When Your Book Gets Banned: Authorship During Censorship

Julie Lyford, author of Katy Has Two Grampas and Adi’s Animal Adventures

Katy Has Two Grampas (2021)

Adi’s Animal Adventures (2024)

Between July 2023 and July 2024, there were over 10,000 book bans in the United States. 

This year, Banned Books Week will take place October 5-11, 2025. Launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of book challenges in libraries, schools, and bookstores, Banned Books Week celebrates the value of open access to information and the freedom to express ideas. The theme for 2025 is “Censorship Is So 1984. Read for Your Rights.” 

Julie Schanke Lyford is a lifelong activist and award-winning author of Katy Has Two Grampas, the bestselling book about growing up with gay grandparents, and Adi’s Animal Adventures, a story featuring a non-binary middle schooler who introduces readers to lots of fun animals in their school. Julie’s books have become a target for book bans and defacement for featuring LGBTQ+ characters. We asked Julie a couple of questions about her experience witnessing censorship and vandalism toward her books. 

Wise Ink: Tell the story of what happened. How did you find out your book was banned? Who banned it? What were your initial thoughts and actions?

JL: When my second book came out I was reaching out to libraries and schools that I knew carried my first book. In multiple phone calls I heard that they were not able to order my new book and had to remove my first book from the shelves due to community book bans. One library said they still kept the books like mine in the back room for people if they specifically requested the books but didn't have them out on the shelves for the public. 

My thoughts were basically frustration and sadness. I wrote my books so that families could see themselves on pages of books they read to their kids and now that can't happen. Most people find books at the library by browsing through them, they don't know to ask for specific titles, they go by what they see on display.

Talking to school librarians is even more disheartening. Most WANT to order more books like mine but have a limited budget and are not feeling like they can or should use money for books that may be removed from their shelves and so are leaning toward ordering more “safe” books.

WI: In addition to having your book banned, you have also seen a video of someone burning your book. Did one affect you more than the other?  

JL: The book burning to me was more shocking. Like SERIOUSLY, they are burning the book? I wasn't sure I wanted to broadcast it and give the book burner attention. I felt sad and scared for his kiddo, since the original poster said that their kid brought it home from school. I wish I knew where the book was from so I could send a replacement copy.

WI: What do you think your censors fear most about a world where books like yours are accessible? In what ways do their fears align or diverge from how you see readers experiencing your work? 

JL: People fear what they don't know. My goal has always been to “just” show our family, showing that we aren't any different from any other family. If children never see other people in books and media—different races, different abilities, different sexualities—those people seem odd or different to them, rather than people living their normal lives. 

WI: If you could prepare your past self for this, do you think you would approach the situation differently? What advice do you have for authors who share this experience? 

JL: Unfortunately, this isn't new to me. My father came out in the ‘80s and we had to deal with a lot of hatred and mean comments and actions from people. Things had gotten better, but now they seem to be getting worse than they were back then. I guess my main advice is be cautious about how many books you preorder. If people aren't able to buy them you will have boxes gathering dust.

Has the book ban brought increased attention to your book? If so, was that attention positive, negative, or mixed? 

JL: It brought temporary attention to the book, but now it's become lost in all of the other awfulness that is happening.  

Have these experiences changed how you see the role of authorship? What do you want fellow authors and writers to know? 

JL: We need to keep creating but also need to stay safe. It is a fine line. We have a series of books planned but are going to wait to spend the money on illustrations and other aspects until the market is back. We are focusing on other aspects now, getting the books out there where families can find them, like in Little Free Libraries across the country. We did a book tour to add books to Free Libraries across the country with Katy Has Two Grampas and plan to do the same for Adi's Animal Adventures.

Support Julie’s work by purchasing Katy Has Two Grampas and Adi’s Animal Adventures or requesting them at your local libraries. Banned Books Week seeks to bring awareness to the increasing book bans and censorship across the country. To learn more information or get involved, visit the Banned Books Week website.