15 Banned Books Gifts For Rebellious Readers
Let Freedom Read!
By Imanee Magee
October 1st kicks off Banned Books Week, an annual event celebrating intellectual freedom, offering book lovers the opportunity to voice concerns over censorship, and a renewed call for free and open access to information.
From pouches to pencils, we’ve rounded up fifteen products that directly support coalitions raising awareness of book banning––so you can too!
Longhand Pencils
Adorning a powerful message to “Read Banned Books,” these stylish Longhand Pencils make a modest but mighty gift in support of anti-book-banning coalitions, “cause no one should be able to govern what you read.”
Lingua Franca Shirt
Lingua Franca is a women-led clothing brand with a bold mission: counteract mass production and consumerism by creating sustainable fashion, such as these sweaters—10% of proceeds from the purchase of a sweater is donated to PEN America.
Banned Books Monthly Box
What better way to protest book censorship than to have a subscription box filled with banned books delivered to your doorstep each month?
500-Piece Bibliophile Puzzle
Calling all puzzlers and bibliophiles, this 500-piece puzzle will not only keep you entertained but educated on sixty-five banned books to add to your reading list. Resist. Read. Repeat.
ACLU Tote
If you struggle carrying all of your latest book purchases––you’re not alone––ACLU’S banned books tote bag is sturdy enough to hold all of your latest reads. (Just don’t forget to bring it to your next book haul!)
Womb House Books Hat
If Beloved, Sula, or Song of Solomon ring a bell, then this vintage hat embellishing the late author Toni Morrison’s name may be just the one for you (or a friend!)
Banned Books Socks
Exhibiting formerly banned titles on one sock and censorship strikes on the other, this sock set makes the perfect fall gift for rebellious readers.
Banned Books Set
Including once-banned classics such as The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, this book set––bound by a hand-sewn canvas––features novels that fearlessly spotlight often-disputed topics ranging from corruption, religion, and freedom of speech.
LeVar Burton Shirt
Out of Print’s cotton tee adorns a statement pulled from an episode of The Daily Show where actor and director LeVar Burton urges the audience to "Read the books they don't want you to read. That's where the good stuff is," in response to book censorship.
PEN America Membership
PEN America is a New York-based charity that champions protecting freedom of expression and the written word. Whether you are a writer, reader, or advocate for intellectual freedom, PEN America is accepting members in support of their cause to defend creative liberties.
Banned Book Tape
This decorative literary tape is every scrapbooker’s dream: each roll is embellished with quotes from The Great Gatsby, The Age of Innocence, and The Scarlet Letter––all “controversial classics” that have made a literary comeback!
Banned Book Club Pin
For readers who dislike being told what to read, grab a banned book club pin! It’s perfect for clothes, backpacks, or as a gift to the literary lover in your life.
Introducing the ultimate reading challenge: Read These Banned Books, a multi-purpose paperback and journal containing fifty-two weeks’ worth of banned book recommendations compiled by the The American Library Association (ALA).
“Let Freedom Read!” Poster
Book banning is more than censoring titles: it’s restricting our access to knowledge on different cultures, communities, and citizens. ALA’s “Let Freedom Read” poster delineates this very message––all voices deserve to be heard and liberated.
America Reads Pouch
September 26, 2023
Displaying formerly stricken titles showcased in the America Reads exhibition at the Library of Congress, this classic cotton pouch can store all of your writing (and reading) needs: pens, pins, pencils, and more!