Once Upon a Ban
@onceuponaban.bsky.social
We're a newsletter that covers attempts to censor children’s picture books around the country. Part journalism, part book club, we talk to activists and authors about the freedom to read. https://www.onceuponaban.com
Are parents really behind book bans? We asked @txfreedomread.bsky.social for their thoughts. 🤔 #freedomtoread #bannedbooks
August 8, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Are parents really behind book bans? We asked @txfreedomread.bsky.social for their thoughts. 🤔 #freedomtoread #bannedbooks
Coming Wednesday! We can't wait to share our conversation with @txfreedomread.bsky.social. From SB 13 to how parents can protect the freedom to read in their communities, there's a lot to cover! Visit www.onceuponaban.com to sign up to get this week's newsletter. #freedomtoread #bannedbooks
August 4, 2025 at 11:43 PM
Coming Wednesday! We can't wait to share our conversation with @txfreedomread.bsky.social. From SB 13 to how parents can protect the freedom to read in their communities, there's a lot to cover! Visit www.onceuponaban.com to sign up to get this week's newsletter. #freedomtoread #bannedbooks
Last Sunday our community came together to Turn the Page and celebrate the #freedomtoread! Thank you to everyone who joined us and we hope to Turn the Page again soon! #ireadbannedbooks
July 15, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Last Sunday our community came together to Turn the Page and celebrate the #freedomtoread! Thank you to everyone who joined us and we hope to Turn the Page again soon! #ireadbannedbooks
Hey Orange County! Free this Sunday? Join us for our summer reading event in paternship with @wave4all.bsky.social. We’ll have storytime with community leaders, a book fair with a local bookstore, crafts and more! RSVP encouraged but not required. #orangecounty #missionviejo #ocevents
July 9, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Hey Orange County! Free this Sunday? Join us for our summer reading event in paternship with @wave4all.bsky.social. We’ll have storytime with community leaders, a book fair with a local bookstore, crafts and more! RSVP encouraged but not required. #orangecounty #missionviejo #ocevents
Three banned children’s picture books to add to your TBR list this holiday weekend. #letfreedomread #freedomtoread #ireadbannedbooks
July 4, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Three banned children’s picture books to add to your TBR list this holiday weekend. #letfreedomread #freedomtoread #ireadbannedbooks
Sharing some thoughts. #freedomtoread #weneeddiversebooks
June 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Sharing some thoughts. #freedomtoread #weneeddiversebooks
Hey Southern California! Free on July 13th? We’re excited to share that we're partnering with @wave4all.bsky.social on a summer reading event to celebrate the freedom to read! We'll have storytime with community leaders, crafts and so much more. Join us for an afternoon of summer fun and community!
June 26, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Hey Southern California! Free on July 13th? We’re excited to share that we're partnering with @wave4all.bsky.social on a summer reading event to celebrate the freedom to read! We'll have storytime with community leaders, crafts and so much more. Join us for an afternoon of summer fun and community!
Reporting back on The Complete Book of Cats. #bannedbooks #cats
June 25, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Reporting back on The Complete Book of Cats. #bannedbooks #cats
The @rainbowdefense.bsky.social (RDC) brings together volunteers to create a physical barrier from protestors so families in the DMV area can safely attend Drag Queen Story Hours. Link in bio to read our interview and learn how you can support their efforts. Photo credit @robinfader.bsky.social
June 21, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The @rainbowdefense.bsky.social (RDC) brings together volunteers to create a physical barrier from protestors so families in the DMV area can safely attend Drag Queen Story Hours. Link in bio to read our interview and learn how you can support their efforts. Photo credit @robinfader.bsky.social
June 19, 2025 at 9:43 PM
This month's book is Molly's Tuxedo by @vickijohnsonwrites.bsky.social. Johnson shared more with us about her love for reading and what inspired her to write Molly's Tuxedo. Link in bio to read our interview.
June 12, 2025 at 8:00 PM
This month's book is Molly's Tuxedo by @vickijohnsonwrites.bsky.social. Johnson shared more with us about her love for reading and what inspired her to write Molly's Tuxedo. Link in bio to read our interview.
Residents are heading to the polls this Tuesday to vote on two measures about the library. It’s not too late to catch up on what is happening in Huntington Beach! linktr.ee/onceuponaban
June 10, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Residents are heading to the polls this Tuesday to vote on two measures about the library. It’s not too late to catch up on what is happening in Huntington Beach! linktr.ee/onceuponaban
Happy Pride! This month (and every month) we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, authors, and illustrators who bring stories to life. We believe representation in stories matters and we stand with you.
June 9, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Happy Pride! This month (and every month) we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, authors, and illustrators who bring stories to life. We believe representation in stories matters and we stand with you.
