Program Description
Central Illinois Reads
The Freedom to Read is essential to our democracy, but also under attack.
Central Illinois libraries are joining together to encourage you to exercise your intellectual freedom.
- Get a library card.
- Read outside your comfort zone.
- Unite against book bans.
Central Illinois Reads: Freedom to Read is a community partnership of libraries, organizations, and institutions committed to preserving everyone's Freedom to Read.
- Bradley University
- Chillicothe Public Library
- Dunlap Public Library District
- Fondulac Library District
- Illinois Prairie District Public Library
- Methodist College
- Morton Public Library
- Neighborhood House.
- Pekin Public Library
- Peoria Public Library
Event Details
Join us for an evening with internationally renowned author Laurie Halse Anderson. Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author. She was recently awarded Sweden’s Astrid Lindgren Award, the world’s largest children’s book prize. Her writing spans young readers, teens, and adults. Combined, her books have sold more than 8 million copies. Two of her novels, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists, and Chains was short-listed for the prestigious Carnegie Medal in the United Kingdom. She was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award (for significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature) and has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English.
Anderson’s books cover tough topics for teens: Sex. Violence. Suicide. Trauma. They’ve been the subject of censorship — just like countless other works in what’s currently a flood of book bannings across the U.S.
“By attacking these books, by attacking the authors, by attacking the subject matter, what they are doing is removing the possibility for conversation. You are laying the groundwork for increasing bullying, disrespect, violence and attacks.” ~ Laurie Halse Anderson in a 2022 New York Times article about book bannings
Books will be available for sale and signing after the program.
Please note: This Central Illinois Reads event is taking place at the Peoria Public Library - Main Library in downtown Peoria.
Due to the difficult and sensitive nature of the topics Ms. Anderson writes and talks about, attendance at this event is restricted to those ages 13 and up.