― Kirsten Miller, Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

In a small Southern town, two influential women are pitted against each other in a battle over banned books. Beverly Underwood and Lula Dean live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia. Both born and raised in Troy, Lula and Beverly went to school together, but they couldn’t be more different than each other. Beverly is on the school board, while Lula has become a local celebrity on her mission to rid the local libraries of what she has deemed inappropriate material, but these are books that she hasn’t even read. To help provide the city of Troy with more quality reading material, Lula has put up a little lending library in front of her house full of worthy literature she says has changed her life (side note: she hasn’t read any of that stuff either).

One night, shortly after the little lending library is opened, a mysterious resident of Troy sneaks in and secretly fills the little library with banned books wrapped in Lula’s wholesome dust jackets. As people start visiting Lula Dean’s library, they find their lives changed in unexpected ways thanks to the books they find. It’s only a matter of time before one of Lula’s enemies finds the library and decides to use it to bring her down, right when Lula and Beverly are both running for mayor. Emotions and actions reach a head, leading the two women to a showdown which will change the whole town forever.

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books is full of wit, rage, hilarity, and unhinged characters. I felt all range of emotions while reading this book: at times laughing out loud and then wanting to throw the book across the room while forming passionate arguments in my head. Swinging from hilarious to serious, this book addresses issues relevant to today. Many of the characters experience life transforming moments, notably after reading banned books, that force them to make hard changes in uncomfortable ways. Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books calls readers to take stock of what they believe and support. If you get a chance, give Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books a read and let us know what you think.

This title is also available in large print and CD audiobook.

“Gather as much knowledge as you can, because information is power. And chosing how to use it is freedom. The more you know, the freer you will be.”

― Kirsten Miller, Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books