There is not an ounce of judgment in Ellen Hopkins’ “Crank” – this week’s #VelshiBannedBookClub feature. Written in verse and following a teenager’s struggle with sudden meth addiction, the work grapples with themes most teenagers and their family will face – including innocence, identity, deceit, and the power of choices. Loosely based on Hopkins’ own experience watching her daughter’s harrowing journey, it holds a sense of honesty that resonates with its readers. Some parents, school-board members, and lawmakers would like to believe removing books like “Crank” from the hands of students and children will remedy the dire drug crisis in this country. We know at the #VelshiBannedBookClub that the opposite is true. Reading books like “Crank” is a safe way –– sometimes the only safe way -- to explore. “This is how we change”Aug. 27, 2022
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