As a book blogger and literature enthusiast, I am vehemently against the banning of books. It is a dangerous practice that undermines our fundamental right to freedom of expression and deprives us of the opportunity to explore diverse perspectives and ideas. Living in New Zealand, I am grateful that the banning of books is not a rampant issue, as it is in many other countries. However, this is not to say that we should become complacent or turn a blind eye to the dangers of censorship. We must remain vigilant and stand up against any attempts to restrict access to information and literature. For me, reading has always been a form of escape and a source of knowledge. Growing up in a Christian household, certain topics were considered taboo and were not discussed openly. It was through books and authors like Melody Carlson and Ellen Hopkins that I was able to find answers to some of the more challenging questions that I had about life and the world around me. Their books, such as Findin...

Review: The Red Fence - Ed Damiano , Illustrated by Jen Polk- July 2021 This cute picture book was an easy read and reminded me so much of the Dr. Seuss stories that the majority of us grew up on. From the creation and artwork of the characters to the rhyming and the crazy made-up names of the race which in the book The Red Fence are called Vanderloos. In this book, a family moves into the village and decides to be different and paint their fence - red when every other fence is white. The townspeople and mayor try to sway them and get them to change their mind but they stand firm. Slowly the rest of the town of Vanderloos see the family standing strong and accepting their differences and eventually the town is filled with colorful fences.  The Red Fence was a great picture book and aimed at children aged 4-6 years old and filled with bright and beautiful illustrations. Fans of Dr. Seuss’s stories will love Ed Damiano’s The Red Fence as it brought back those wonderful memories of ...