The Banned Bookmobile is making its way through Virginia today – stopping at libraries and bookstores to support those who are fighting efforts to limit what Americans can read.
“The reality is those who love books are the majority," says Mana Kharrazi, chief librarian on board. She's been giving out free copies of forty different titles.
“It’s everything from Born in the Water, which is a children’s book from the 1619 Project. We have Gender Queer. One of our books is the Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. She's one of the most banned book authors, so we actually went to her hometown — Loraine, Ohio — yesterday and got to visit a memorial for her."
Teacher Lisa Blackmon was there with her daughter Anna Charles who picked up a copy of Junie B. Jones and the Yucky, Blucky Fruitcake. She wasn’t sure why that book had been banned, but a bookmobile staffer thought she knew.
“One of the parents was saying probably because she’s too sassy. I think it’s good for all of our kids to have a little sass though.”
Tyler Heron also came by for a book. His dad teaches high school in Albemarle County and his grandfather taught in Madison.
“In the 70’s he tried to teach To Kill a Mockingbird, and they wouldn’t let him.”
Kharrazi says the tour began in Illinois.
“We started there because it’s the first state and only state to actually pass anti-book ban legislation. We went through Ohio. We’re going to go through North Carolina, Tennessee, all the way down to Florida, so we’re going through some of the communities that are most impacted by the bans.”
It’s stopping at libraries and bookstores – hoping to rally support for the freedom to read and will end in Florida.
