In this week’s episode, the show takes a slightly more serious turn as Denise and Jess talk about the issues of book banning and censorship. We have certainly discussed this topic in the past and will continue to do so whenever we can because it is a topic that we both feel very strongly about. Needless to say, we are both very much opposed to banning books. In this episode, we discuss some books that have been challenged, especially The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Each of these books takes on a very serious topic, whether it’s racism, bullying, or sexual assault, and because of the way these issues are portrayed, these books provide valuable lessons. They should not be banned – they should be celebrated, which is what we are doing today.