, Executive Director of School & Library Marketing
Macmillan Children's Publishing Group
Is there a banned book that you feel especially close to—or one that changed your perspective?
George M Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue was a lifeline to me during the COVID-19 pandemic. I regrettably had never read a book that so beautifully illuminated the Black queer experience and my personal mission to get the book into as many hands as possible was a driving force for me during a very dark time. The organized effort to make it impossible for readers to have the same powerful experience as I had reading the book is distressing and must be resisted at every opportunity.
Why do you think it’s important for us, as a publisher, to champion banned books?
Book bans threaten the very core of our industry. I, like so many others, got into publishing because I believe in the power of books to change lives. If we do not stand up against these removals, there is no future in which this does not impact the diversity of books we can shepherd into the world, and I don't have any interest in working at a company that bends to those pressures which is why I'm so proud to work at Macmillan.
What role do you think books play in protecting freedom of expression and access to ideas?
Libraries and books are a portal to ideas. Without these portals, we are removing access to discovery. Every person has the right to learn—whether it's learning about experiences that reinforce a sense of self or experiences that expand your worldview—access to this learning is critical for an empathetic, caring society.
What’s one misconception people have about banned books?
One misconception people have about banned books is that this is parent-driven. This is, in fact, a politically motivated campaign that is financed by partisan groups. A majority of parents do not want books banned and we need to find a way to make the majority's voices heard over the extremely loud voices of the minority.
All Boys Aren't Blue
by George M. Johnson
In a series of personal essays, award-winning author and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue explores their childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia.
