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Kim Hyun Sook was hunted down by the police for reading banned books in 1980s South Korea. Her Freeman Award-winning graphic novel about the experience, Banned Book Club, has now been banned in Florida. Kim is her family name. You can call her Hyun Sook. Ryan Estrada is the Eisner-nominated co-creator of Banned Book Club, Occulted, Learn to Read Korean in 15 Minutes, and the Student Ambassador series. The best thing he's ever done is marry Hyun Sook. His work can be found at ryanestrada.com.
A YALSA Top Ten Graphic Novel CYBILS Young Adult Graphic Novel Award Finalist Nebraska Library Commission Best Teen Title of 2024 ""Teens acutely aware of the threats to freedom of expression in our current era will be absolutely hooked."" —Booklist, starred review ""The charming and colorful illustrations capture the trip’s good cheer while also giving weight to the fear that surrounds the students’ daily lives. Sook and Estrada, the team that created Banned Book Club, deliver well-developed characters that have diverse backgrounds and motivations, with a story that includes affirming queer and trans representation. VERDICT An insightful and empowering graphic novel about the complexities of 1980s South Korea, featuring young people’s pursuit of justice and freedom of thought despite the risks."" —School Library Journal, starred review ""Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada continue creatively collaborating to reveal Kim's inspiring experiences in 1980s Korea during a dangerous, totalitarian regime."" —Shelf Awareness, starred review ""Bright, cheerfully cartoonlike drawings contrast with the serious topics, echoing the students’ balancing act as they pursue ordinary interests, such as romance, while protesting the dictatorship...small details—a girl being harassed by police for wearing a too-short skirt, students cautiously walking to school past menacing troops in riot gear—authentically evoke the stark realities of the era. A vivid portrayal of life under a dictatorship that educates and informs."" —Kirkus Reviews ""Sleek panels with comedic flourishes add levity and charm to memories, events, and secrets inspired by the author’s personal experiences, bringing to life a night of romance, friendship, and change amid societal unrest and adolescent upheaval."" —Publishers Weekly “A fantastic story of young love, teen drama, and friendship, but also an important look at…living without freedoms under a dictatorship and how government censorship harms kids.” —Book Riot
