Skip to content
My Account SettingsClose
MenuClose
  • My Account
  • Read, Watch, Listen
    • Column
      • Read
        • Books & eBooks
        • Magazines & Newspapers
        • Comics
        • Award Winners & Bestsellers
        • Book Club Sets
        • Literacy Kits
        • Sea & Cedar Magazine
      • Watch
        • Streaming Movies, TV & DVDs
        • Virtual Programs Portal
        • Virtual Gardening Series
    • Column
      • Listen
        • Audiobooks
        • Streaming Music & CDs
        • Meet Me in the Stacks Podcast
      • Research
        • All Databases
        • Business/Careers
        • Crisis and Support Lines
        • DIY & Crafts
        • Genealogy
        • Health
        • Housing
        • Legal & Government Matters
    • Column
      • Play
        • Video Game Collection
      • by Audience
        • Adults
        • Kids
        • Teens
        • Seniors
        • Français & World
        • Indigenous Interest
        • Newcomers, Immigrants & Refugees
    • Column
      • Spacer
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
      • Suggest An Item
      • Interlibrary Loan
      • My Library App
      • Local Reads
  • Catalogue Tips
  • Events
    • Column
      • Event Calendar
        • All
        • Kids
        • Teens
        • Adults
    • Column
      • Big Events
        • Adult Winter Reading Club
        • Give Library This Season
        • GivingTuesday
        • Syeyutsus 2025
        • Virtual Gardening Series
    • Column
      • Spacer
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
  • Learn
    • Column
      • by Audience
        • Kids
        • Teens
        • Seniors
        • Français & World
        • Indigenous Interest
    • Column
      • Skills
        • Automotive
        • Computers & Software
        • Creativity Commons
        • Gardening
        • Language Learning
        • Music
        • Photography
        • Professional Series
        • STEAM
        • Financial Literacy Month
        • Virtual Programs Portal
    • Column
      • Research
        • All Databases
        • Business & Careers
        • Crisis and Support Lines
        • DIY & Crafts
        • Genealogy
        • Health
        • Housing
        • Legal & Government Matters
    • Column
      • Spacer
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
  • Branches
    • Column
        • Branch Information
      • Find a Branch
      • Capital Projects
      • Meeting Spaces
    • Column
      • Book a Room
      • Make a Payment
      • Books By Mail
    • Column
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
  • News
    • Column
      • What’s Happening
      • News and Stories
      • Media Releases
    • Column
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
  • Get Help
    • Column
      • Borrowing Basics
      • Catalogue Tips
      • Crisis and Support Lines
      • Interlibrary Loan
      • Legit Library Hacks
      • Suggest An Item
    • Column
      • Your Library Account
      • Lean on your library
      • Website Feedback
      • Technology Help
      • Book a Librarian
    • Column
      • Get A Library Card
      • Accessibility
      • Book a Room
      • Donate
      • Local Reads
Welcome to Vancouver Island Regional Library

Home / Freedom to Read Week

Freedom to Read Week

February 23 – March 1, 2025

Banned books, in this day and age?

Believe it. Canadians are fortunate that our freedom to choose what we read is protected but that access is often tested.

Freedom to Read Week is an annual event encouraging Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed to us under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

You may be surprised to learn that “challenged” books include The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, the picture book Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg, and the graphic novel Blankets by Craig Thompson.

LEARN more about Freedom to Read Week in Canada, check out https://www.freedomtoread.ca/.  The Canadian Federation of Library Associations has a list of Challenges to Publications in Canadian Public Libraries from September 2021 to August 2022 .

WATCH the videos in the Banned Books and Films category in Kanopy, a movie-streaming service free for library customers.

READ & LISTEN to these eBooks & eAudiobooks in our Overdrive collection, all of which have either been challenged or banned in the past.

LISTEN to our Meet Me in the Stacks podcast episode 35 where Librarians Monica and Stephanie talk about the considerations and values behind Freedom to Read Week.

EXPLORE further by diving into the titles below, all of which have been challenged in Canada.

