5 Years of Banned Book Giveaways

It’s impossible to believe, but next week marks five years since Annie’s Foundation made our public debut.  On a (very!) hot day in late September of 2022, we set up our very first Banned Book Giveaway, hosted in conjunction with our First Annual Read-In.  We had no way of knowing that 5 years later we’d be averaging 30 giveaways a year and closing in on nearly 28,000 books donated across the state of Iowa.

Please celebrate with us on September 29

Our Fifth Annual Annie’s Foundation Read-In and Banned Book Giveaway will take place next week on Tuesday, September 29, at the Johnston Farmer’s Market from 4-7pm.  The Farmer’s Market is held in Johnston Town Center.  Parking is plentiful, the vendors are local, and there’s usually live music!  

What is a Read-In?

A read-in is a form of protest where free people exercise their right to read freely.  We like to say it’s the perfect activity for an introvert!  There’s no speaking, no lectures—just a community reading in silent solidarity against censorship. Grab any banned or challenged book and join us.  The Town Center has some tables and chairs that can be used for the Read-In, or you can bring your own lawn chairs or blankets to sit on the lawn.  After you’ve had your fill of rebellion—and stopped by our booth to pick up your free book—walk on over to Zeke’s or Backpocket for dinner, or head to The Cork 50131 to end the day with a glass of wine.

Kicking Off Banned Books Week

The Annual Read-In serves as our official kick-off for Banned Books Week, which typically takes place the first week of October.  While this year there are no major organized events in Des Moines for Banned Books Week, we can assure you that Annie’s Foundation is still hard at work advocating for the freedom to read and supporting several smaller Banned Books Week initiatives around the metro.

In addition, President & Founder Sara Hayden Parris will be attending the 2nd Annual Save Our Stories event at the New York Public Library on October 5.  This small gathering will bring together grassroots leaders, national organizers, lawmakers, and banned authors, all of whom are passionate about the fight for intellectual freedom.  It’s an honor to be invited, and we can’t wait to share details about the event with you.

What We’re Reading

After paying a visit to the Trump-Epstein Memorial Reading Room this week, several members of Annie’s Foundation are reading Nobody’s Girl by Virginia Roberts Giuffre.

Important note: This powerful memoir by a woman who was trafficked by Epstein has been banned in only one school district in America: Iowa City.

More News This Week

• The amazing Jodi Picoult made her second stop in Des Moines this week, and Annie’s Foundation was there!  She is promoting her newest (bestselling) book Hollow Bones, which was targeted by book banners even before it was released.  You can tell from our picture how excited we were to meet her.

• Georgia’s second-largest school district is in hot water after abruptly removing Toni Morrison’s classic novel The Bluest Eye.  It seems as if the superintendent believes that a certain scene within the book appeals to a “prurient interest,” which is patently ridiculous.  

Donors like you make our work possible!

Annie’s Foundation is run entirely by a small team of

volunteers, funded by your generous donations.

We’ve given away over 6,000 books this this year, and we always need more!

Help us out with a donation.

Upcoming Events

September 29: 5th Annual Banned Book Read-In and Giveaway @ the Johnston Farmer’s Market, Johnston Town Center, 4-7pm

October 10: Banned Book Giveaway @ Ames Pridefest, Downtown Ames, 11am-6pm

October 24: Banned Book Giveaway @ the Iowa City Book Festival, MERGE in downtown Iowa City, 10am-4pm

October 28: Banned Book Giveaway @ Spooktacular, Johnston High School, 5:30-7:30pm

November 15: Banned Book Giveaway @ Big Grove Brewery’s Kids Day of Reading Celebration, 1-3pm

Don’t forget that you can

purchase books from Storyhouse Bookpub

and send them directly to us.

Support your local bookstore AND fight book bans

with one purchase!