CBC’s Keep Bans Off Our Books Initiative Continues
In July 2022, the CBC Graphic Novel Committee launched a new panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, titled Bans off Our Books.
With a newly created logo and children’s and YA authors and illustrators speaking out about their experiences with their own books being banned or seeing the phenomena happening to colleagues, that July 2022 panel has become the template for panels in 2023 and 2024 as an essential focus of every comic con that CBC attends. We are also on social media platforms with #KeepBansOffOurBooks.
We want to thank all the Comic-Con & ReedPop organizers, attendees, our publishers, and especially the book creators who continue to fight back on this threat to prevent young people from having access to books that expand horizons and validate personal experiences.
Join the fight to Keep Bans Off Our Books. We will ALL be better for it.
Here are the panels we’ve hosted:
Bans Off Our Books! Responding to Challenges (San Diego Comic-Con 2022)
Discussing action items to respond to local and national efforts to challenge or ban books in communities. Watch the panel on our YouTube Channel here!
MODERATOR: Moni Barrette – President, Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table, ALA
PANELISTS
- Jeff Smith (BONE) – Scholastic / Graphix
- Jennifer Lawson – Collection Development Manager, San Diego County Library
- Rich Johnson – VP of Sales and Business Development, Diamond Books
- Yukiko Chavez (along with her student) – Library Media Technician, Vista Unified School District
Keep Bans Off Our Books (New York Comic Con 2023)
The topic of book banning has risen as more and more books are taken off the shelves, especially graphic novels. These creators are here to talk about graphic novels and literacy, what we can do about censorship in our communities, and most importantly, how to keep bans off our books!
MODERATOR: Jeff Trexler, Interim Director, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
PANELISTS
- Kate Glasheen (Constellations) – Holiday House
- Jasmine Walls (Brooms) – Levine Querido
- Raina Telgemeier (Smile) – The Quarto Group / Saturday AM
- Frederick L Jones: (Clock Striker) – Scholastic / Graphix
Keep Bans Off Our Books (Emerald City Comic Con 2024)
The topic of book banning has risen as more and more books are taken off the shelves, especially graphic novels. These creators are here to talk about graphic novels and literacy, what we can do about censorship in our communities, and most importantly, how to keep bans off our books!
MODERATOR: Maggie Block — Deputy Publisher, Hinton Publishing
PANELISTS
- Marissa Moss (Talia’s Codebook for Mathletes) — Candlewick Press
- Richard Fairgray (Where Do Monsters Come From? / Black Sand Beach) — Holiday House / Pixel+Ink / Peachtree Publishing
- Royden Lepp (Rust) — Random House Graphic
- Teo DuVall (Brooms) — Levine Querido
- Olivia Cuartero Briggs (Fate: The Winx Saga) — Mad Cave Studios
Keep Bans Off Our Books (WonderCon 2024)
The topic of book banning has risen as more and more books are taken off the shelves, especially graphic novels. These creators are here to talk about graphic novels and literacy, what we can do about censorship in our communities, and most importantly, how to keep bans off our books!
MODERATOR: Lauren Regenhardt — Mission Viejo Library Senior Librarian, Children’s Services
PANELISTS
- Meggie Ramm (Sink or Swim / BatCat) – Abrams
- Richard Ashley Hamilton (Scoop) — Mad Cave Studios / Maverick
- Jasmine Walls (Brooms) — Levine Querido
- Gabriel Valentin (Digital Lizards of Doom) — Mad Cave Studios / Papercutz
Keep Bans Off Our Books (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo 2024)
The topic of book banning has risen as more and more books are taken off the shelves, especially graphic novels. These creators are here to talk about graphic novels and literacy, what we can do about censorship in our communities, and most importantly, how to keep bans off our books!
MODERATOR: Eti Berland — School Engagement Librarian, Wilmette Public Library; Co-Chair, Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table’s Addressing Challenges Committee
PANELISTS
- Ralph Shayne (Hour of Need: The Daring Escape of the Danish Jews during World War II: A Graphic Novel)— Little Bee Books / Yellow Jacket
- Chas! Pangburn (Double Booking) — Mad Cave Studios / Papercutz
- Kim Shearer (Double Booking) — Mad Cave Studios / Papercutz
- Tony Dawkins (Titan King) — The Quarto Group / Rockport Publishers
- Hope Larson (Be That Way) — Holiday House / Margaret Ferguson Books
Keep Bans Off Our Books (San Diego Comic-Con International 2024)
The topic of book banning has risen as more and more books are taken off the shelves, especially graphic novels. These creators are here to talk about graphic novels and literacy, what we can do about censorship in our communities, and most importantly, how to keep bans off our books!
MODERATOR: Jack Phoenix — Collection Development Manager at Cuyahoga Falls Library
PANELISTS
- Joe Cepeda (The Best Worst Camp Out Ever (I Like to Read® Comics)) — Holiday House
- Frederick L Jones (Clock Striker) — The Quarto Group / Rockport Publishers
- Jennie Wood (Paper Planes) — Mad Cave Studios / Maverick
- Shawneé Gibbs (Ghost Roast) — HarperCollins Children’s Books
- Shawnelle Gibbs (Ghost Roast) — HarperCollins Children’s Books