Kids & Teens Freedom to Read

Three wishes : Palestinian and Israeli children speak Cover
Three wishes :…
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Cover
Adventures of Huckleberry…
Bridge to Terabithia Cover
Bridge to Terabithia
Underground to Canada Cover
Underground to Canada
Hold fast Cover
Hold fast
Go ask Alice Cover
Go ask Alice
Star wars. Darth Maul : Sith apprentice Cover
Star wars. Darth…
Under threat [paperback] Cover
Under threat [paperback]
The golden compass Cover
The golden compass
My first Ramadan Cover
My first Ramadan
When everything feels like the movies [paperback] Cover
When everything feels…
Party games : a Fear Street novel Cover
Party games :…
And Tango makes three Cover
And Tango makes…
Your favorite Seuss : 13 stories Cover
Your favorite Seuss…
The graveyard book Cover
The graveyard book
This one summer Cover
This one summer
Betty : the Helen Betty Osborne story Cover
Betty : the…
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone Cover
Harry Potter and…
To kill a mockingbird Cover
To kill a…
The great bear Cover
The great bear
The giver Cover
The giver
Pink, blue, and you! : questions for kids about gender stereotypes Cover
Pink, blue, and…
More

Freedom to Read Week

Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe Cover
Aristotle and Dante…
Saenz, Benjamin Alire, author.
The golden compass Cover
The golden compass
Pullman, Philip, 1946- author.
Radio silence Cover
Radio silence
Oseman, Alice, author.
When everything feels like the movies [paperback] Cover
When everything feels…
Reid, Raziel, 1990- author.
Hold fast Cover
Hold fast
Major, Kevin, 1949- author.
Introducing Teddy : a gentle story about gender and friendship Cover
Introducing Teddy :…
Walton, Jess, author.
Underground to Canada Cover
Underground to Canada
Smucker, Barbara, 1915-2003, author.
Huntress Cover
Huntress
Lo, Malinda.
The handmaid's tale Cover
The handmaid's tale
Atwood, Margaret, 1939- author.
The hammer of Thor Cover
The hammer of…
Riordan, Rick, author.
Spinning Cover
Spinning
Walden, Tillie, 1996- author, illustrator.
This book is gay Cover
This book is…
Dawson, Juno, author.
Morris Micklewhite and the tangerine dress Cover
Morris Micklewhite and…
Baldacchino, Christine, 1977- author.
The wars Cover
The wars
Findley, Timothy, 1930-2002, author.
Flamer Cover
Flamer
Curato, Mike, author, illustrator.
The best at it Cover
The best at…
Pancholy, Maulik, 1974- author.
Henry Holton takes the ice Cover
Henry Holton takes…
Bradley, Sandra.
Beetle & the Hollowbones Cover
Beetle & the…
Layne, Aliza, author.
Felix ever after Cover
Felix ever after
Callender, Kacen, author.
Jacob's room to choose Cover
Jacob's room to…
Hoffman, Sarah, author.
Fred gets dressed Cover
Fred gets dressed
Brown, Peter, 1979- author, illustrator.
A family is a family is a family Cover
A family is…
O'Leary, Sara, author.
I am Jazz Cover
I am Jazz
Herthel, Jessica, author.
I'm a girl! Cover
I'm a girl!
Ismail, Yasmeen, author, illustrator.
When Aidan became a brother Cover
When Aidan became…
Lukoff, Kyle, author.
Growing up trans : in our own words Cover
Growing up trans…
Pride : the celebration and the struggle Cover
Pride : the…
Stevenson, Robin, 1968- author.
Une idée pour Papi Cover
Une idée pour…
Smith, Heather, 1968- auteur.
Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone Cover
Harry Potter and…
Rowling, J. K., author.
Laura Dean keeps breaking up with me Cover
Laura Dean keeps…
Tamaki, Mariko, author.
Pet Cover
Pet
Emezi, Akwaeke, author.
Little & Lion Cover
Little & Lion
Colbert, Brandy, author.
Melissa Cover
Melissa
Gino, Alex, author.
And Tango makes three Cover
And Tango makes…
Richardson, Justin, 1963-
And Tango makes three Cover
And Tango makes…
Richardson, Justin, 1963- author.
My life as a diamond Cover
My life as…
Manzer, Jenny, author.
Go ask Alice Cover
Go ask Alice
Fire song Cover
Fire song
Sex is a funny word Cover
Sex is a…
Silverberg, Cory, author.
Too bright to see Cover
Too bright to…
Lukoff, Kyle, author.
Kings, queens, and in-betweens Cover
Kings, queens, and…
Boteju, Tanya, author.
Worm loves Worm Cover
Worm loves Worm
Austrian, J. J., author.
Three wishes : Palestinian and Israeli children speak Cover
Three wishes :…
Ellis, Deborah, 1960-
Stella brings the family Cover
Stella brings the…
Schiffer, Miriam B., author.
Pet Cover
Pet
