Lerner Publishing Group Joins A New Offense Against Book Bans

MINNEAPOLIS, MN—In anticipation of banned books week September 22-28, 2024, Lerner Publishing Group™ has joined the We Are Stronger Than Censorship campaign to fight back against efforts to restrict the availability of books featuring Black, Queer, and other under-represented characters, themes, and history which are at an all-time high. What isn’t widely known about book bans is the impact of the chilling effect, where librarians and teachers have to worry about bringing in any diverse titles even when they know the books would help their students/patrons. In turn, the chilling effect disproportionally impacts independent presses, many of whom are mission driven and focus on publishing voices from the very communities who are targeted by the current politically motivated runaway train of book banning. The drop in sales to schools and libraries for many of these publishers has been significant, and this impacts authors both financially and emotionally. Most of all, book banning hurts kids – further marginalizing those with less privilege, access, and representation.

In response to all this, Lerner Publishing Group has teamed up with the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and EveryLibrary Institute to spread light and inclusive books to readers in communities across the US impacted by the chilling effect of book bans. For every book banned or challenged between September 1 and September 30, 2024, We Are Stronger Than Censorship will buy two or more books from independent publishers and donate them via regional freedom to read organizations and national partners—turning negativity and fear into positivity and love… in the form of books!

Lerner Publishing Group is proud to partner with We Are Stronger Than Censorship, and our title Michelle Obama: Political Icon by Heather E. Schwartz will be one of the twenty titles featured, purchased, and distributed through the program. Lerner Publishing Group is also the proud designer of the We Are Stronger Than Censorship logo.

To learn more about WE ARE STRONGER THAN CENSORSHIP and support efforts to stop book bans, please visit www.wearestrongerthancensorship.org.

About Lerner Publishing Group™
Lerner Publishing Group™ creates high-quality fiction and nonfiction for children and young adults. Founded in 1959, Lerner Publishing Group is one of the nation’s largest independent children’s book publishers with sixteen imprints and divisions: Carolrhoda Books®, Carolrhoda Lab®, Darby Creek™, ediciones Lerner, First Avenue Editions™, Gecko Press, Graphic Universe™, Kar-Ben Publishing®, Lerner Publications, LernerClassroom™, Lerner Digital™, Millbrook Press™, Sundance Newbridge, Twenty-First Century Books™, Zest Books™, and Lerner Publisher Services™. For more information, visit lernerbooks.com or call 800-328-4929.

CONTACTS:
Lindsay Matvick
Publicity Director
Lerner Publishing Group
800-328-4929
lmatvick@lernerbooks.com

Lee Wind
Chief Content Officer
Independent Book Publishers Association
310-546-1848
lee@ibpa-onlinge.org