Mo Willems' bossy Pigeon makes his operatic debut
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! turns 20 this month. To mark the anniversary, Willems and Renee Fleming presented the pigeon's story in an opera at the Kennedy Center.
Books
ALA: Number of unique book titles challenged jumped nearly 40% in 2022
The number of reported challenges and attempted bans to books doubled in 2022 according to data released by the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom Monday.
Graphic memoir 'Gender Queer' tops U.S. library group's list of most challenged books
LGBTQ+-themed books remain the most likely targets of bans at public schools and libraries, the American Library Association says. Maia Kobabe's memoir topped the list for the second year in a row.
Stephen Buoro on his comic novel 'The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa'
A Nigerian teen obsessed with the West comes of age in a dangerous country. NPR's Camila Domonoske talks with Stephen Buoro about his comic novel, "The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa."
Danny Trejo on his new book, 'Trejo's Cantina'
NPR's Adrian Florido speaks with Danny Trejo about his new cookbook, Trejo's Cantina: Cocktails, Snacks & Amazing Non-Alcoholic Drinks from the Heart of Hollywood.
Brownsville gets a bookstore
Brownsville is one of the largest cities in Texas — and for more than a decade, it hasn't had a single bookstore. That's about to change, and residents are rejoicing.
Dennis Lehane on his new novel 'Small Mercies'
NPR Scott Simon talks with author Dennis Lehane about his new novel, "Small Mercies." It's set in 1974 Boston, during the protests over court-mandated desegregation of public schools there.
Ramona Ausubel on her novel 'The Last Animal'
NPR's Scott Simon interviews author Ramona Ausubel about her novel, "The Last Animal," about a family finding solace, after tragedy, in a scientific expedition to the Arctic.
Judy Blume has never been afraid to speak her mind
The iconic children's author has been tackling criticism and censorship long before the current trend sweeping American libraries.
Remembering Michael Denneny, an editor who championed LGBTQ voices
One of the first openly gay editors working at a major publishing house, Denneny launched the Stonewall Inn Editions imprint. He died April 12. Originally broadcast in 1987 and 1994.