October 2026 Banned Book Club – Parable of the Sower

Join us each month for thought-provoking discussions in the Banned Book Club, where we will explore the powerful stories and ideas that have been silenced by book bans across America. Every month, we’ll dive into either a book currently banned or one that examines the culture of censorship and its impact on society. Together, we’ll challenge the limits of free expression, reflect on the importance of diverse voices, and discuss why certain books are under attack. Whether you’re reading for pleasure or actively seeking ideas outside your comfort zone, each meeting offers a space for open dialogue, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of the books that shape our world. Come ready to read, reflect, and resist!

Our October book is Ashes by Laurie Halse Anderson, Book 3 in the Seeds of America trilogy. Stop in or order your copy from Cavalier House Books today!

About the book:

From a celebrated, award-winning author, a modern classic about a young girl fighting for survival in a post-apocalyptic world, perfect for fans of N.K. Jemisin and Margaret Atwood.

Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding social chaos and anarchy caused by climate change and economic crisis. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy—a debilitating sensitivity to others’ emotions.

Precocious and clear-eyed, Lauren must make her voice heard in order to protect her loved ones from the imminent disasters her small community stubbornly ignores. But what begins as a fight for survival soon leads to something much more: the birth of a new faith . . . and a startling vision of human destiny.

Includes a foreword by LeVar Burton and an afterword by N. K. Jemisin

Lauren’s story continues in The Parable of the Talents.

“In the ongoing contest over which dystopian classic is most applicable to our time, Octavia Butler’s ‘Parable’ books may be unmatched.”—The New Yorker

Read about where and how Parable of the Sower has been banned in the United States.