Attack of the Black Rectangles, by Amy Sarig King

     The newest book by one of my all-time favorite authors! I was excited to read this book because the cover looked so interesting, and next week is Banned Books Week, so what better way to honor that than with a book about censorship? And then, as an added bonus, this book is written by one of my favorite storytellers! She used to go by the name A.S. King, and has written many other books that I've read and enjoyed - Still Life with Tornado, I Crawl Through It, Ask the Passengers...but I didn't realize this was THAT King author because she used her full first and middle name!

    What I have always loved about her writing is that I usually cannot read fast enough (the story is so compelling), but at the end of the book I can't really describe what the story is about! Sounds weird, I know, but King's writing is so...real, it isn't like she's making up a story, but that I am actually inside the storytellers head, thinking their thoughts, living their life!

    King's books are mostly written for older audiences - probably high school is the best fit, although some mature 8th graders would also enjoy the books. Attack of the Black Rectangles is written more for middle grades. Even 5th/6th graders will be able to manage this story, which is awesome! At the start of a new school year, main character Mac finds himself in a English class that is reading The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen. But Mac, and a few others in his class, quickly find that some of the words and phrases in the book have been blacked out with marker. Who would do such a thing, and why? And what are the words and phrases that were covered up? 

    Censorship, or the hiding of certain words, phrases, thoughts or ideas by a person or group of people, is the main theme of this story, and it is a very important one to think about. In the last couple of years, more books are being questioned and censored all around the country than ever before - people or groups trying to decide for you what you can and cannot read! This isn't the same as your parent telling you a book is too old for you right now - that is called parenting. Censorship is when someone says you cannot read a book - or parts of a book - because they don't believe in the message of the story, or who is represented in the story, or the language used in a story. Is this for someone else to decide...for you?

    October is Banned Books Month, and Attack is a good book to introduce you to this important topic. Check it out and decide for yourself if censorship suits you. 4 paws and a wag!