Some not-so-great Tennessee news this year came from parents, politicians and school board members who successfully advocated for and passed censorship laws, and removed some books from public school curricula. These titles, which weren’t removed in Metro Nashville Public Schools district but rather in other districts across the state, include Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons, Nic Stone’s Dear Martin and Laurence Yep’s Dragonwings. Thankfully, public libraries still carry these books, and the Nashville Public Library showcased its commitment to “intellectual freedom” through its Freedom to Read campaign. The campaign produced library cards that boldly declare “I read banned books.” According to the NPL website, what was supposed to be a limited-run batch has turned into an ongoing option for local library-goers. I haven’t been so excited to use a library card since snagging one of my own.
