The Banned Book Bunch - Storytime

Name: The Banned Book Bunch - Storytime
Start: 2026-05-30T12:00:00-04:00
Location: 184 S. Candler St. , Decatur, GA, United States, Georgia 30030

Schedule

Sat, 30 May, 2026 at 12:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

184 S. Candler St. , Decatur, GA, United States, Georgia 30030 | Decatur, GA

This is a free, in-person only event, which takes place at Charis Books and More. Please read the event details to be sure you can participate in this group.
Charis Books and More is excited to bring our community a monthly space to celebrate diverse stories for young readers. Each month we will have a read-aloud and short discussion featuring a banned or challenged picture book — and every now and then, you may be surprised by a guest author or illustrator. All ages welcome but the books this group reads are geared towards kids ages 3-7. Come for a story time, stay for a snack & community building.
This group will meet monthly at Charis, on a Saturday from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. Follow @charisbooksandmore on Instagram and check out the Events calendar on the Charis website to stay updated on future dates.
This group is hosted by Ain Heath Drew. Ain is an award-winning author whose first love is writing beautiful stories for children. Drew has published three picture books, Ari J.’s Kinky, Curly Crown, Ari J.’s Firefly Rescue, and Ayo’s Adventure: Across the African Diaspora from Afro to Zulu. By day, she’s a reading interventionist inspired by the impact and transformative power of words. Her goal is for all children to experience the joy of immersing themselves in the magic of books.
What will The Banned Book Bunch be reading this year?
- March: Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love (banned for themes of gender expression & gender "non-comformity")
- April: Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty (banned for featuring a family with two fathers)
- May: Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña (banned for referencing incarceration and featuring a wedding between two women)
- June & July - SUMMER BREAK, NO STORY TIME
- August: The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson (banned for themes of race & social issues)
- September: Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts (banned for LGBTQ symbolism (pride flags, painted nails, etc))
- October: Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman by Nancy K. Mays and Sharice Davids (banned for LGBTQ content)
- November: Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine by Hannah Moushabeck (banned for not following "neutrality policies" re: Israel/Palestine)
Event Details
- Masks are required for adults in the audience and are optional for children
- There will be a mix of chair and floor seating. We will begin seating people at 11:30 AM.
- After the reading, we will provide kid-friendly snacks on the front porch.
- As a reminder: If you are not feeling well, please do not come to the event.
To request specific accessibility accommodations, please contact [email protected] or call the store at 404-524-0304.
Accessibility
Charis has both stairs and an elongated ramp at the entrance. Accessible parking is to the left of the building. Charis Books is a fully wheelchair accessible space with on site van accessible parking, two ramps, and additional overflow accessible parking nearby. Most of our shelves are on wheels and can be moved to provide additional access. The insides are all level and flat with ramps to access various areas of the space. Our bathrooms are wheelchair accessible and gender neutral with motion activated fixtures. Both bathrooms have wheelchair accessible baby changing tables. Our directional signs are written in braille. Please contact us at [email protected] or 404-524-0304 if you would like ASL interpretation at this event.
The event is free and open to all people, but we encourage and appreciate a donation of $5-20 in support of the work of Charis Circle, our programming non-profit. Donate via our website: www.chariscircle.org/donate or in person at the event.
By attending this event, you agree to our Code of Conduct: Our event seeks to provide a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), class, or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Unsolicited sexual language and imagery are not appropriate. Anyone violating these rules will be expelled from this event and all future events at the discretion of the organizers. Please report all harassment to Charis staff immediately.