It’s Banned and Challenged Books Week! Cover to Cover looks at titles in our collections which have been banned or challenged. Our Stonewall Collection consists of books proposed for consideration for the American Library Association’s Stonewall Book Awards (including winners and honor books) as representative of the stream of publishing representing the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience. Books in this collection include those awarded the Stonewall Book Awards Mike Morgan & Larry Roman Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award. Winning titles in this category in our collection include this book by author Brian Katcher.

Almost Perfect tells the story of the relationship between Logan and Sage, two high school seniors and eventual sweethearts in a small town in Missouri.  It deals with the issues of homophobia, hate crimes and transgender teens. Almost Perfect, was challenged in one Midwest middle school, as its librarian told the School Library Journal, directly to the district school board. After a review by a district appointed committee, the book was removed from the middle school library and moved to the high school library. Another result of the challenge of Almost Perfect in this district was requiring permission slips to check out books with “mature content” from the middle school library. Other Stonewall award winning children’s and young adult books in our collection include The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kristin Conn-Mills. Of the Top Ten Most Challenged Books for 2016, five included LGBT characters or themes.