Common Sense Media Review
By Mandie Caroll
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wild animals protest book bans in timely tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In ROAR FOR READING, readers learn that lions have always been protectors of libraries, but, over time, as books became plentiful, lions had to roar less and less to keep books available to all. But then lion cub Julius' librarian mother gets an upsetting letter that results in a trip to the mayor's office, where the mayor uses words Julius didn't understand ("controversial," "inappropriate"), and his mom uses more confusing words ("censorship," "accessibility"). Back at the library, Julius realizes that his mom has to remove beloved books from the library; he feels a rumble, and then lets out a roar. His roar inspires his mom and other library patrons to organize a protest against the bans, and they march to city hall. The final spread shares that "roar" is also an acronym (Recognize, Organize, Act, Respect) to guide responses to book bans.
Is It Any Good?
This kid-friendly introduction to book bans is pitch perfect for little book lovers and their caregivers. Offering a quirky history of how lions became protectors of libraries, Roar for Reading uses a young cub's roar as not just an expression of anger at an unfair rule, but as a practical acronym to support the freedom to read: Recognize, Organize, Act, Respect. An excellent primer on book bans and how to protest them, this book will be valued by parents and educators looking for ways to teach young readers about the freedom to read.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the attempt to ban books, as happens in Roar for Reading. Do you know of any book-banning attempts in your school or neighborhood? Who should decide what books are right for kids?
Julius watches his mother, the librarian, talk with the mayor about how she disagrees with the book ban. Have you ever told someone in charge that you disagree with their rule? What happened?
Julius, his mother, and other library goers work together to protest the book ban. Did it work? Can you think of a real-life example of when a group of people protested and made a positive change? How did people work as a team to achieve their goal?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Andrew Joyner
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Activism ( Civic engagement ) , Animals ( Wild Animals )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Gratitude , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : September 3, 2024
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 26, 2025
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