How publishers response to book bans is boosting the industry - Fast Company

Book bans aren't new; the practice is centuries old. But over the past four years, right-wing organizations have been on a crusade to remove books from school libraries and classrooms. Last school year, these groups challenged more than 3,000 titles. The top reasons for contesting books is that they deal with LBGTQ+ issues or shine a light on racism. As someone who tackles both of these issues in his work, Smith has gotten used to his books being challenged. "In many cases, librarians don't even bother buying them, because they know parents will contest them," he says. "They don't even have a chance to be banned."

But while the book bans cut into his sales, Smith says he's more motivated than ever to keep working on issues that are important to him. "It fires me up to make more books about truth and history and justice for all," he says. "I want to live in a country where there is diversity of thought."