Freedom to Read: Laminated Storybook Walk Edition
This Storybook Walk encourages children to reflect on the impact of book banning and the importance of the freedom to read. With its thought-provoking theme and 3,000-word text, it’s best suited for middle to upper elementary students.
Contains 19 spreads (fits in 19 Storywalk frames). An Instruction page for this story is also available which extends the walk to 20 frames. If you have more frames to fill, you may also use the Cover/Copyright page as an additional Storywalk spread filling 21 possible frames.
Sizes: 11 × 17 and 18 × 24 inch
Original Title: Freedom to Read - ISBN 978-1-955698-04-7
Author/illustrator: Kelley Donner
Story: What if stories were forbidden? In the year 2084, Amy lives in a world where storybooks are banned, creativity is suppressed, and children are taught to only speak the truth—facts, nothing more. She has always felt different, filled with questions and ideas she can’t ignore and believing something is wrong with her—until she discovers a book hidden in an old room in her school and begins to read.
As she turns its pages, Amy realizes she isn’t the problem. The problem is the world around her, a world which used to be different. A world which used to be full of books. With each word she reads, her quiet doubts grow into something stronger—certainty. She isn’t alone in the way she thinks, and maybe, just maybe, stories are meant to be told. But in a society where books are dangerous and ideas are controlled, Amy must decide whether to keep her discovery a secret or stand up for the freedom to read. With stunning oil pastel illustrations and a gripping, heartfelt story, Freedom to Read is a powerful celebration of books, imagination, and the courage to question the world.
Against the backdrop of the current climate in the United States, where the freedom to read faces unprecedented challenges, this Freedom to Read serves as a powerful tool to ignite discussions on the impact of book banning while nurturing a deep appreciation for the magic of storytelling. What if all books were forbidden? What if your school’s library was locked? How far would you go to protect your right to read?
Kelley Donner is the author of various children’s books including The Day the Lines Changed which was featured in the Washington Post as one of the top ten children’s books about the pandemic and School is More Than a Building. She has a Masters of Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art and has worked in the field of education for over 20 years. Kelley lives with her husband and three boys in Munich, Germany.
On KelleyDonner.com you’ll find lesson plans, coloring pages, story-time videos, and more.
Join Amy and discover the transformative power of books in this timely, must-read for young readers.
Keywords: book censorship, book banning, elementary education, dystopian fiction, freedom to read
Age category of book and lesson plans: best for elementary grades 2-6.
Prompts: Discussion prompts help children to really think about the value of books and the importance of freedom of thought.
Topics: book banning, freedom of thought
Genre: Children’s fiction
Best for ages: 8-12 years
Lesson plans, story-time videos, and more can be found at KelleyDonner.com
This Storybook Walk encourages children to reflect on the impact of book banning and the importance of the freedom to read. With its thought-provoking theme and 3,000-word text, it’s best suited for middle to upper elementary students.
Contains 19 spreads (fits in 19 Storywalk frames). An Instruction page for this story is also available which extends the walk to 20 frames. If you have more frames to fill, you may also use the Cover/Copyright page as an additional Storywalk spread filling 21 possible frames.
Sizes: 11 × 17 and 18 × 24 inch
Original Title: Freedom to Read - ISBN 978-1-955698-04-7
Author/illustrator: Kelley Donner
Story: What if stories were forbidden? In the year 2084, Amy lives in a world where storybooks are banned, creativity is suppressed, and children are taught to only speak the truth—facts, nothing more. She has always felt different, filled with questions and ideas she can’t ignore and believing something is wrong with her—until she discovers a book hidden in an old room in her school and begins to read.
As she turns its pages, Amy realizes she isn’t the problem. The problem is the world around her, a world which used to be different. A world which used to be full of books. With each word she reads, her quiet doubts grow into something stronger—certainty. She isn’t alone in the way she thinks, and maybe, just maybe, stories are meant to be told. But in a society where books are dangerous and ideas are controlled, Amy must decide whether to keep her discovery a secret or stand up for the freedom to read. With stunning oil pastel illustrations and a gripping, heartfelt story, Freedom to Read is a powerful celebration of books, imagination, and the courage to question the world.
