Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

The idea of swapping banned books for ones offered by a right-wing crusader in her own Little Free Library is an appealing one. And if you’re willing to accept the unlikely notion that both the books removed from school libraries and those purchased at a Goodwill to stock the little library are all hardcovers with intact dust-jackets, then this romp of a read might be for you. The author has good intentions, as expressed in her note to the reader, but overall, she has crammed in many novels’ worth of serious issues of racism, gun violence, book banning, ageism, homophobia, whether to take down Confederate statues, dress codes, bullying, drag queens, and more into what is otherwise a breezy, humorous read. Expect some raunchy humor, a small Southern town full of characters, and everything coming out right in the end. Most of the baddies are shown up, chagrined, or changed, while most of the troublemakers championing for various forms of freedom triumph. Note that many chapters are given the titles of books that have been challenged in recent years and see how many you recognize.