Meet the Author - Alan Gratz 9/28

Welcome Alan Gratz!!!

​ALAN GRATZ is the author of many critically-acclaimed books for children and teens, including ​​Samurai Shortstop, an ALA Top Ten Books for Young Adults;​ ​​​Prisoner B-3087;​ ​​The Brooklyn Nine; and the League of Seven trilogy (​​T​​he League of Seven, The Dragon Lantern, The Monster War). A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Alan is now a full-time writer living in western North Carolina with his wife and daughter. 

​​​​BAN THIS BOOK is perfect to read along with your children and will spark discussions about freedom of knowledge, bookbanning and standing up for the things you love. 

Join us for an open-house style meet & greet. Alan will be here to mingle with kids of all ages (his new book is for a younger audience), and talk about any or all of his books! Children that saw him in school earlier in the day may join for more one-on-one time, kids that attended our Sci-Fi/Fantasy book club may bring in their copies of The League of Seven to be signed (see special note on FB about club participants). 

We highly recommend you PRE-ORDER the book you would like, select PAY & PICK UP at the store, then, in the comments indicate you will come to the event. Want a signed copy of one or more of Alan's books but not sure if you can make it? No problem, order and indicate in the comments you would like them signed for you at the event! 


Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

​"Ban This Book is absolutely brilliant and belongs on the shelves of every library in the multiverse."​ 
—Lauren Myracle, author of the best-selling Internet Girls series, the most challenged books of 2009 and 2011
This August, Starscape is excited to publish a new middle grade novel from critically-acclaimed author Alan Gratz:

​ ​BAN THIS BOOK (A Starscape Hardcover; $15.99; On-sale: August 29, 2017). 

Gratz has penned his latest novel about a topic that affects most readers at one point in their lives: censorship. This inspiring tale stars a young girl who fights back when her favorite book is banned from her school library by starting her own illegal locker library.
It all started the day Amy Anne Ollinger tried to check out her favorite book,​ ​From the Mixed-Up Files​ ​of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, from the school library. Mrs. Jones, the librarian, told her the bad news: her favorite book was banned! Just because a classmate’s mom thought the book wasn’t appropriate. 

Amy Anne fights back by starting a secret banned books library in her locker. The battle of the books escalates when she engineers a campaign to challenge every book in the school library, often under the most ridiculous of pretexts:​ The Lorax portrays the timber industry in a negative light! The mouse in the room in Goodnight Moon is a health code violation! 

Soon, Amy Anne and her friends find themselves on the front lines of a battle over book banning, censorship, and who has the right to decide what they can read. Reminiscent of the classic novel

​ ​Frindle by Andrew Clements​,​ ​BAN THIS BOOK is a love letter to the written word and its power to give kids a voice.
Even reluctant readers will fall in love with Amy Anne, a young woman of color who has an active imagination and witty inner dialogue, whose love of reading (particularly books where the main character gets to live alone, and not in a house full of annoying siblings) inspires her to fight back against censorship and advocate for her love of books.

Event date: 

Thursday, September 28, 2017 - 4:00pm to 4:45pm

Event address: 

Let's Play Books Bookstore
244 Main Street
Emmaus, PA 18049
Ban This Book: A Novel By Alan Gratz Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780765385567
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Starscape - August 29th, 2017

Refugee By Alan Gratz Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780545880831
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Press - July 25th, 2017

The League of Seven By Alan Gratz, Brett Helquist (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Alan Gratz, Brett Helquist (Illustrator)
$12.99
Email or call for price.
ISBN: 9780765338259
Published: Starscape - June 9th, 2015

Prisoner B-3087 By Alan Gratz, Ruth Gruener, Jack Gruener Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780545459013
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Press - March 1st, 2013

Code of Honor By Alan Gratz Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780545695190
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Press - August 25th, 2015