We’re not falling for it. #bannedbooks #freedomtoread
June 5, 2025 at 5:15 PM
We’re not falling for it. #bannedbooks #freedomtoread
For #whatimreadingwednesday our family is reading Molly’s Tuxedo by @vickijohnsonwrites.bsky.social. It’s picture day at school and Molly is excited. There’s just one problem, her mom insists she wears a dress when Molly wants to wear her brother’s old tuxedo instead. What will Molly do? #kidlit
June 4, 2025 at 10:23 PM
For #whatimreadingwednesday our family is reading Molly’s Tuxedo by @vickijohnsonwrites.bsky.social. It’s picture day at school and Molly is excited. There’s just one problem, her mom insists she wears a dress when Molly wants to wear her brother’s old tuxedo instead. What will Molly do? #kidlit
The Huntington Beach City Council says there is explicit material in the children’s library, so we asked parents what their children checked out. #freedomtoread #libraries #bannedbooks
June 3, 2025 at 6:24 PM
The Huntington Beach City Council says there is explicit material in the children’s library, so we asked parents what their children checked out. #freedomtoread #libraries #bannedbooks
With the special election days away, supporters of the Huntington Beach Public Library have been staging read-ins to bring awareness to the campaign. We stopped by to ask what the library means to them. #freedomtoread #bannedbooks
June 1, 2025 at 4:58 PM
With the special election days away, supporters of the Huntington Beach Public Library have been staging read-ins to bring awareness to the campaign. We stopped by to ask what the library means to them. #freedomtoread #bannedbooks
We're kicking off our summer reading challenge and sharing what our family is reading. This week it's books by @rajanilarocca.bsky.social including Your One and Only Heart, Summer is for Cousins and her newest book Some of Us! What is your family reading? #summerreading #bannedbooks #kidlit
May 28, 2025 at 8:12 PM
We're kicking off our summer reading challenge and sharing what our family is reading. This week it's books by @rajanilarocca.bsky.social including Your One and Only Heart, Summer is for Cousins and her newest book Some of Us! What is your family reading? #summerreading #bannedbooks #kidlit
Loving the creativity of these mailers from @ourlibrarymatters.bsky.social! It has been a heated race leading up to the special election on June 10th in Huntington Beach. This mailer feels like it cuts through the noise with a touch of library magic. #freedomtoread
May 25, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Loving the creativity of these mailers from @ourlibrarymatters.bsky.social! It has been a heated race leading up to the special election on June 10th in Huntington Beach. This mailer feels like it cuts through the noise with a touch of library magic. #freedomtoread
We had a chance to chat with this month’s featured author @rajanilarocca.bsky.social about what inspired her to write Your Only and Only Heart, why she believes access to nonfiction is important, and her upcoming book Some of Us. Can’t wait to share our May 19th newsletter! #kidlit #freedomtoread
May 13, 2025 at 4:43 PM
We had a chance to chat with this month’s featured author @rajanilarocca.bsky.social about what inspired her to write Your Only and Only Heart, why she believes access to nonfiction is important, and her upcoming book Some of Us. Can’t wait to share our May 19th newsletter! #kidlit #freedomtoread
On Fridays, @protecthb.bsky.social walks to the Huntington Beach pier to show their support for the library. We joined them and it was exciting to see all of the support they got from people walking by! #freedomtoread #bannedbooks
May 11, 2025 at 1:06 AM
On Fridays, @protecthb.bsky.social walks to the Huntington Beach pier to show their support for the library. We joined them and it was exciting to see all of the support they got from people walking by! #freedomtoread #bannedbooks
Next month Huntington Beach residents will vote on whether their City Council can move forward with establishing a library review board to decide what content is appropriate for minors. It would consist of 21 political appointees and there would be no option to appeal decisions. #freedomtoread
May 8, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Next month Huntington Beach residents will vote on whether their City Council can move forward with establishing a library review board to decide what content is appropriate for minors. It would consist of 21 political appointees and there would be no option to appeal decisions. #freedomtoread
Walk with me to the restricted section of the Huntington Beach library where health books for preteens are considered inappropriate. California has a law against book bans but that hasn’t stopped the Huntington Beach City Council from relocating content to achieve the same effect. #freedomtoread
May 6, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Walk with me to the restricted section of the Huntington Beach library where health books for preteens are considered inappropriate. California has a law against book bans but that hasn’t stopped the Huntington Beach City Council from relocating content to achieve the same effect. #freedomtoread
In Monday’s newsletter, we’ll head to a town where the freedom to read is on the ballot and talk to some of the residents who are organizing to protect their library. Our featured book for May is one of the many books that have been challenged. More to come on Monday!
May 1, 2025 at 9:52 PM
In Monday’s newsletter, we’ll head to a town where the freedom to read is on the ballot and talk to some of the residents who are organizing to protect their library. Our featured book for May is one of the many books that have been challenged. More to come on Monday!
This quote is on our mind today. Read our full interview with Author @cswild.bsky.social whose book Love, Violet is one of nine books at the center of the Mahmoud v. Taylor SCOTUS case. onceuponaban.com/p/once-upon-...
April 23, 2025 at 6:40 PM
This quote is on our mind today. Read our full interview with Author @cswild.bsky.social whose book Love, Violet is one of nine books at the center of the Mahmoud v. Taylor SCOTUS case. onceuponaban.com/p/once-upon-...