Against the backdrop of the current climate in the United States, where the freedom to read faces unprecedented challenges, this Freedom to Read serves as a powerful tool to ignite discussions on the impact of book banning while nurturing a deep appreciation for the magic of storytelling. What if all books were forbidden? What if your school’s library was locked? How far would you go to protect your right to read?
Kelley Donner is the author of various children’s books including The Day the Lines Changed which was featured in the Washington Post as one of the top ten children’s books about the pandemic and School is More Than a Building. She has a Masters of Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art and has worked in the field of education for over 20 years. Kelley lives with her husband and three boys in Munich, Germany.
On KelleyDonner.com you’ll find lesson plans, coloring pages, story-time videos, and more.
Join Amy and discover the transformative power of books in this timely, must-read for young readers.
Keywords: book censorship, book banning, elementary education, dystopian fiction, freedom to read
Age category of book and lesson plans: best for elementary grades 2-6.
Prompts: Discussion prompts help children to really think about the value of books and the importance of freedom of thought.
Topics: book banning, freedom of thought
Genre: Children’s fiction
Best for ages: 8-12 years
Lesson plans, story-time videos, and more can be found at KelleyDonner.com
This Storybook Walk encourages children to reflect on the impact of book banning and the importance of the freedom to read. With its thought-provoking theme and 3,000-word text, it’s best suited for middle to upper elementary students.
Contains 19 spreads (fits in 19 Storywalk frames). An Instruction page for this story is also available which extends the walk to 20 frames. If you have more frames to fill, you may also use the Cover/Copyright page as an additional Storywalk spread filling 21 possible frames.
Sizes: 11 × 17 and 18 × 24 inch
Original Title: Freedom to Read - ISBN 978-1-955698-04-7
Author/illustrator: Kelley Donner
Story: What if stories were forbidden? In the year 2084, Amy lives in a world where storybooks are banned, creativity is suppressed, and children are taught to only speak the truth—facts, nothing more. She has always felt different, filled with questions and ideas she can’t ignore and believing something is wrong with her—until she discovers a book hidden in an old room in her school and begins to read.
As she turns its pages, Amy realizes she isn’t the problem. The problem is the world around her, a world which used to be different. A world which used to be full of books. With each word she reads, her quiet doubts grow into something stronger—certainty. She isn’t alone in the way she thinks, and maybe, just maybe, stories are meant to be told. But in a society where books are dangerous and ideas are controlled, Amy must decide whether to keep her discovery a secret or stand up for the freedom to read. With stunning oil pastel illustrations and a gripping, heartfelt story, Freedom to Read is a powerful celebration of books, imagination, and the courage to question the world.
Against the backdrop of the current climate in the United States, where the freedom to read faces unprecedented challenges, this Freedom to Read serves as a powerful tool to ignite discussions on the impact of book banning while nurturing a deep appreciation for the magic of storytelling. What if all books were forbidden? What if your school’s library was locked? How far would you go to protect your right to read?
Kelley Donner is the author of various children’s books including The Day the Lines Changed which was featured in the Washington Post as one of the top ten children’s books about the pandemic and School is More Than a Building. She has a Masters of Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art and has worked in the field of education for over 20 years. Kelley lives with her husband and three boys in Munich, Germany.
On KelleyDonner.com you’ll find lesson plans, coloring pages, story-time videos, and more.
Join Amy and discover the transformative power of books in this timely, must-read for young readers.
Keywords: book censorship, book banning, elementary education, dystopian fiction, freedom to read
Age category of book and lesson plans: best for elementary grades 2-6.
Prompts: Discussion prompts help children to really think about the value of books and the importance of freedom of thought.
Topics: book banning, freedom of thought
Genre: Children’s fiction
Best for ages: 8-12 years
Lesson plans, story-time videos, and more can be found at KelleyDonner.com
