Join us at Peoria Public Main Library (107 NE Monroe St., Peoria)  for an evening with internationally renowned author Laurie Halse Anderson.

Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author recently awarded Sweden’s Astrid Lindgren Award, the world’s largest children’s book prize. Her writing spans young readers, teens, and adults. Combined, her books have sold more than 8 million copies. Two of her novels, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists, and Chains was short-listed for the prestigious Carnegie medal in the United Kingdom. She was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award and has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. Anderson’s books cover tough topics for teens: Sex. Violence. Suicide. Trauma.
They’ve been the subject of censorship — just like countless other works in what’s currently a flood of book bannings across the U.S.
Anderson noted in a 2022 New York Times article about book bannings: “By attacking these books, by attacking the authors, by attacking the subject matter, what they are doing is removing the possibility for conversation. You are laying the groundwork for increasing bullying, disrespect, violence and attacks.”

The Freedom to Read is essential to our democracy, but also under attack.
Central Illinois libraries are joining together to encourage you to exercise your intellectual freedom.
Get a library card. Read outside your comfort zone. Unite against book bans.

Central Illinois Reads partners include: Peoria Public Library, Chillicothe Public Library, Dunlap Public Library District, Fondulac Library District, Illinois Prairie District Public Library, Morton Public Library, Pekin Public Library, Bradley University, Methodist College and Neighborhood House.

Books will be available for sale and signing after the program. Ages 13 and up.