Emezi, Akwaeke, author.
Birthday : a novel Cover
Birthday : a…
Russo, Meredith, author.
Ivy Aberdeen's letter to the world Cover
Ivy Aberdeen's letter…
Blake, Ashley Herring, author.
Dress codes for small towns Cover
Dress codes for…
Stevens, Courtney C., author.
From the stars in the sky to the fish in the sea Cover
From the stars…
Thom, Kai Cheng, author.
Donovan's big day Cover
Donovan's big day
Newman, Lesléa, author.
This day in June Cover
This day in…
Pitman, Gayle E., author.
The hammer of Thor [cd nonmusic] Cover
The hammer of…
Riordan, Rick, author.
A plan for Pops Cover
A plan for…
Smith, Heather, 1968- author.
The deep & dark blue Cover
The deep &…
Smith, Niki, author.
47,000 beads Cover
47,000 beads
Adeyoha, Koja, author.
Some assembly required : the not-so-secret life of a transgender teen Cover
Some assembly required…
Andrews, Arin, author.
Little & Lion Cover
Little & Lion
Colbert, Brandy, author.
My rainbow Cover
My rainbow
Neal, Trinity, author.
A jest of God Cover
A jest of…
Laurence, Margaret, author.
What Riley wore Cover
What Riley wore
Arnold, Elana K., author.
Our subway baby : the true story of how one baby found his home Cover
Our subway baby…
Mercurio, Peter, author.
Monday is one day Cover
Monday is one…
Levine, Arthur A., 1962-
My Maddy Cover
My Maddy
Pitman, Gayle E., author.
Gay & lesbian history for kids : the century-long struggle for LGBT rights, with 21 activities Cover
Gay & lesbian…
Pohlen, Jerome.
The black flamingo Cover
The black flamingo
Atta, Dean, author.
Like a love story Cover
Like a love…
Nazemian, Abdi, author.
Hurricane child Cover
Hurricane child
Callender, Kacen, author.
When the moon was ours Cover
When the moon…
McLemore, Anna-Marie, author.
Star-crossed Cover
Star-crossed
Dee, Barbara, author.
Brave face : a memoir Cover
Brave face :…
Hutchinson, Shaun David, author.
Who is Frances Rain? Cover
Who is Frances…
Buffie, Margaret.
Melissa Cover
Melissa
Gino, Alex, author.
More happy than not Cover
More happy than…
Silvera, Adam, 1990-
The other boy Cover
The other boy
Hennessey, M. G., author.
The hammer of Thor [downloadable audio file] Cover
The hammer of…
Riordan, Rick, author.
None of the above Cover
None of the…
Gregorio, I. W.
Rethinking normal : a memoir in transition Cover
Rethinking normal :…
Hill, Katie Rain, author.
The ABC's of LGBT+ Cover
The ABC's of…
Mardell, Ashley, author.
Fire song Cover
Fire song
Jones, Adam Garnet, author.
Felix Yz Cover
Felix Yz
Bunker, Lisa, author.
My rainbow Cover
My rainbow
Neal, DeShanna
The best at it Cover
The best at…
Pancholy, Maulik, 1974- author.
The best at it Cover
The best at…
Pancholy, Maulik, 1974- author narrator.
You can't read this : forbidden books, lost writing, mistranslations & codes Cover
You can't read…
Ross, Val.
Growing up trans : In Our Own Words Cover
Growing up trans…
Herriot, Lindsay, author.
Laura Dean keeps breaking up with me Cover
Laura Dean keeps…
Tamaki, Mariko, author.
Ivy Aberdeen's letter to the world Cover
Ivy Aberdeen's letter…
Blake, Ashley Herring, author.
Ivy Aberdeen's letter to the world Cover
Ivy Aberdeen's letter…
Blake, Ashley Herring, author.
Felix Yz Cover
Felix Yz
Bunker, Lisa, author.
Felix Yz Cover
Felix Yz
Bunker, Lisa, author.
The other boy [ebook] Cover
The other boy…
Hennessey, M. G., author.
And Tango makes three [downloadable audio file] Cover
And Tango makes…
Richardson, Justin, 1963- author.
Morris Micklewhite and the tangerine dress [ebook] Cover
Morris Micklewhite and…
Baldacchino, Christine, author.
Amazing Grace [downloadable audio file] Cover
Amazing Grace [downloadable…
Hoffman, Mary, 1945- author.
More
%title% Cover
%the_title% %author% %audience% %categories%
  • Column
    • Popular Pages
      • Can’t Find It?
      • Books By Mail
      • Make a Payment
      • My Library App
  • Column
    • About The Library
      • Our Story
      • Contact Us
      • Senior Staff
      • Library Board
      • Work With Us
      • Privacy Statement
  • Column
    • About The Library 2
      • Reports and Plans
      • Donate
      • Mission, Vision, Values
      • Policies
      • Media Room
      • Book a Room
Get A Library Card Donate

Follow Us

Copyright © Vancouver Island Regional Library.
All Rights Reserved. Proudly designed by Intent.

Copyright © Vancouver Island Regional Library. All Rights Reserved.