Samira Ahmed Tackles Book Banning in Her Upcoming Ya Novel “This Book Won’t Burn”

Ahmed wrote in an Instagram post that, “I wrote ‘This Book Won’t Burn’ … because teens around the country are fighting for their right to read; because librarians and teachers are fighting for our fundamental freedoms; because writing this story is one way I could lend my voice to this battle.”

New York Times and indie bestselling author Samira Ahmed has announced her upcoming young adult novel “This Book Won’t Burn.” The book focuses on a teenage girl fighting book banning in her new community, which is especially timely considering the rash of book banning currently affecting many Muslim authors.

Regarding the importance of the book, Ahmed wrote in an Instagram post that, “I wrote ‘This Book Won’t Burn’ … because teens around the country are fighting for their right to read; because librarians and teachers are fighting for our fundamental freedoms; because writing this story is one way I could lend my voice to this battle.”

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From the publisher’s website:

From the New York Times bestselling author of “Internment” comes a timely and gripping social-suspense novel about book banning, activism and standing up for what you believe.

After her dad abruptly abandons her family and her mom moves them a million miles from their Chicago home, Noor Khan is forced to start the last quarter of her senior year at a new school, away from everything and everyone she knows and loves.

Reeling from being uprooted and deserted, Noor is certain the key to survival is to keep her head down and make it to graduation.

But things aren’t so simple. At school, Noor discovers hundreds of books have been labeled “obscene” or “pornographic” and are being removed from the library in accordance with a new school board policy. Even worse, virtually all the banned books are by queer and BIPOC authors.

Noor can’t sit back and do nothing, because that goes against everything she believes in, but challenging the status quo just might put a target on her back. Can she effect change by speaking up? Or will small-town politics — and small-town love — be her downfall?

Samira Ahmed is the bestselling author of "Love, Hate & Other Filters," "Internment," "Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know," "Hollow Fires" and the Amira & Hamza middle-grade duology, as well as a Ms. Marvel comic book mini-series. Her poetry, essays and short stories have appeared in numerous publications and anthologies including the New York Times, "Take the Mic," "Color Outside the Lines," "Vampires Never Get Old" and "A Universe of Wishes." She was born in Bombay, India, and grew up in Batavia, Illinois. A graduate of the University of Chicago, Ahmed has taught high school English in both the suburbs of Chicago and New York City, worked in education non-profits, and spent time on the road for political campaigns. Ahmed currently lives in the Midwest. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found on her lifelong quest for the perfect pastry (via Ahmed’s website).