Ban This Book

Amy Anne’s central internal conflict concerns finding her voice and learning how and when to speak out. Witnessing and participating in instances of one character exerting control and power over another influences Amy Anne’s character development. Initially, as seen at the first school board meeting, Amy Anne can only sit, sucking on her braids like a small child unable to stand and speak, watching as the authorities ban the list of titles. As she is just wading into the waters of rebellion, she watches the battle evolve between Mrs. Spencer and Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones questions Mrs. Spencer’s expertise in children’s literature. Mrs. Spencer tells Mrs. Jones she needs no “fancy degree” to know what’s best; soon, Mrs. Jones “hits” back with a strong move that infuriates Mrs. Spencer: “Oh, Mrs. Spencer, I meant to thank you […] For the money you and the PTA raised to bring an author to the school. I just booked someone to visit—Dav Pilkey” (115). This move on Mrs. Jones’s part causes Amy Anne to think that the fight is far from over and inspires her to continue her expansion of the BBLL when Mrs. Spencer returns to pull more books: “Behind them on a table was a tower of books removed for ‘further review’” (136).