A children’s book about Rosa Parks. A graphic adaptation of “The Diary of Anne Frank”. A Pulitzer Prize-winning book by a Nobel Laureate. These are but a few of the books that have been restricted, challenged, and banned in dozens of states across the U.S. In the new documentary “The ABCs of Book Banning” (directed by Sheila Nevins, produced and co-directed by Trish Adlesic, and co-directed by Nazenet Habtezghi), the filmmakers go to the source: a fourth grade class in Jacksonville, FL to hear what the students themselves have to say about this latest wave of book banning in America.

Producer and co-director Trish Adlesic joins Ken to discuss what’s at stake in school and public libraries and why it is so critical that we listen to young people about what is being denied to them when books are taken off the shelves.

“The ABCs of Book Banning” has been nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary Short. It can be streamed on Paramount +.

Hidden Gems:

Trish Adlesic: “Camp Courage”, “American Symphony”

Sheila Nevins: “Last Song from Kabul”, “American Symphony”

The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Follow:

@thesheilanevins on Instagram and twitter and @trishadlesic on Instagram

@topdocspod on Instagram and twitter