Ban This Book

Amy Anne’s central internal conflict concerns finding her voice and learning how and when to speak out. Witnessing and participating in instances of one character exerting control and power over another influences Amy Anne’s character development. Initially, as seen at the first school board meeting, Amy Anne can only sit, sucking on her braids like a small child unable to stand and speak, watching as the authorities ban the list of titles. As she is just wading into the waters of rebellion, she watches the battle evolve between Mrs. Spencer and Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones questions Mrs. Spencer’s expertise in children’s literature. Mrs. Spencer tells Mrs. Jones she needs no “fancy degree” to know what’s best; soon, Mrs. Jones “hits” back with a strong move that infuriates Mrs. Spencer: “Oh, Mrs. Spencer, I meant to thank you […] For the money you and the PTA raised to bring an author to the school. I just booked someone to visit—Dav Pilkey” (115). This move on Mrs. Jones’s part causes Amy Anne to think that the fight is far from over and inspires her to continue her expansion of the BBLL when Mrs. Spencer returns to pull more books: “Behind them on a table was a tower of books removed for ‘further review’” (136).

By virtue of her title and leadership role, Principal Banazewski is in a position of control and power. She exerts this control over Amy Anne when she insists the list come down from Amy Anne’s locker. At the author visit, Amy Anne notices the principal sending waves of suspicion and blame toward the librarian: “I looked over at Principal Banazewski again. She had her arms folded and was glaring. But not at Mr. Pilkey, and not at me. She was glaring at Mrs. Jones” (131). The principal employs the custodian to take control of the BBLL when she finally discovers it, and she uses threats and fear tactics to show her power over Amy Anne in the meeting with Amy Anne’s parents: “There may even be lawsuits. You’ve hurt a lot of people with this little stunt” (164).

As Amy Anne begins to realize that a higher justice must prevail regarding the banned books and Mrs. Jones’s lost job, she questions the control and power of those making the decisions: “But what if the adult was wrong? […] And what if the adults didn’t play by their own rules?” (168). Trey Spencer, ironically, helps Amy Anne to find her voice as he concocts the perfect scheme to show everyone the inanity of his mother’s control: “Once you ban one book, you can ban them all” (187). The opportunity to employ others’ help in completing the Request for Reconsideration forms shows Amy Anne how effective she can be in a leadership role, which gives her the confidence to effectively word the logical argument against banning titles: “Everybody had the right to interpret any book any way they wanted to. What they couldn’t do then was tell everyone else their interpretation was the only interpretation” (195). Ultimately, Amy Anne conveys her poise, sense of control, and logical argument to the school board and public, resulting in a “win” for the books, the readers, and Mrs. Jones.