Maggie Tokuda-Hall on Free Expression and Fighting Book Bans

In this episode, Maggie Tokuda-Hall speaks about refusing to write to market expectations. She reflects on her experience with censorship and her picture book Love in the Library—which ultimately led to her being a founding member of Authors Against Book Bans.

Maggie also shares what it’s like to author graphic novels, including The Worst Ronin and Squad, and to collaborate with artists throughout the process. She also highlights information on how listeners can fight book bans, as well as the most important action they can take right now. On the topic, Olivia shares an opportunity for individuals to join a Banned Books Week Read-In this October to protest ongoing censorship. 

Listen to the full episode 

…It is not a battle to keep Gender Queer on the shelf specifically. It is not a battle to keep my books on the shelf specifically. It is a battle to have books, period.

— Maggie Tokuda-Hall on the Libro.fm Podcast

About our guest

Maggie Tokuda-Hall has an MFA in creative writing from USF, and BA in art from Scripps College. She’s the author of numerous award winning, best-selling children’s and young adult books including Love in the Library, The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea duology, Squad, and The Worst Ronin. She has been called “… one of the most unflinching voices in contemporary genre literature.” Maggie is a founding member and national leader of Authors Against Book Bans. She is the co-host of the Failure to Adapt podcast. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband, children, and objectively perfect dog.

Get Maggie’s Audiobooks

Audiobooks discussed on today’s episode