Banned Book Bingo presented by Bel Canto Books x Alder & Sage

Bel Canto Books x Alder & Sage proudly present Banned Book Bingo, a fundraiser and awareness campaign to encourage community members to fight against book banning.

Our special emcee for the evening is C.B. Lee, acclaimed author of COFFEESHOP IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, A CLASH OF STEEL: A TREASURE ISLAND REMIX, and more.

The American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has released new data documenting book challenges throughout the United States, finding that challenges of unique titles surged 65% in 2023 compared to 2022 numbers, reaching the highest level ever documented by ALA.

Join us at Banned Book Bingo to show your support for the freedom to read, raise funds for banned books, learn how you can get involved, and win some great banned book prizes!

Early bird tickets, $45 per person through 9/22, include:

• wine + snack pairing from Alder & Sage
• game card
• bookish goodies
• $10 donation to a local nonprofit

Tickets after 9/22 will be $50 per person.

Visit Bel Canto Books during Banned Books Week (10/5-10/11) to support the freedom to read!

Special thanks to Red, Wine & Blue for "working to change the world, one suburb at a time" and creating Banned Book Bingo!

PARKING

There is a paid parking lot at the corner of 4th Street and Cherry Avenue and paid street parking along 4th Street. Free street parking is available off Junipero Avenue and in the neighborhood.

ABOUT C.B. LEE

C.B. Lee is an author of young adult and middle grade fiction including the NYT Bestseller Minecraft: The Shipwreck. Their works also include the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selected A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix, the Lambda Literary Award nominated Sidekick Squad series, Ben 10 graphic novels, Out Now: Queer We Go Again, and From A Certain Point Of View: The Empire Strikes Back. Lee’s work has been featured in NPR, Teen Vogue, Wired Magazine, Hypable, Tor’s Best of Fantasy and Sci Fi and the American Library Association’s Rainbow List.

ABOUT BANNED BOOKS WEEK

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. The annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.

ABOUT ALDER & SAGE

Located in the Bluff Heights neighborhood of Long Beach, Alder & Sage serves Breakfast, Lunch and Brunch, featuring a menu with simple yet unique dishes that reflect the freshest of farm-to-fork dining.

ABOUT BEL CANTO BOOKS

Bel Canto Books is a proudly woman- and BIPOC- owned independent bookstore with three locations based in Long Beach, California, hosting author events, monthly book clubs, community events, and more. Learn more at belcantobooks.net.

Host or Publisher Bel Canto Books - Long Beach, CA