Book bans continue at a harsh frequency even while the world focuses on many other issues. Communities and schools are forced to hide or destroy troves of books, many of which are challenged for spurious reasons related to LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC stories. This creates a difficult outlook for authors, readers, and the parents and librarians who must cope with book challenges.

In this virtual discussion, we’ll hear from oft-banned authors Malinda Lo (Last Night at the Telegraph Club, winner of the National Book Award) and Patricia McCormick (New York Times bestseller SOLD) with the Authors Guild’s Cheryl L. Davis about the real-world impacts of book banning on kids, readers, and writers. We’ll discuss the emotional and practical responses to book challenges:

• The ongoing impact of book removals on children and society
• How authors are impacted by both targeted and sweeping book challenges
• Running for library boards and other public service
• Researching candidates and contacting politicians
• Donating to libraries in places where books are wrongfully removed
• State legislation and other efforts for and against free speech and book access

A Q&A will follow the presentation; you can pre-submit a question when registering for the event. A recording will be made available for those who cannot attend live.

The event will take place via Zoom with automatic closed captioning. To request any other accessibility features, please email support@authorsguild.org and we will make every effort to accommodate.

Panelists

Malinda Lo is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels and the forthcoming memoir Something Inside Me Knows (March 2027). Her novel Last Night at the Telegraph Club won the National Book Award, the Stonewall Book Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, a Michael L. Printz Honor, and was an LA Times Book Prize finalist. Kirkus Reviews hailed it as one of the best books of the 21st century so far. 

In addition to her work as an author, Malinda advocates for the First Amendment rights of her fellow writers. She was a leading member of the Mass Freedom to Read coalition, which successfully supported the passage of An Act Regarding Free Expression in Massachusetts, and she has been a co-plaintiff in federal lawsuits in Iowa and Idaho that challenge statewide laws that lead to censorship. She was a recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Bravery in Literature in 2025.

Born in Guangzhou, China, Malinda immigrated to the United States as a child with her family, and grew up near Boulder, Colorado. She now lives in Massachusetts with her wife and their dog.

Patricia McCormick, a two-time National Book Award finalist, is the author of several critically acclaimed novels – including Never Fall Down, the true story of a boy who survived the Killing Fields of Cambodia by playing music for the Khmer Rouge, and SOLD, a moving account of sexual trafficking. She is also the co-author of I Am Malala, the story of Malala Yousafzai, the girl who was shot by the Taliban in her fight for education. 

Cheryl L. Davis, moderator, is the General Counsel for the Authors Guild and has been a leading force in the battle to challenge book bans in Texas, Arkansas and Idaho. Davis graduated from Princeton University in 1983 and received her J.D. from Columbia University School of Law and her M.S.J. from the Columbia University School of Journalism. An award-winning playwright, librettist and television-writer, Cheryl combines her creative passion with her legal work.

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