Published: 2022
Series: N/A
Author: Amy Sarig King
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary, Books about Books
Audience: YA, Middle Grades, Junior High
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads Link: The Attack of the Black Rectangles
Triggers: Censorship, Bullying, Manipulation, Parental Mental Health Issues
Review By: Diana Cashman
Publisher’s Summary:
When Mac first opens his classroom copy of Jane Yolen’s The Devil’s Arithmetic and finds some words blacked out, he thinks it must be a mistake. But then when he and his friends discover what the missing words are, he’s outraged. Someone in his school is trying to prevent kids from reading the full story. But who?
Even though his unreliable dad tells him to not get so emotional about a book (or anything else), Mac has been raised by his mom and grandad to call out things that are wrong. He and his friends head to the principal’s office to protest the censorship… but her response doesn’t take them seriously. So many adults want Mac to keep his words to himself. Mac’s about to see the power of letting them out. In Attack of the Black Rectangles, acclaimed author Amy Sarig King shows all the ways truth can be hard… but still worth fighting for.
Review:
This is a fantastic novel about Mac who will not stop until he and his reading group (that recently discovered their books were all censored) receive new books. They protest and fight for their right to read the entire book. Throughout all of the censorship drama, Mac is dealing with his own home issues. His parents are divorced and he is dealing with the mental health issues of his father, but does not really realize it. Throughout all of it, his grandfather and mother are right there by his side. There are so many different layers to this text, and I believe there are so many students who could relate to it. Mac’s situation with is father made me sad, but in reality there are so many kids whose parents are dealing with mental health issues. It also drove me crazy that the teacher made decisions about what she felt the children should be allowed to know (she was the one who censored the books), and it made me wonder how often this happens now. Lastly, I thought it was interesting that the author used a Jane Yolen book, a very popular author, as the book to be censored. Come to find out, Jane Yolen’s book was censored in Amy King’s school growing up.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- ELA: This novel is a perfect anchor text for units on intellectual freedom, the First Amendment, and the history of banned books. It also serves as an exceptional companion read alongside Jane Yolen’s The Devil’s Arithmetic.
- Social Studies / Civics: Educators can use Mac’s journey to teach lessons on peaceful protest, civic engagement, grassroots activism, and the structural dynamics of local school boards and community leadership.
- SEL (Social-Emotional Learning): The text provides vital touchpoints for discussing family structures, setting healthy emotional boundaries with parents, recognizing parental mental illness, and developing coping mechanisms for manipulation and gaslighting.
- Extension Activity / Library Application:
- Banned Books Week Mock School Board: Have students participate in a simulated school board meeting where they take on roles (parents, students, librarians, teachers, administrators) to debate the ethics of book challenges, utilizing arguments modeled by Mac and his friends.
- Literature Circles & Independent Reading: This book is perfectly suited for junior high literature circles focused on themes of institutional justice, community courage, and the power of the youth voice.
- Diversity & Representation: The text shines a much-needed spotlight on neurodiversity and parental mental illness, an underrepresented experience in middle-grade literature that provides a critical mirror for many students. Additionally, it celebrates non-traditional, multi-generational family units, showcasing the profound strength, love, and stability provided by Mac’s mother and grandfather.
Readalikes:
- Ban This Book by Alan Gratz
- Property of the Rebel Librarian by Allison Varnes
- Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen
