I absolutely feel in love with this book. I was always a big Alan Gratz fan, but after hearing him speak this past April I knew I had to pre-order both Ban This Book and Refugee. So this past week was officially Alan Gratz week at my house. I read both Refugee and Ban this Book in one week.

My heart instantly melted when Amy Anne describes her love for books. In her hectic fourth grade life, books are her quiet escape. Her home life isn't horrible but with two younger siblings in the house sometimes Amy Anne gets lost in the shuffle. Like many 4th graders and middle schoolers, she is trying to figure out where she fits in- what helps her cope is her time spent inside books. I love the fact that the banning of her favorite book helps bring her closer to her classmates and friendships are created over students discussing books. As more and more books get banned from the library, the more the students want to read them. After all, if someone doesn't want them to read them it has to be good!

Ban This Book, is an engaging read that is sure to hook many young readers. Amy Anne and her new friends gain strength and empowerment to fight for what they know is right. I love how Amy Anne grows throughout the course of the story teaching us all a valuable lesson about standing up for what we believe in. It can be scary and hard, but in the end it is all worth it. Another great benefit of Ban This Book is that it gives some great recommendations for future reading. I loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Matilda growing up and I don't know what type of reader I would have been without them. Every single book banned in the story was actually at some point in time, somewhere, banned from library shelves.

This is a great read for younger readers. It will make you cry and stand up and cheer at the same time. This is a must read for 2017.