Attack of the Black Rectangles

Mac Delaney and his friends discover that their assigned sixth-grade book has words blacked out by rectangles. Their attempts to uncover the original text lead them to question why adults would censor literature meant for students. As Mac navigates school and family life in his small Pennsylvania town, he starts examining other instances of truth being hidden or altered. He and his classmates begin advocating for transparency and honest discussions about difficult topics. The story confronts censorship, intellectual freedom, and the challenges young people face when questioning authority. Through Mac's experiences, the narrative explores how communities handle uncomfortable truths and the role of open dialogue between children and adults.

Readers appreciate the book's handling of censorship and how it empowers kids to question authority thoughtfully. Many note it helps open discussions between parents and children about difficult topics. Parents and teachers highlight the book's age-appropriate approach to serious themes. One reader said "It addresses mature content without being inappropriate for middle grade readers." Common criticisms focus on the pacing, with some finding the story slow to develop. A few readers mention the censorship theme feels heavy-handed. What readers liked: - Realistic middle school dynamics - Strong parent-child relationships - Encourages critical thinking What readers disliked: - Slow first half - Some found the message too overt - Secondary characters need more development Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (150+ ratings) BookPage: 5/5 School Library Journal: Starred review

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. A student resists a society where books are banned and critical thinking is discouraged.

Ban This Book by Alan Gratz. A fourth-grader starts a library from her locker when her favorite books are removed from the school library.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. A young girl in Nazi Germany steals books and shares them with others during a time of censorship and persecution.

Nothing But the Truth by Avi. A student's humming of the national anthem leads to a school controversy about rights, rules, and truth.

Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen. A Lithuanian girl smuggles books during the 1893 Russian ban on Lithuanian books to preserve her culture's language and identity.

🔷 Author A.S. King has won multiple awards for her young adult novels, including a Michael L. Printz Award and a Los Angeles Times Book Prize. 🔷 The book explores the topic of censorship through the story of sixth-grader Mac, who discovers his school is censoring words in his assigned reading of "Jane Eyre" by covering them with black rectangles. 🔷 The story was partially inspired by real-life experiences of censorship that A.S. King witnessed in schools during her career as a teacher. 🔷 The novel addresses complex themes like mental health, family dynamics, and the power of speaking up against injustice, while remaining accessible to middle-grade readers. 🔷 "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë, the book being censored in the story, was itself considered controversial when first published in 1847, with some critics calling it "anti-Christian" and "dangerous."